Super sweet and gentle. Bear is an absolute sweetheart. Rides great english and western. Neck reins. Smooth trot and canter. Loves attention! The kids ride him around bareback in just a halter. A good friend of ours, who has kids that ride at our place but doesn't ride himself, rode Bear on trails and McIntosh. The kids here hop on (with a little help) Bear bareback with a halter and ride him all over. He has more training than most of the draft horses we run across.