Not sure how many hands he is... the last time I stick measured him he was 17.1, but that was last fall. I bought him as a weanling because I'd had a horrible riding accident and had developed a serious fear of horses afterwards. I wanted something cold tempered and sure footed. I am sure it seems weird to buy a baby horse to get over a fear of riding, but I had ALWAYS wanted a shire (ever since I was a little kid), so I raised him and trained him, and I was the first and only person to ride him. I couldn't resist riding him because of what he is, so my love for his breed overruled my fear. Now I can atleast ride him and my mustang, so he did a good job of teaching me to trust my skills on a horse again. So that's why he is my favorite. I've fallen from him once, but it didn't seem to make me afraid, just got back on. It's weird because before my riding accident in Nov of 2007 I had been an OK rider and had been thrown before without making me afraid, but in 2007 when a deaf half blind horse stumbled badly I was thrown head first and I remember being quite surprised that I was still alive. I was never quite the same after the experience of being so sure I was going to die. I tried riding lessons, and I would get sick when I was told to get onto a horse (I would throw up if I had eaten anything), I wouldn't even get on a horse that was 22 and ridden by a 6company year old little girl. I didn't trust myself, and I certainly didn't trust horses. I tried different types of therapy, I was put on anti anxiety meds, in the end I bought Atlas and spent 3 years hanging out with him, and teaching him, and training him . I remember clearly the day I first had to get on him... my stomach was in knots (hadn't ridden in 3 years), but it wasn't fear it was excitement... I couldn't resist the urge to climb up and ride him.
