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Don Locke: Lookin Thru Bifocals

It’s good to see bosals on horse bridles now—if only in small numbers.  

I watch TV westerns a lot; I’m starting to see bosals more in newer westerns.  I’m pleased.

A bosal fits over the horse’s nose rather than in the mouth like a bit.  It’s made out of a more rigid material than a regular bridle nose strap.  It is padded with a wrapping of soft leather or sheep skin for comfort.  It goes all the way around the horse’s nose and connects to the leverage arms to which the reins are attached at the bottom.  

The bosal is looser-fitting than a nose strap, but the rider could bring a horse to its knees, if need-be, by putting strong back-pressure on the reins.  The animal can be neck-reined as normal. 

A gentle horse does well with a bosal.  A maverick probably would not.

When our daughter was a young teenager we bought her an old retired, thoroughbred mare race horse—papers and all.  She was gentle as a lamb except she didn’t like gates on a bridle.  Well we didn’t have that many gates and we solved the bridle problem; we got her a bosal.  This suited the mare just fine.  Our daughter spent many days in the saddle, although she had to do considerable climbing to get there.  The mare was very tall.  They came to love each other.

Hank Williams Sr. was a genius at songwriting, but you knew that I guess, if you like country music.

Hank and fellow Grand Ole Opry folks: Little Jimmy Dickens and Minnie Pearl were on their way, by plane, to a play-date in Kansas.  Minnie was up front with her husband who was flying the plane.  Hank and Jimmy were in the back.  

As they went along Hank turned to Jimmy and asked if he’d had a hit song lately.  “No, but I need one,” Jimmy told him.  “Well,” said Hank, “I’ll write you one.”  Minnie Pearl got pencil and paper out of the plane’s glove box and handed them to Hank.

In twenty minutes Hank had written Hey Good Lookin’ (What ya’ got cookin’).

Jimmy thanked him and stuck the song into his pocket. Jimmy happened to think about the song a couple of weeks later and discovered it still in his pocket—he began to make the plans to record it.

A day or so late Jimmy saw Hank Williams across the street—Hank hollered at him, “Hey Tader.  I recorded your song.”  “Thanks a lot Hirim,” Jimmy replied.  

“Hey-hey good lookin’. What-cha got cookin’?  How’s about cookin’ something up with me?... One of Hank’s biggest hits.  Hirim and Tader remained good friends. 

The passing parade.

Kindest regards… 

 
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