> The first time I rode my new bike I had great balance for a long straightaway, just no steering or stopping ability. I ran into the back of a tractor trailer and near cut my head off! Same thing happened a few months later when I rode a horse for the first time. Had great balance for a long straightaway, even galloped! But no stopping or steering ability as the pony ran me under a clothesline, and again, nearly cut my head off. -The way I stopped on the first bike ride was to approach a lawn with a hill, ran into the hill slowly and fell over. The first horse ride was in a line with other little kids, controlled in front and back, but I've been bucked off once in a Western saddle, and survived crow hops all the way back to the barn when I was using an English saddle to get more feel of the horse. He may have tossed me once but not again. For steering I rode one of my wife's horses at a lope thru trees, and lived to talk about it. Currently I'm driving two different bugggies, a doctor buggy and a surrey with a fringe on top. So far so good, but driving is more dangerous than riding. Your only control is 10 feet of rein and the bit. My horse is good to me. If she startles, she simply stops, backs a step. I reassure her and off we go.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=self-stable-bike&WT.mc_id=SA_CAT_p... 
> When I was young I had a trike and a scooter with two wheels. The first time I had a bike my father pushed me off and I rode all the way down the street. Now I know the bike took care of me and I didn't have great balance learned on the scooter!-The first time I rode my new bike I had great balance for a long straightaway, just no steering or stopping ability. I ran into the back of a tractor trailer and near cut my head off! Same thing happened a few months later when I rode a horse for the first time. Had great balance for a long straightaway, even galloped! But no stopping or steering ability as the pony ran me under a clothesline, and again, nearly cut my head off. Were the first of many attempts to decapitate myself for many years. If reincarnation has any merit, I may have been decapitated in a recent lifetime or possibly even the executioner?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=self-stable-bike&WT.mc_id=SA_CAT_p... I was young I had a trike and a scooter with two wheels. The first time I had a bike my father pushed me off and I rode all the way down the street. Now I know the bike took care of me and I didn't have great balance learned on the scooter!