Holding the saddlehorn

I dunno! She's pretty darn old!

Had a stroke a few years back, and still runs her barn and foes lessons. That lady is my hero. : p

Anyway, back to the task at hand...I've been riding since I've been eleven? I rode a green horse up a rode in a bareback pad with stirrups. I gave her an inch, and she took a mile. Right under some trees, past a house and to a nearby fenceline to some horses. (Thank god...) I was pretty green at the time myself. It ended up with me going on a trail ride, her jumping a log, me slipping in front of her chest clinging for dear life. I probably got a nice concussion as I don't remember if I got up straight away or passed out a bit. Certainly was plenty sore.

Guess the point I'm trying to make is: OP, if you don't know what you are doing, especially in the open like that, are extremely green, and just don't have the balance to keep yourself safe, you could end up seriously hurt. I was lucky enough not to have been trampled when I fell, and that very well could have happened. I could have also been dragged for quite a while if my foot got caught.
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So when I first read your post the first thing that jumped out at me is "only galloped once when my instructor told me to let my horse go when we were ridin up hill" others have told you this is a bad idea from the stand point of your having trouble riding at a trot you should not be loping or galloping even troting after only 2 lessons. That's the first thing, the other in my opinion loping or galloping up a hill is not the way to go up hill. It doesn't sound to me like you are getting lessons. I would really encourage you to find someone that will teach you how to ride from the beginning. You will learn all kinds or "bad habits" learning they way you are that could get you hart someday. Learn the right way the first time its a lot easier. Your friend is not doing you and favors "teaching" you to ride this way.

Safer than galloping down hills I would say, gotta look for silver linings
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Lol. Very true.
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Have your instructor lung you on the horse so you don't have to pay attention to anything else but balance. I was on a lungeline for 6 months, one hour a day without reins and in an english saddle. When my instructor was confident I could balance by myself without a horn or the reins, she set me loose. We did walk/trot/canter and I had nothing to hold onto. I learned where my balance on the horse was and learned a lot of seat/leg aids. You'd be surprised just how much you'll learn when those reins are taken away and the responsibility of direction and speed are gone.

Hope this is troll, as can't imagine any person letting someone do such ignorant things when just starting out.

It takes time to learn your balance. Bad habits start early, and the worst is to balance your weight on the horse's mouth. THEREFORE, when I taught (1985-1994) I encouraged my student's to hold the horn to learn their balance. After awhile you will stop pulling yourself towards the pommel and start to relax. You cannot physically continue to do so, unless you are as strong as a professional body builder! It's a great handhold.
Another great handhold is the cantle.