In the south-west two similar, but in so many ways different, May Day hobby horses take to the streets. Padstow has two ‘Osses’, the Old Oss, with followers wearing red sashes and the Blue Oss whose followers wear, er, blue. The whole town goes mad, as do the thousands of visitors and returning Padstonians, and the drums and accordions stick in the brain for weeks afterwards. The Minehead Hobby Horse, on the other hand, is a much quieter fellow, though no less a part of the fabric of the town.
