Nervous pony.

[GoGallopGirl]

I have a 7 year old pony, he was rescued... He's really nervous and I need a bit of help on what I can do with him because I want to back him and do more stuff with him. I've made him walk over sheets on the floor, rubbed him with bin bags and let him sniff around a umbrella. I groom him basically everyday and lunge him, but is there anything else I can try and do with him? Any ideas are welcome.

 

[vieshot]

Get the long reins out- show him the world

 

[Littlelegs]

Lots of inhand walks, anywhere & everywhere. Bombproofing doesn't have to always be a specific session, random stuff like feeding with an umbrella in one hand, loads of flapping bags tied up nearby on a windy day while you groom. I'll also actively seek strange stuff to pass on inhand walks. So if I know there's roadworks i'll find a quiet road that comes out nearby & take pony to watch stuff etc. And if possible an older bombproof companion really helps, even very jumpy horses will usually copy the 'herd' i.e. you, companion horse, other horses rider/handler. Riding a bike around him. Best of all, borrow some small kids to run around & play whilst you lunge (obviously not close enough to cause an accident).