By Slanted Light

Oh, I think it's easy to imagine Doyle - 1950s Derbyshire childhood and all. If you extrapolate in a sort of 'bunk off school, roam the moors, friend is from a farming family' sort of direction, anyway. These days it's all quadbikes, but even in the eighties I remember knowing farm kids who learnt to ride by being dumped on the back of a horse and just learning for themselves. And then showing all their friends :) I do remember I was just about to get my turn on one of these poor beasts when my parents said it was time to go. I was quite miffed!

So if we give Doyle family there around the fifties, and go with the impression from ITPI that either he or his parents moved around a lot and that at some stage he escaped boring stuff by heading off to cousin's farm... given all that, then it would be easy for him at least to learn to the level of bareback/manky saddle and a halter. Doubt much in the way of aids and the different bridles, though! Definitely need a stables for that. Culture clash ahead...