[AT] O/T one horse sleighs

[HaliganBar at aol.com]

Cecil

All of this reminiscing of times past makes me glad that our kids have had a 
chance to experience these things first hand. Horse drawn vehicles aren't a 
necessity for us but they are still a lot of fun. Not only for us for all our 
neighbors too.

When Cathy takes Sue out for a drive, she seems to draw people from their 
homes. Folks will come out to look, take pictures, or pet Sue. There's always 
lots of questions and most people quickly accept a ride when it is offered.

We are fortunate to live in a small rural town where the owner of the local 
market lives above the market with his family. In the summer we will sometimes 
harness Sue to the meadowbrook and make the 3 mile drive to the market where 
we'll tie her to the rail outside while we shop. We have to keep the purchases 
to 2 bags because of the limited space in the meadowbrook. Sue seems to enjoy 
the trip because she gets a couple carrots while she waits. 

I'm always pleased to see the smiles on everyone's face when we drive by. 
Most people will also stop what they are doing and at least wave. Thankfully most 
of the other drivers will slow their cars as they pass and give us plenty of 
room. 

I wish I had the benefit of owning horses earlier in my life. I realize that 
in spite of the excellent equine mentors I've had, there is no substitue for 
hands on experience. My 10 years of experience is nice but, I'd like it to be 
double or triple that. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to stick with it.

Karl

In a message dated 12/24/04 2:25:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
cmonson at hvc.rr.com writes:

<< We had a bobsled too, Karl. My father always used it with his team
 of Belgians in the winter. To us on the farm in the 1930s, it was treated 
sort
 of like a 4WD pickup would be today. It was the way we got to town, hauled 
the
 cream to the main road when the roads were impassible for trucks, hauled feed
 for stock, and even firewood at times for the house. Back in those days, it 
was
 not uncommon for roads to be blocked for 2 to 3 weeks or more at a time. Some
 years crossing fields that were more or less blown fairly clear of snow was 
the
 only way to travel. Ralph may have those conditions even today in parts of
 Saskatchewan. The last time I was there a rancher told me parts of the road
 his kids take to school have over 30 feet of snow in the gullies it crosses.
 He said nowadays his kids take snowmobiles about 3 miles to the main road to
 get the schoolbus and leave them there for the day while they are in school.
 
    As I kid I remember many rides in the bobsled at this time of the
 year. I'll bet I am not the only one who knows those runners squeak and 
squeal
 on cold mornings as they move thru the snow. Frost and icicles used to form
 on the muzzles of the horses like hoar frost on very cold days too. We don't
 pay much attention to it these days but it was a pleasure to us riding in the
 back of the bobsled, all covered up against the cold, to smell the groceries
 in the bags as we rode along. I guess there are a lot of things we don't even
 notice any more. Maybe we are moving a little too fast these days.
 
 Cecil >>