I think the biggest thing about sacking out is that you don't stop doing whatever you're doing until they switch out of panic mode, realize that what you're doing isn't hurting them and relax and accept it. Then you stop. If you stop when they're freaking out, then you're rewarding them for freaking out.
LOL, that reminds of the time I wanted to get Rusty use to flapping bags. The horse I had before him was terrified of plastic flapping things. I had trash bags hung all over the place, but she would never get over it.
So one day with Rusty, who I was bound and determined to get him use to it I decided to tie them to the saddle. I first let him sniff it and ran it over him, then I tied it to the saddle and let it go. Wellllll....it was a very windy day, and the darn thing filled up with air like a balloon, and it was a big bad. I knew the minute I stepped away, that wasn't the best thing to do:), but he was running around the tree he was tied to and I couldn't get close to stop it or him. So I went in the house. Came back about 10 minutes later and he was standing there quietly with this huge bag blowing. It probably wasn't the best way to go about doing it, but it worked.
Becky
So, true. We certainly don't want to make matters worst.