Training 3 yr. old filly

Question
Hi.
My name is Amanda and for the last six months I have been assigned to the task of training my trainers 3 yr. dutch warmblood/thoroughbred cross filly. The filly was born on the property where she has remained ever since last month when I brought her to my home (home from college for the summer), which was only 2 hours away, where i could continue her training. She had been doing walk, trot, canter in the round pen, all voice command, and I had sat on her a hand full of times , doing walk and trot also in the round pen. When i brought her home I started working with her in an oversized dressage arena to give her more room and to begin teaching her steering, ect. The filly is super quiet on the ground and will stand, tie, load, clip, you name it she will do it with no questions ask. Even when I mounted her for the first time she never questioned anything.
Recently I have been working to keep her in a working trot and some problems have been occuring.
*The first time I ever trotted with her in the round pen she got off balanced and slammed on the breaks, putting her head between her legs and sent me flying over her head(she never really bucked or anything). I got back up and didn't get on to her about it because I figured she had just reacted to the shifting in my body weight at the trot (which i weigh about 110 pounds so i dont think i am to heavy for her). We had no more incidences until i brought her home, when she repeated the same thing a week or two after we had been working in the arena. Once again i did not get on to her because it didnt seem like she did it to be bad, but just got confused ( although this time she did hop with the hind end a little, once again sticking her head between her knees and sending my flying again). I got back up and got back on and continued trotting as if nothing happend. Neither time was she upset by me falling off and both times stood there and let me remount without any issues. (this was about 2 weeks ago).
* Yesterday I had just got on and was walking her on the outside rail in the ring and she jumped up in the air and stuck her head between her legs again and sent me flying, except this time when I got back up she continued jumping in the air, head still between her legs- i mean it looked like something from a rodeo and she was humping up like i had a bucking strap on her or something. I calmed her down, remounted, walked her around once and had to call it a day because a storm was coming ( once again she had no problem with me remounting). This morning i went out to ride her with a game plan, to keep her head up so I could atleast have some control if she went to bucking again. We did some walking and then started on our trotting exericse. Once she figured out i was not going to let her get her head down she tried to stop trotting but i encourage her on my clicking and adding a little pressure with my legs and reassuring her with my voice (which she is very responsive to, when i am riding and when she is on the lounge line). She tried to stop a couple more times, and when i again asked her to move on she jumped up in the air (this time without her head between her knees b/c i had a hold of it) and took off running toward the end of the arena. I slowed her down but she continued jumping in the air and went to try to run again, but before she could a jumped off her landing on my feet. I sent her around the arena several times, then tied her up in her stall for 1/2 hour before I had to untie her, because i had to get to work.
- I have been riding for 10 years and honestly have ridden some problem horses in my time. But, the thing is this filly never seems to do it to be mean, she actually will come and put her head in my hands when I get upset with her and never gives any indications she is unhappy while being ridden, in fact she will stick her head out her stall window and whinny for me, until it is her turn to be ridden, which is why I am having such a hard time. The last thing i want to do is over react and "break her" down, but i also dont want her to think that this is ok.
** I know i have written alot, but i just wanted you to kind of see where i am coming from and ask your advice, because i was really hoping to start working on cantering soon, but until we get this problem resolved I dont want to move forward.
If you could please give me your opinion it would be such a big help.
Thanks so much!
Happy Trails~'
Amanda  

Answer
Hi Amanda!

In my professional opinion I think you should stop riding this baby.  Right now you are in physical danger and unknowingly ruining a vital stage of this young horse's training.  By not having the experience or skill to even stay on when this horse stopped trotting, (no matter how fast it happened) you have no chance to "train" it to do anything.

I must be the advocate for the young horse here and even though this may hurt your pride, you are not the right person to train her.

You cannot say she is kind and loving one minute and would never hurt you intentionally and the next minute she is doing everything in her power to get you off.  Yes, she is fine when she is having things her way...the way she understands them and feels comfortable doing them.  It's all in her comfort zone with an outcome she understands and expects.

But, she does not understand your attempts to ride her and she is acting out the only way she knows how.  She has no communication with you and is most likely getting mixed signals too, which will only further confuse her.

Breaking a baby to ride is a delicate art that involves a constant struggle for power, authority and respect through a clear line of communication.  Much like what horses do in herd situations.  This is necessary and obviously you do not understand how to do that or you would not be writing to me.

This is such an important time in this filly's life, one where she needs to learn all about humans as riders of her and  she needs to learn to like and respect them.  You must put aside your own needs and feelings and think only of hers and admit you cannot do it by yourself.

If this dangerous habit continues she will only get worse and you will get hurt.

I am sorry this is not the answer you wanted to hear.  But, I can only think of your safety and the need for this young horse to have the best start in life possible to make her a good, respectful riding horse.

Horses that are trained badly through ignorance or violence are often the ones who end up at slaughter through no fault of their own.  We must take responsibility and do what is best for these amazing, powerful and beautiful animals.

Good Luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!