It is indeed possible to befriend a horse who is shy and reticent but does not have a history of past abuse. Make sure that you approach the horse from the left. And always remember to show him what you have in your hands ? even if it is a hoof pick, meant to be used on him.

The second thing to remember is always to wear tight clothes. Loose clothing flaps in the breeze and may unnerve you horse. And once you have scared him, it is difficult to make him believe you. Its hardly comfortable both for the owner as well as the horse, if there is an element of fear and mistrust between the two of you.

To put it simply you should not make the horse do any activity, which he does not feel confident to do. The horse has to have full confidence on you, when you ask him to jump or trot down an unfamiliar path. If you ask him to take a jump and he fails to do so, he will lose the confidence he has in you instantly. He will be frightened to take any command from you the next time. So, instead try and build his confidence in you slowly and gradually. Practice with him, going down a wide and easy road or jumping over easy hurdles. This way he develops trust in you. Never make him do anything which is beyond his capabilities.

Gaining trust from a horse which has been previously abused, is nearly impossible. However with a lot of patience, you may evoke some confidence at the end.

Taking to your horse if a soft, soothing voice helps. Do this before you ask him to do any task. Never make yourself overbearing to your horse, demanding to get his attention. And never try to ride him before you get his trust. Relieve him of any fright or mistrust first. When he is used to your presence as well as your voice, approach him then. Remember always that a horse who is scared is very difficult to manage, so never force anything on him. On the contrary, offer him some food that he enjoys. Soon after he has relished something given by you a few times, gently stroke his muzzle to befriend him further.

You know you have reached some understanding with your horse, if you find that your horse is letting you stroke him. You must however never ride an abused horse, without the help of a horse trainer, who has had some experience with abused horses. These horses are calm when you are on the ground but starts panicking when you are trying to ride them.