Cranky horse: Move forward or back out..Did I do it wrong?

I had a situation a while back in a lesson. And ever since its always been tugging at me wether or not it was the right thing to do or not. So! Id like your guys advice and if you would have done the same thing.

I was in a group lesson with 2 other horses I've known and been riding with. We were taking a small break and sitting around all pritty close. But my mare and one of the other horses started to bicker. Nothing to bad like biting or pawing. Just head tossing and bratty-ness. I backed my horse away from the other horses. We were in a small circle so my thinking was to take Gypsy out of it and give them more room.

My trainer wanted me to move her forward through the group. We all know my horse is a kicker and I did NOT feel comfortable moving through the tight spaces. She told me that they will move out of the way. Well yeah now that the other girls know what your asking me to do. But if I had just moved my horse right through the group they wouldnt of moved away from me. I've been riding with them for years and my horse and I don't get the respect of space like we need to. I really sorta put up a fight about this. I was respectful to my trainer but I was really nervous about it and Gypsy felt that and was getting more antsy. So my trainer started to yell at me and move towards my horses hind end getting ready to push her forward. I gave in and pushed through the group but at that time the other riders had fanned out and given me more space.

My thoughts were I knew my horse. I WASNT comfortable with the whole situation. Gypsy has kicked before so I wanted to remove her from the group and just backup giving more space. Easy as that...right?

My trainer thought and firmly expressed that I was giving the horse what she wanted and rewarding the bad behavior by backing up.

Normaly I wouldnt fight with a trainer but this one had lost my confidence in her teaching methods. Like one time in a lesson she had a friend at the barn who stopped by around the same time my private lesson started. During most of the lesson she was talking with her friend and I was basiclly just riding by my self (or standing) and then she'd tell me to pick up the trot and continue her convo. Id be trotting in a circle for 15 mins and just wait lol. So then gypsy was acting up and my trainer asked me to canter. I knew my horse was going to buck! I was trying to slow her down go from 10 meter circle let her out and go into the canter and BAM a HUGE buck. I totally felt her back tighten up and was preparing for it. I kept trying to change Gypsy and get her softer but my trainer kept telling me to canter,canter,canter! So I did...Well I didnt go off hehe I did a toe tuck under my english saddle flaps, works everytime! But anyways back to the point after the buck my trainer said in a sly remark "I knew she was going to do that" WTH! SO DID I!!!!

Why couldnt she of helped me set my horse up correctly and prepair for the canter rather then push me in for a buck. Why set me up to fail? I mean yeah ok sometimes you learn from those kind of things but did I really learn anything from that buck? No, just that I had mastered the toe tuck. If you had lessons and your trainer had done some of those things would you continue lessons? Or can you explain her reasons? I mean I don't understand why.
Thanks

Well.. it's been a LOOOONG time since I've had lessons. And I'm not nearly as good of a rider as you are, I'm sure. - but, to me, your trainer's behavior sounds highly suspicious.. especially about talking to a friend and not giving her full attention to You during Your lesson!

I know, I was annoyed at that. The lessons are fairly cheap 35 for a private and 25 for a group. But still its a private lesson and im still paying for it.

Shouldn't matter what kind of lesson it is... it could be a free lesson, even.. for safety reasons, her attention should be on You, the student. That's the commitment of giving a "lesson."

Right then, I would have told her to NOT touch my horse and she can be sure I wouldn't be back again. That is NOT ok.

Mostly horses bicker in a line up because they want more space. How you give her space is up to you - And you're right, if the horse is a kicker it is always safer to back up if you can keep the kindquarter where you want it. If the hindquarters swing, then it is generally safer to walk forward, and most horses won't kick when actively moving forward.

I think you did the right thing and I would be ditching that trainer quick smart.

See the way we were all set up I had plenty of room to keep her butt away from the other horses when I was backing up.
Im glad someone els agree's with my action.