It's only taken two years (!) but at long last I have ridden Theoden out with Petra (and all was well). Would I have taken him on if I had known it was going to be so complicated? Probably not and even now I feel him say no before he says yes but the yes comes much more readily. When a horse has spent most of his life sitting on the sofa drinking beer and claiming benefits, it's not always easy for him to develop a work ethic and you always wonder whether someone tried to start him when he was much much younger and failed.
Now that he is home I am trying to recreate the same conditions as at Jim's - a bit of a routine and regular work. I wanted him to accept the principle that we go out without Petra as I didn't want him to develop the same magnetic pull to her as he has had before. Only then would I introduce the odd ride out with her. So far so good.
