One thing that can help if you are scared is to wear gloves. It can give you confidence, which is important because of what has already been mentioned about animals being able to sense your fear. If you have more confidence, your body language will be calmer, and you'll be less likely to move in tense or jerky ways, which will make them less likely to react by striking or even just looking like they might strike, which will in turn give you more confidence. It sounds like you are already heading down the right path, though, so that's great!