My older brother Keith had an experience that few boys would relish. He had ridden his pony Titus the 3 miles from our home to our cousins' farm. After a very lively visit, he started home. But like most small boys would be, he was getting tired and restless. He began fidgeting with his feet in the stirrups, finally wriggling one foot through the circle---PROBLEM ---it would not come out again. In his struggle to get free, he fell from the saddle and was suspended from the stirrup, upside down, with no means of pulling himself up.
Now, this could have been deadly. Many, maybe most, horses would have been alarmed about any object hanging from the stirrup, and start to sidle away --maybe even run away. But not our Titus. He stood still for as long as it took for someone to come to help. There were not many cars on the road in 1920, so it could have taken a long time. This time Lucky. A car soon stopped and the driver put Keith back on top, with his foot freed. Now Titus was free to take his little buddy home.
Within the hour, our dad had put leather shields on the front of those stirrups. Now Keith could ride another day, thanks to one smart pony!

Author: Meade McSweeney
Country: Canada
Age: 86
True story: Yes
Rating: 12 paws up
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