Your vehicle inspection process sounds much like the process in Japan in
the 70s. Folks with an “In” contact with the inspection people sailed
right through. The rest of us learned to be prepared for the worst and
be ready to wait all day for the outcome. They fixed problems right
there and it was usually a couple hundred dollars worth. A lot of
folks, after the first time, learned to pay someone to take care of it
for them. Just getting to the inspection station was rough. In normal
city driving, the average traffic speed was about 10 MPH. I remember we
went out for a drive one day, more or less got lost, was gone 3 hours,
and had traveled about 30 miles. After that, we used the trains to go
places.

Dale Pritchard

It seems horse stories are selling pretty well right now so her’s a couple more. My Welsh mare was, as Vickie says, smarter than me. She figured out that a 10 year old couldn’t do much to her if she decided to have it her way. I used to be able to ride her for a ways and then if she wanted to go home she just turned around and went. I rode her to Smith’s several times and when she was nearly there she changed her mind and away we went. The only way I could stop her was to jump off when she balked and lead her. She would lead anywhere. One time I walked into Smith’s yard leading Beauty again and Wayne said, “What the heck are you leading that horse again for?” I said, “Because she won’t go. She just wants to run home.” Wayne said, “I can take that ____ out of her , but I might have to be a little mean to her.” I was hot and tired and said, “I don’t care if you kill her!” Wayne got a small stick from the woodpile and climbed on. He said, “OK Beauty, let’s go for a ride.” She balked and twisted and Wayne tapped her between the ears. All of a sudden her memory came back and she could neck rein and back up and go where she was told to. It only took Wayne a couple minutes a couple whacks and I had a good horse again! He gave me the stick and said, “She’s got you buffaloed and she knows it. Now you have to show her that you are the boss and she will be fine.” I rode her home and things went fine. I got so if she started any of her old tricks, I just held the stick out to the side where she could see it and that’s all it took! She was no dummy–I was. One time later she decided she didn’t want to back up. I was out in the yard trying to get her to do it but she would rare up instead so I was being careful and working with her. Dad saw what was going on and said, “Make her do it.” I said I was afraid she may go over backward on me so I was taking it cool. Dad was impatient and said , “Get off there, I’ll back her up.” He jumped on and pulled back the reins and she stood straight up and hopped backward. He slid out of the saddle and landed on his tailbone on a small rock and then crawled around the yard in pain. It wasn’t funny. He was hurting bad.

Another time even later, Axel Johnson’s family came to the farm to visit my grandparents. Darlene came down to the barn and wanted me to take her for a ride on my horse. We were about 14 at that time. I told her I never had tried two people on my horse so I better not. It wasn’t just that, I really didn’t feel like it that day. She went to the house and pretty soon Grandma came out and told me to give her a ride. I put the bridle on but no saddle and got on and pulled Darlene on behind me. As soon as we were both on, SHE kicked Beauty in the flanks and we took off like a shot. Grandma’s chickens were all in the shade on the north side of the old barn and when the horse went past the corner of the barn, they all squawked and flew and scared the horse and she made a 90 degree turn going wide open and dumped us on our heads. Darlene got up and went to the house bawling and Grandma came out and gave me heck for hurting her. Have you ever had a day like that? Thanks Gary!

Dick