How to get him to respect the horse in front?!!

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

I went out on hovis on friday for our first big group hack.
He was well behaved in walk and settled well into the group. However in trot he nearly pulled my arms out! He just will not respect the horse in front to give it any space. I was constantly pulling him up to stop him trotting with his head on the horses bum. In walk he backs off a little and allows a gap but in trot no chance!
It wasn't that he wanted to go past more just to trot extremely close. I ended up pulling him up, he then started leaning on my hands and I came back with arms two foot longer than before i left. Half halts were doing nothing. He wasn't running off with me just ignoring me to get way too close to the one in front.
Luckily the horse he was doing it too was very tolerant but i can see us getting a kicking if he does it to others. How do i get him to back off?

 

[CracklinRosie]

My horse isn't happy behind as she's always been ridden in front or alone, mostly because she's very brave and very fast!!!
If I have to ride behind I move her to one side slightly so she's not directly behind other horse and this is better.

Not sure what solution would be as I just gave up with mine!!!!

 

[lochpearl]

Oh dear, my friend's horse is exactly the same - he's a Clydesdale x too!! I have been teaching her to when safe - leg yield away from the horse to give space and also to do small circles increasing the gap, he is a very headstrong Clydie and doesn't seem to be too flexible due to his size, it is gradually working but there are a lot of confidence problems with my friend as the horse tripped once out hacking and landed on top of her - luckily she only broke her collar bone as the doctors said really that it was a miracle she got up at all due to his size and landing on her. So when he does this going up the next horses bottom she freezes and hangs on for dear life which in turn causes him to go even closer. There isn't a right or wrong way so just try everything but the circles are great but obviously only if safe to do so and not on the road!! Good luck x