I would explore clicker training if your open to that. Let me know if your interested in more information about it. There are a few published papers out there on how ct'ing actually inhibits a horse's fear response. It's great for building confidence.

Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tack for Sale! http://fhotd64476.yuku.com/topic/67755/Saddle-girth-pad-and-bridle