A Horse Path

A few interesting equines ...

Cornwall
Padstow - the Old Hoss, Blue Ribbon Hoss
Penzance - Penglaz Maizey Day

Devon
Combe Martin - the Earl of Rone last performed 1837, revived 2000.

Dorset
The Ooser (top left) - a related beast. The spotted horse (top left) was spotted in Blandford
Symondsbury - Pony mummers play

Kent
Hooden Horses are particular to east Kent. A carved horse head with a noisy articulated lower jaw is affixed to a pole hung with hessian which hides the performer. He is accompanied by a carter, a rider and a betsy (man as woman) who join him in a short play performed for money before Christmas ­ a time when work was short. After virtually dying out Hoodening made a resurgence in the 1950s and a new white horse Invicta (after Kent's emblem) appeared and has joined with the East Kent Morris Men. More Hooden Horses have appeared and in 1998 three appeared together in one play. Look out for them between Whitstable and Folkestone (the museum there has a Horse head from Walmer. A book of excellent photographs taken by Percy Maylem exists from 1909). Read more about Hoodening on-line.

Lincolnshire
Scunthorpe, Crosby, Revesby (1779 early written plough play), Scotter and Burringham - plough plays, plough Jags.

Northamptonshire
Yardley Gobion - morris with a hobby 1880 ­ 1920 Northampton Museum.

Oxfordshire
Banbury - Blanche the White Horse (top, centre) - read more about the Banbury Hobby Horse Festival.

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady on a white horse
Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
And she shall have music wherever she goes. 

Somerset
Minehead - the Sailor's Horse, the Dunster Horse, the Town Horse.

Staffordshire
Abbots Bromley - Hobby Horse.