throwing head up when cantering in company

[notpoodle]

went on a lovely hack with another rider today. cantered for quite a bit, with angel behind the other horse. when we started, angel got a tad excited and threw her head right up, mouth open, seemingly trying to get out of any sort of commands coming from me :rolleyes: (dont worry, she didn't actually bolt or anything and i got her 'back' quite quickly by, uhm, lowering my hands and getting her head down that way -> hardly a graceful or professional method!)

she has a habit of doing it when cantered with/behind another horse. what can i do to improve that (i dont want a martingale or flash as she doesnt need it!)? she's fine in the school and fine when she canters at front or on her own.

julia
x

[Mehitabel]

practice! it's excitement and a bit of 'i am the queen of the world, i ought to be in front' so just keep at it and eventually she will realise it's not the end of the world being behind, and as it becomes routine it will be less exciting.
when she twigs it gets her nowhere except uncomfy she will stop.

[notpoodle]

she seems convinced the other horse WILL go without her if she's not right behind (mind you, i dont allow her to get too close, anyway as said other horse has been known to lash out when excited). she doesnt actually attempt to overtake (ie she stays in the right 'lane' ie right behing the other one!), but the throwing the head up thing is a tad unsettling.

julia
x

ps: on the plus side, she was great on the hack in all other respects! the other horse spooked at a baby buggy thing, wouldnt walk past it and ended up spinning and then prancing past it backwards (looked like she was moonwalking ...). angel just gave the buggy the evil eye and plodded right past it, same with barking rottweilers we met and a noisy 5-aside football pitch :D