Hold Your Horses, A Secret Life (1950)

🎬Gaumont British Instructional Film includes wonderful sequences of a Pony Drift 70 years ago. Plus great shots of city life that still embraced horses.

New Forest ponies shown living on the open forest. A young horse named 'Tuppence' dreams of what it's like to be grown up. He imagines all types of roles for a grown up horse.

Working Horses in London merge seamlessly with modern motor cars and lorries, as they pull all types of carriages and carts. Long distance stagecoach work along Britain's arterial road network. Royal duties, conveying kings and queens. Working on the farm, a ploughing team.

Back on the New Forest. A question and answer section to see how observant the viewer has been.

A pony roundup or Drift. A sequence that includes an enthusiastic Border Collie running with it's master. The Narrator describes 'How to catch a pony': "Ride up behind it, grab hold of its tail and give several quick circular turns. With its balance upset, it is thrown to the ground. Dismount from your horse and sit on the ponies head. You can now put a halter on the pony".... SIMPLE.

Some excellent dynamic shots of riders and ponies as they reach and gather in the pound. Commoners using poles and rope loops to select ponies for a health check.

Stabling and horse riding. The final scene is of a family out and about, riding in one of London's great parks.

Gaumont British Instructional Ltd. Production
Released by General Film Distributors
J, Arthur Rank Presentation
Released in 1950

Formed in 1933, Gaumont British Instructional made nearly 400 films for schools and Cinema Clubs to educate and entertain children. Founder, Harry Bruce Woolfe had a passion for 'Visual Education' and with the help of other recruits from the ranks of British Gaumont staff, they worked closely with education establishments to produce a raft of films over the coming years. By 1954, Gaumont British Instructional had been absorbed into the Rank Organization's main body of production.