Yes, that's Baldur. He had a very nasty experience with a trainer at four. He came back afraid of everything. She thought he should be put down. I think she chased him relentlessly trying to get him to "join up" which is something not too many Icelandic are going to do. She probably left him in a round pen and chased him for a week. By the time she gave up and tried to ride him he bucked her off. She sent him home after 30 days of what must have been torture saying he was crazy. That owner sold him to a TTouch person who did send him out for more training but didn't really ride him much. Then, things fell apart for the owner and for whatever reason the horses on his farm would up 50 % underweight. I bought Baldur and nursed him back to health. He was scared and confused. We built trust one step at a time. It was like learning to communicate with Helen Keller. Baldur was never mean. He was so depressed he was like a statue. Touch and food lured him out of his catatonic state. He was scared to death and we put his fears to rest one little thing at a time. We went on hikes where I'd gone ahead before we left the barn and salted our path with apples and pears and cobs of fresh corn. Baldur soon thought of me as a genius at knowing where to go. He had a whole lot of body work done and started to feel better. I groomed and massaged him daily. We put him in gentle training and did lots of ground work. We learned to communicate. What I did is stuff that should have happened a long time ago. This boy earned his name. Baldur means brave or courageous in Icelandic and now it fits. Baldur faced his deamons and overcame them. I doubt he could have done it if where not for his first four years with good people. I have a photo of him at three with a goat sleeping on his back. This is a kind horse. He was scared, starved and green. Now he is trained, healthy and happy. He needs a forever home where he can meet his owner at the fence. He is always the fastest to come running when he sees me or hears the car. Someone is going to get a treasure.
Gail
