Scared to death of that water hose - amazing result

Rupert is scared to death of the water hose. I have tried to sponge bathe his neck and front legs over the years but it has not worked. For sure I can not get a hose near him.

I saw the video of Clinton Anderson about introducing a scary object. You put your plastic bag on the end of the handy stick and walk straight forward with the stick pointing in front of you, leading the horse behind you. The scary object isn't scary when it is going away from the horse. So I did this with the hose, turned it on and walked forward with it in a big circle. Within just minutes he was trying to touch the water with his nose. He didn't mind the hose dragging along behind him. It was so simple and totally amazing.