This story is going to sound like many of the rest. I willingly accepted a free TWH 20 months ago. The "story" was that he was to difficult to handle for the level of rider and the horse was biting off other horses tails. That person received the horse free from its owner of seven years. This person purchased the horse from Alabama along with several others and was emaciated when he arrived. Over those seven years he was ridden a few times per year. They gave away their horses due to economy. I will start with physical issues first. When I got Bear I took time with him in the round pen very slowly. Never owned a TWH and didn't know what language the speak. He moved oddly. I had farrier watch him - he saw no lameness. His hooves were all different. Prior owner said club foot - not a club. But six months later this farrier could do no more to correct him and notices his odd gait which I tried to point out to him earlier. He recommended call vet for lameness exam. Vet said most likely old stifle injury. Try hill work. Got performance blacksmith and greatly improved hooves but still stumbling. Life circumstances caused me to move him back to a boarding/training facility where the trainer saw his lameness. Took him to specialist= bone scan of hips and hind legs was pristine. Four months stall rest massage therapist and chiropractor. Identify old unidentified and untreated back injury, which manifested in hips, stumbling. After third check up Bear was released as sound this past week.

Now his personality. When I first started riding Bear I was cautious because of what others had said about his nature. He was barefoot. We rode in my pen and after about 4 rides when out on a trail. We met up with another rider and rode for a bit. I wanted to turn back, the other rider was going on and Bear had what I could only describe as an anxiety attack. Though I have ridden I have not taken a lesson in years and have not ridden much in the last 10 years. I worked around horses as a kid and took lessons and owned a young Arabian Quarter who could get a little buggy. But I never experienced a horse with this level of hysteria. The other rider had to escort us back to my barn and when she rode off, he continued his hysterics. Clearly heard bound and desperately lonely, but I was not going to get a second horse for the first horse, when he may not be staying. I assumed I did something wrong and called a trainer. We hauled him off to her facility where after riding 5 days a week for a few months he was manageable. I brought him home and after busting though a few electric fences he settled in. We would ride 3 to 5 days per week In the arena just walking and trotting. He would stumble and still had this oddity in his rear right hind in all directions. After the arena we would go into the hood and walk around (horse friendly community). He cannot see another horse from his house but when we walk through the hood he can visit. His personality was fine, with a few moments of panic, but he learned to bring himself back. Then life events cause me to board again. At the barn he was aggressive towards the mares an had to be move to the end. He has a 24X24 turn out off a 12X12 stall in a shed row. He bonded with his neighbor(s). His behavior became immediately different at the barn. We started in the arena - I never had cause to round pen him prior to riding before. He hops, rears, darts and cannot bring himself to go all around the arena without becoming hysterical. He is a go horse and has to be constantly rated. Rating him annoys him and he gets hysterical. I try the round pen - he gets hysterical. We re-join up. Okay for a day, then hysteria again. I buy the dually and start some basic schooling. He is okay for a day then hysteria again. Then the trainer sees him and says he is lame. Determined to be soft tissue in hip/ pelvic area. After coming off 4 months stall rest I start hand walking with dually to gain a little respect back. Always wants to walk over me and take lead. My shoulder hurts I have to yank so much. We spend more time going backward than forward. We hand walk in the arena. Still gets hysterical in spots. Rears on the halter. Twitching with adrenaline almost runs me over. Day two - better, start walking out in the yard and go to arena after - still gets hysterical. Spend A LOT of time going backwards. Day three= better still a butt head, but beginning to get his space and mine. Day four = hop on, fine in the yard. Cautious. Go into the arena and rears, darts, and hysteria. Trainer gets on - walk the clock stopping at 3,6,9,12. Made 10 passes, finally gets it right the 10 time, and turns into a maniac on pass 11. Figuring he always liked a walk in the hood, I got back on and went for a walk in the yard. Crossed the street, car coming slows, horse freaks - never been afraid of a car before - finally we get him calmed down enough to dismount. Trainer says he is the same moron he was before, but now has no excuses. I know this is not his fault. I know a person did this to him. I am devastated and in tears. He is a good horse, he has a good heart. I have let him down somehow but do not know how. He is no where near as responsive as your lesson horses. He isn't mean, just REALLY REALLY slow to respond to the halter, or I am not yanking strongly enough. He is beginning to get it after four days of yanking and pushing, until we get to the arena. And now even in a new hood he is nervous. I have taken the video lessons. I am buying the book. I am giving up on the trainer - she said she has no more ideas and anyone she knows is more strict and swift than she. She thinks that will just exacerbate the problem. I am not going to pass him off to someone else, but I cannot afford a $500-$700 month pet. The only option if your book doesn't help is euthanize and I won't do that until YOU say it is hopeless. Please help me.