My Horse is Crazy

My horse, Atreyu, is a very unorthodox jumper. About one year ago I picked him out of a girl's backyard in Tampa for only $4500, a very good price for a competitive show jumper competing at 1.10m (3'7"). Why you may ask was my horse so cheap? Because he is crazy. Yes, my horse is insane, psychotic, barely hanging on by a thread. The first time I got on him, I spent about 20 minutes trying to get him to walk quietly in a straight line. He seemed to have only 2 speeds: freaking out in place, and freaking out while bolting forward. However, his abilities and willingness as a show jumper captured my heart as a rider and challenged my abilities as a trainer. This horse has more heart than a Disney movie and talent to match, but is dealing with his chaotic craziness worth the effort? I puzzled myself with this question for a long time. Slowly but surely as he progresses in his training with me, he has calmed down. He now has 3 solid gaits in both directions, an ability to jump quietly, a flexible stride and a softer, more responsive demeanor. I wouldn't go so far as to say he is a pleasure to ride, he continues to challenge me on a daily basis. But if it weren't for his jaw dropping craziness, I wouldn't be half as accomplished a horse trainer as I am today. A common reaction I get from other competitors is "Wow, I can't believe you can ride that thing!" My reaction is always secretly "You should have seen him a year ago!" My hope is that a year from now, I can look back at the initial steps in his training and remember fondly the day I finally broke through to him and he became an extension of my body, two became one.