Fear of Flowers

*GIGGLE* You know, now it's funny ..... less than 24 hours ago, I would've said "it isn't funny now, and won't be for a while, so zip it."

My big TB is afraid of flowers. Yes, I know, stunning, isn't it ... The poor boy must've never seen them before. Each of the crossrail jumps had a flower box in front of or behind it. Chewie refused Jump #1 four times, and then Jump #2 twice. Put a tunnel rail to the left of #2, and he finally sailed over it. DQ'd , and asked to leave the arena. =( How humiliating to be the first jump contestant, and be asked to leave.

After the show was over, a couple friends helped me put the course back as it had been, and I've conclucded after a series of experiments (chemist that I am, I only changed on variable at a time, and repeated the attempts) that my horse is afraid of plastic flowers. *snicker* What a twit!!! I walked him over it, and first time, he was afraid, but stepped over. Put an angled rail to the left of the jump (there was a bigger jump to the right of him, so when he refused, he'd go to the left), and he'd go over it, but not the flowers. I trotted him in-hand twice over the flowers (which he did, I guess seeing that the flowers didn't eat me), got back on, and he finally cleared the rail + flowers with me. *whew*

Happy with his progress, I took him to Jump #2. Same game, different jump. I didn't take him in-hand over it, because I was downright irate at that point. I got off, took the flower boxes out of the way, gave him a few trot circles to calm down, and went to Jump #2. Cleared it beautifully. Took a nearby Jump (I think #7 on the course..we picked it because it was closeby, and easy to jump one after the other quickly), removed the flowers, and similar results. Jumped two consecutive without flowers, no problems. He was actually trying to canter from them, instead of just stepping over like he did in the HT I did last May. I was quite impressed. Poor guy was trying to compensate for his flower-fears.

I've got a few ideas in my head, but in my novice-ness (is that a word?), I'm sure all the "experts" here have some suggestions. Having someone else ride him ain't an option - my budget doesn't allow for training right now. I've got a few natural jumps set up at home (planning to wildly color paint at least one of them), and intend on building a flower box similar to what was at the show. Twice a month schooling at the actual show arena should occur, as that's where I'm taking lessons.

I know I did the right thing forcing him to begin facing his fear yesterday. Had I not pushed myself (and him) I know he'd be a big chicken forever, and getting him over flowers would've been bigger than I could've done. I did get him "over the flower box" (with me on) twice.

Suggestions appreciated,
-Jenn & Chewie (flower-chicken)