I've been dreading having to do this but I have to rehome this love. He's a wonderful boy and has so many wonderful qualities that I'd like to keep but I have to accept that I can't support 2 full-size horses on our property.

He was purchased at auction for his calm temperament and after bringing his weight up to ride him we discovered too late that he does have some lameness, suspected navicular, in his right front. Vet cleared him as a trail horse, but he's been primarily a pasture decoration since.

My young son took lessons on him for a summer (before deciding horses weren't his thing) and he performed beautifully and seemed to enjoy being a "lesson horse" for a single light-weight kid. He is very respectful and gentle and will easily follow a beginner while being led, loads and trailers wonderfully, is well-behaved for our barefoot trimmer. He just loves kids and relaxes around them.

He's been kept at pasture with sheep - he seems to really enjoy the company of sheep and has never caused me any concern of being dangerous to any of the other animals he's been exposed to. Banjo is very submissive and laid back as a pasture-mate.

He can be a little messy in his stall, but I've never observed any neuroticism like cribbing or pacing. He prefers pasture to his stall. Not an "easy keeper", he tends to drop weight in the winter without some grain.

I did ride him myself a few times and my trainer tried him out - she mentioned that he's had a lot of training and "has a lot of buttons". When I get on him he's a lot more responsive than when my kid is riding him, but I haven't explored that much because of the issue with his navicular causing him more pain under my heavier weight.

I think he's got a lot to offer to the right family, and I'm offering him up with the option to return him if things don't work out.