My uncle used to have a team of Clydesdale or Shire horses (I can't tell one from the other) which competed in single-furrow ploughing competitions.

He had three horses although he often only used two. When he had all three in harness, there was one at the front and two at the back. The horses were always harnessed in the same combination. The one at the back on the right in the troika was called "Giddup, Jim!". The one on the left at the back was called "You lazy bastard, Alistair!".

This from the perspective of a child of between eight and ten years ... it could have been the other way round, of course.

Does this help your quest for that particular word? It could be "Jim". Or "Alastair". Alastair's Scottish, isn't it?

Incidentally the third horse which was always at the front was a mare called Nan. No fool, my uncle!


The idiot also known as Capfka ...