What was young life like for those 80 and over. Two of my friends gave the following description.
When they were younger (in their teens) they used to do cartwheels. Not like we think of cartwheels.
They literally stretched themselves across cartwheels, holding on to the spokes (with their midsection covering the hub of the wheel). The horse would then be invited to go as fast as possible. For safety’s sake, a spoke was removed to allow for their head to be place within the cartwheel (thus not allowing the head – which had no helmet – to touch the ground in the rotations of the wheel).
When you got too dizzy you just fell off the wheel – or were expelled from the wheel – which ever sounds better!
Upon hearing this story from two witnesses, I was justly horrified.
They just laughed.
Maybe we are a bit too protective in our day and age?