Are you ready for a little nostalgia? Think back to when times appeared to be less complicated. The world was viewed from fresh, innocent eyes, even though this same world was still engaged in global conflict.

The Cold War was an obvious nuclear threat to all. The French were being kicked out of their colony in Vietnam as they suffered the embarrassment at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. There was a simmering pot of trouble over the Suez Canal, yet to a child, all of this was far away and incomprehensible.

It was a time when horses and cowboys ruled the radio waves, the silver screen and eventually, television.

Even though we were half way through the 20th century, horses were still playing a major role in our everyday lives, as they were key in our daily milk and bread delivery. Living on Pine Street, we were only a stones throw from the Rivermead Dairy on Cumberland Street. I'll always remember Mr. Sylvain and his broad smile, walking up to the house with those glass milk bottles, clanging in the metal carrier basket.

My maternal grandfather, Felix Boucher, had the last horse-drawn freight wagon at the Howard Smith Paper Mill. As reported in a previous column, I would wait for him in our back yard until I could hear the clatter of horseshoes and the rumble of steel-rimmed, wooden wheels coming down First Street Lane.

Grandfather would reach down as I climbed on the spokes, and with one hand, lift me onto the seat beside him. He would then hand me those thick, black leather reins, give his horse Charlie a slight flip of the reins and it was off to the barn behind his First Street West home. I would then help take care of the harness and livery and give Charlie a well-earned brushing while he enjoyed a bag of oats. To a five or six-year-old kid, it was like cleaning a fire truck.

So how about going to the Hollywood aspect of horses and their riders and see if it brings back any memories?

Roy Rogers was known as ‘King of the Cowboys,’ and along with wife Dale Evans, were featured in several movies and television programs. Roy rode a palomino named Trigger and Dale had her tan-coloured mount, Buttermilk, and let's not forget their German Shepherd, Bullet.

Then there was Gene Autry, the Singing Cowboy, who also went on to own the Los Angeles Angels, of the Major Baseball League, as well as several radio and television stations. Probably best known for his rendition of "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer." His horse was called Champion and was easily recognized by the two silver pistol emblems on both sides of the bit in his mouth.

Hopalong Cassidy was a seemingly unusual name for a cowboy, but William Boyd made several films aboard his faithful mount, Topper. It was quite a contrast as Hopalong dressed completely in black (usually the sign of a bad guy in the movies) and Topper was white from stem to stern.

John Wayne, known as the Duke, made dozens of movies starting in the 30s, and carried the same Colt Peacemaker through most of his career. He had at least three horses named, yes, Duke, Handsome Boy and Dollar.

Who was that masked man and how can we forget him? The Lone Ranger, played mainly by Clayton Moore, along with his guardian angel, Tonto, played by Jay Silverheels (also a champion lacrosse player) was one of my favourites. Of course the Ranger rode his white stallion Silver, Tonto rode his pinto named Scout. I once had a dozen 78 rpm records of the Lone Ranger series, but they are now lost in the past.

Then there was Bonanza, headed by patriarch Ben Cartwright, played by Canadian actor Lorne Greene, who had earned the name of "The Voice of Doom" during his radio days. Ben rode a horse called Buck (whom he apparently purchased at the end of the series.)

Son Adam, played by Pernell Roberts, rode Beauty; Hoss, portrayed by Dan Blocker, rode Piute. Remember how Hoss would swear? Dad burn it Pa. Consarned, this won't work. Little Joe, played by Michael Landon, rode a paint or pinto called Cochise.

It always amazed me that none of the pistol belts worn on the series, ever had bullet loops for spare ammunition. I guess I pay too much attention to useless details, instead of enjoying the program.

The Rifleman, Lucas McCain, played by Chuck Connors; he had that specially designed Winchester 1876 with that large loop in the lever action to allow for a quick and fancy reload. He rode Razor, while TV son Mark, played by Johnny Crawford, was aboard Blueboy. And by the way, during the opening sequence to The Rifleman, he fires more shots than the magazine can physically hold. Oops, I forgot… it's Hollywood.

Wanted. Dead or Alive. Steve McQueen played bounty hunter Josh Randall. He would hunt down the evil doers with his horse Ringo, armed with a sawn-off Winchester he wore on his hip.

How about Bat Masterson? That dapper, bowler-hatted, man about town who carried a cane as his first line of defence, while riding his mount, Stardust.

Another favourite had a little Canadian flavour thrown in with Sgt. Preston (played by Richard Simmons, no, not that one) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Astride his horse Rex and accompanied by his malamute, Yukon King, they would patrol the frozen wastelands of the Canadian North. And as a true Canadian, he used more brains than bullets.

Do you remember the first cowboy to use business cards? They read, "Wire Paladin, San Francisco." Richard Boone played the suave solver of all that is wrong, trading his uptown attire for black shirt, pants, and a Stetson with a silver emblem. His mount was called Rafter.

The television version of Zorro (translated from Spanish, it means fox) played by the dashing, mustached Guy Williams, fought tyranny in early California while mounted aboard Toronado. The series was sponsored by 7UP bottling and one day in the mail, I received a five by seven, black and white post card with a photo of one the series' characters, Sgt. Garcia, complete with an autograph. I was the envy of the neighbourhood. At the time, my mother's sister, Gertrude Ross-Smith, worked at the 7UP bottling plant in the Town of Mount Royal, and she hooked me up. That was great.

I guess having been brought up with my grandfather and his horse gave me a better appreciation of living with animals. That must be the reason why I always seemed to pay more attention to what the horse was called than to the story plot.