Whoa

Question
Hi. I have a recently purchased 13 yr old gelding and I use an egg-butt snaffle bit.  Here's 3 questions I have.
1)  When out alone, he will stop when do the 'whoa' most the time, but not always. Some times he gets his head up and walks/trots right thru it - especially if another horse is around. How do I correct this?
2)  How do I stop him from needing to be the front guy with other horses? If someone decides to cantor slowly past us, he wants to take off.  Then he is harder to stop.
3)  He goes out along just great but when we are a ways out he gets so he wants to turn around and then we get the head moving all over the place.  Once he settles in again he's fine but then, later on, we repeat the cycle.  It's like he's barn sour but it's when he's away from the barn, not near it.
Thank you for any advice you can give.   We are working on ground manners to see where he is at; using Clint Anderson video.  He just stands there when I run the rope or stick over him.  Starting the next 'step'.  Not sure these will help with the 'whoa' and head tossing though.
Thank you, Mary Beth  

Answer
Dear Mary,
         If he does not stop trying turning him in a tight circle, three times then stop, it should teach him that not stopping will get him to do circles.

Keep him from running in front of others by using a training aid that keeps his head from coming "above the bit" Like a running martingale or a standing martingale. Be sure you get a lesson on how to use both of them because they can be very hard to use. Also try using another bit, keep changing them until you find one that gets the best response from him. Not all horses use the same bit.

The martingale will help with head tossing as well. When he wants to turn around do the circle thing again, and again, remember that it will take a few times to get it through to him that he can't turn around.

Any more questions feel free to contact me.
Michelyn