We think Charlot has been ridden before.
He went mad when Jo stood on a bucket to lean over his back. It wasn't the leaning over Charlot minded, it wasn't the saddle, it was the fact that she stood on a bucket to be the right height to do this. He wouldn't let her near him despite happily letting her put a saddle on his back and lunge him.
Today started just the same as ever. I caught Charlot, did a spot of lungeing and then Jo put a small saddle and crupper on his back to see how he would react with the stirrups dangling. He didn't mind at all, walked and trotted around without a flicker.
Then Jo got a jump bucket to stand on and Charlot flew off in a blind panic. He wouldn't go near her because of her instant height. Eventually he let her lean over him but he was not relaxed at all. We tried this a few times, and he got worse and worse, winding himself up into a nervous wreck. We ended up against the wall so he couldn't evade the issue. I held Charlot's head, as usual, and Jo slowly stepped up onto the bucket, keeping her shoulders rounded and body bent. He let her lean across him and then two other Shetlands appeared for moral support. Charlot eventually tolerated Jo but he was not happy.
Perhaps he was ridden as a youngster, something happened and he remembers. This was not a happy reaction but one of panic. We will keep trying. Poor lad, we ended on a good, if nervous, note.
