08/31/06 School bus horses

School Bus Horses Well it's that time of year again when school kids will be piling on school buses all over the country. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be back right after this to tell you about a different school bus. While kids today will be loading on air-conditioned, heated school buses, country kids a few years back climbed on another type of bus  their horses. My Mom tells about a little sorrel horse that had run on a local racetrack that was her school bus. Topsy would only let herself be caught by kids and Mom said she would put her head down to be haltered then Mom or her brother would get on her neck and slide to her back as she raised her head. Topsy had seating for a total of five kids  if they were all small so Mom picked up other students on the way to school. Topsy didn't have the best "whoa" in the world, but would strangely enough stop if a kid fell off or if a stick or branch was dropped by the riders. Mom didn't tell me how they discovered that braking method. The school had a small barn that the mare was kept in during school hours. Topsy was watered at a creek on the way to school in the morning and in the evening on the way home. Mom said they would carry a sack of hay to school whenever it was needed so the horse could have plenty to eat during the day. I guess granddad got a horse off the race track so Mom and her brother got to school without being tardy and got home in time too help with chores. Tomorrow I'll tell you about some more school bus horses. I'm Jeff Keane.