....Pilgrims Education

After several months of pottering with pilgrim, it became apparent that despite my aspirational vision of me being in such mental harmony with him that we would glide smoothly through the breaking process and emerge with a floating white steed (obviously I'd be thinner, wearing no shoes and have flowers in my hair, that kind of thing) who performed exactly as asked at all times, he didn't share my enthusiasm. Either for work or compliance with anything I asked him to do. So after several suggestions of various different people up to the task of training him, we settled on a man well into his 70's. At first mention, possibly not an obvious choice however he came very highly recommended from the members of our Northern Counties Heavy Working Horse Society (catchy name I know). I tried to ignore the fact that he visibly blanched when he came to pick him up. 'That there bugger wont fit in't waggen!!' were his exact words if I remember correctly. Having sweated and wrung my hands out about how we were going to get him on the wagon, drafted in helpers and spent 40 minutes parking said lorry in a strategic position the ungrateful sod pottered off behind his new master on a big long rope and wandered straight up the ramp with a look of 'oooh this is nice' on his face. After everything I've done for him you would expect a certain degree of solidarity, but oh no. Off he went to begin his education. Now I am fully confident that aforementioned horse trainer was the man for the job and now knowing him better I would trust him with any horse, however Pilgrims education was not entirely a success. There are several reasons for this but my opinion as to the main reason is simply idleness to the point of turning his toes up, laying on his back and refusing to move. It took a record 4 weeks to teach him to pick his feet up as he couldn't be bothered to apply the basic principles of balance to maintain his upright status and therefore regularly 'toppled over'. No, I'm not joking! He took to tack and various other paraphernalia without a fuss, probably because that would have involved effort. However actually carrying a rider and moving : not his forte. On the day he was dropped back off the trainer said of his hacking out simply this:- 'He's alright on the way home'. fantastic.