Meeting expectations

I've discovered something about myself. I get exactly the results that I expect from Pip. When I got him, I didn't actually know what to expect, he was a weanling, my first, and I had never met him. I knew he'd lived in a pasture with a little herd of mares and foals; that he wasn't halter or trailer broke. I wanted a horse that was completely untouched. That was Pip. When he got off the trailer he didn't look anything like I'd imagined. The breeder had sent photos of him when he was about 3 weeks old, and he looked good, compact, leggy (what three week old isn't?) and composed.
Off the trailer he was 6 months old and shaggy as a highland cow. Only a very pale, buttermilk buckskin-colored highland cow.
For a weaned on the ride, never been haltered, never been in a trailer, never been really handled much stud weanling, he was surprisingly calm. I unloaded him from the trailer, and we walked down the drive, and right into his pen. He didn't whinny or pull or paw or anything. I checked his papers to make sure they hadn't gelded him without telling me. But no, he was fine.

And he was pretty fine with everything. He didn't like the bit when I introduced that, but that's not unusual. He made all the icky faces and tried to spit it out. But saddles, he took in stride. Me getting on him, no problem. Walking around with me on him, not a big deal.
What was a big deal, for me was going faster than a walk. I got all stiff and scared and worried, and I realize now, he did too! I've only come off him once, when we were cantering in the arena, and he either tripped, or did a correction buck, and I went off over his shoulder. Pretty classic case of dump the monkey. I'd been perched forward and clinging like any good primate would when scared. And I was looking at the ground, and there I went.
Well, this summer, I sent Pip off to a very good trainer here in Albuquerque, and it worked wonders. For me as well as for him. More for me, I think. I got lessons, and those gave me more confidence than I can describe. The up shot is, Pip is back at the barn here, and I'm a happy relaxed rider, so far! I'm planning on taking him down to the trainer and getting some jumping lessons, so I don't do me and Pip the wrong thing by screwing him up.

I've learned a few things from the Fugly Horse of the Day and Mugwump Chronicles about the usefulness of outside help. I'll keep you posted.