Did the 6km ride again but with more grazing and/or walking breaks.  He wasn't physically stressed this time (still unsure whether he was previously).  Dead wallaby on the side of the road, starting to bloat.  Balthazar unnverved at the sight of it.  Dismounted (wanted to check whether it had a joey but it was male).   Balthazar was ready to bolt anyway so it was just easier to bail, check the wallaby and then lead him past it.  

Balthazar is not a spooky horse but the wallaby affected him so that he was frightened of two young bulls that live loose on the road and he was even aquiver at the sight of half a dozen wrens having a meeting on the gravel.  Took him a good 20 minutes to regain his composure.  What helped, of course, was grazing.

I'm attempting to do something with him most days.  Yesterday I got him out of the paddock at the usual time but instead of riding him I just took him for pick.  Haven't devoted a day to groundwork.  I keep losing enthusiasm for it.  I don't like the look in his eye when I am making him do things.   I'm pushing him around without hitting him but it's still a dominance thing.  I've read of relationships between horse and man (or woman) that doesn't depend upon dominance.  I want Balthazar to respect me but not sure that pushing him here and pushing him there ....

Balthazar has always nipped when having his chest touched.  Not biting, usually he doesn't even make contact but the threat is there, ears pinned, the quick dart of the head. Even having my hands in that area without touching him can elicit the same response.  The other day I had a damp towel that I was using to wipe the sweat away rather than hose him (water too cold now).  I suspect he aimed badly because he actually made contact.  My reaction was instinctive and instanteous, I swatted him with the towel - not hard, didn't even make a sound even so a sizeable yellow thing streaked toward his upper neck.  Balthazar ducked to avoid it.  I think we were both ashamed.  And it made me think.

I am determined that we will be buddies, that we will trust one another.  Since the above episode when handling the buckle on the front of his rug I go so slowly, break it down into long seconds so that he has no reason to object.  And I talk to him while I'm doing it.  He's so much better about getting saddled that I'm sure we can overcome this.  I can rub his chest when he is grazing or when we are away from the saddling up area so it's only an unpleasant association not the sensation itself.