Spooky Arab

[Bob & Amber Roberts <mlaboure@flash.net>]

I have a 6 yr. old Arabian gelding that has done two LD rides.  I'm
trying to condition him and me for our first 50.  He is 14.2, stocky and
short coupled, therefore very agile.  He has good manners and a great
disposition, but is afraid of dark spots on the trails.  When I first
started riding him on trail, he would balk and refuse.  He has gotten
over this and has learned how to cross water, bridges, sidepass to open
gates, go past previously scary things.  So he is capable of learning.
However, twice recently he has spooked so badly that I have been flung
off on the ground!  First spook was like a cutting horse; he saw a
dark/wet place beside trail and ducked his head and shoulder to the left
so fast that I was just hurled over his right shoulder.  Yesterday he
spooked at a dark tree branch to his right.  He took a step right and
then rose up in air and snapped his head and upper body to the left
flinging me off to the left.  Now I'm afraid to ride him at any speed
because I can't take much more of this.

Have talked to a trainer.  We are starting by placing a black plastic
bag filled with cans in his feeder so he had to put his head near the
noise to eat.  Then placing black tires in his stall near his feed so he
has to step in and around them to eat.  All this is on advice of
trainer.  He will then ride the horse on trails for me to see what is
happening.

I started round pen work with horse this morning.  Tried the John Lyons
"spook in place" stuff.  Started with the Boo sounds, no reaction.  Went
to the raspberry sounds, no reaction.  Then took plastic bags on end of
whip and shook them in air.  Horse stood still.  When he did move, I
made him trot.  When he stood still, I petted and praised him.  Am going
to continue this with more spooky things - per John Lyons.

Question is:  has anyone had an endurance prospect that has had spinning
spooks and what is the correction?  I'm going to ride my other horse
until this gets solved.

Thanks for any advice.

Amber