This gelding needs a professional trainer. We've been working together for two years, and he's come miles from when I got him, but I've reached the end of my skillset and I don't want to let him sit and languish or get bad habits when he could be so much more.

The Good: He's sound, he's surefooted, he's smart, he takes in new concepts quickly. He's treat motivated and enjoys praise from someone who has earned his trust. He has really nice halter manners and is very good with the farrier as long as he's with someone he trusts. His hooves are a two person job and it takes a while. He takes a saddle nicely, doesn't spook with the girth, lets me work all over him as long as I'm slow and talk to him. He likes to learn and he likes to work and positive reinforcement does wonders for him.

The Bad: He is hard to catch until you've built up trust with him. It took me three days in a round pen to get a halter on him, and this is something we've been working on. Nowadays, as long as I have a snack or two to share, he's much more amenable, but some days he just doesn't want to and there's nothing I can do to convince him.

The Ugly: Somewhere in his history, someone let him learn that if he throws a big tantrum, he doesn't have to keep working. Now this is not something I've allowed, but if he gets frustrated, he will sometimes resort to spooking really big. Rearing, kicking, pulling back. He's knocked me down a time or two. He is NOT malicious or mean, he's just trying to run away and he's gotten me with his shoulder or his hip, or dragged me because I wasn't letting go of the lead. He calms down quickly and checks in once he's calmed.

He is easily herdbound and prefers the company of other horses to people, but I don't think he's ever had a chance to be one person's heart horse.

tl;dr, somewhere along the way, this guys heart was hurt by a bad trainer and he needs a person who is willing to 'wild hearts can't be broken' their way through his fear and mistrust. I was going to be that person and I laid a lot of groundwork and mended a lot of his fears, but I'm no longer able to ride.