Wife noticed them as we returned home from the auction, and my official visit with the museum director.

Horses.

Two horses tied up at our town's local (and only) bar.

Naturally we had to fetch the camera and drive all the way back across town (umm, that's 4 blocks) to document the scene.

One wonders how often this might occur...

Horses are not a totally rare form of conveyance in our community.

Our state apparently has a little known statute still on the books that requires schools to provide food and care for any horses used by students to get to school. A statute that local high schoolers have been known to test upon occasion.

And yeah, the schools knew, and undertook, their responsibilities.

Regarding the two horses awaiting their riders at the bar...

Is it "driving under the influence" if you're riding a horse? I ask the wife.

"Depends on whether the horse knows the way home," she answers.