Article: Whether your horse has started racing the others in the ride or has been suddenly spooked, you need balance before you can think about slowing your horse down properly. Balance in the saddle will help to assure you are not thrown off. If you have lost your stirrups, do your best to get them back. Having your feet planted in the stirrups helps with both balance and control of the horse. Try to relax your muscles, including your arms that are holding the reins. Let your body feel the rhythm of the running horse. Otherwise, you will bounce in and out of your saddle and may fall off the horse. Leaning forward might give you better balance, but when you need real pulling power lean back slightly. You are responsible for the damage your horse causes (or the damage caused to it) so look out for joggers, cyclists, dogs, corners, holes, fences, sharp rocks, other horses, terrain that can damage your horse's feet, terrain that can cause it to jump and obstacles that can scare it further (including seemingly benign things like a sprinkler or a flag) or encourage it to speed up. Be aware and try to steer clear of them. If there are cyclists, joggers, or other pedestrians nearby, scream "HORSE COMING! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" for a warning and do your best to steer your horse away from people or other obstacles. If you need to distract your horse for a second while you pass an object that you know will scare it, jiggle the reins roughly. Try to annoy him with the movement by flicking the reins excessively rather than yanking and encouraging resistance. Turn their head away slightly if you can. As you make quick mental notes about the severity of the situation (factoring in details like why your horse is bolting, what hazards are around, and your own experience level), you have to make a snap decision about whether to stay on the horse. Should you abandon ship or will you be able to stay on and slow down? Remember, jumping off can injure you. You will almost definitely have severe bruising and scraping, and you could break your arms, legs, or even your back or neck. You should only jump off of a horse if the risk of staying on is greater than the risk of jumping off. If you do decide that the danger of staying on your horse is too great, jump off. If possible, choose a place with a soft landing (a bush rather than a rock). Kick your feet out of the stirrups first, unwind the reins from your hand, and tumble. After you are off and in a safe place, you will have to find your horse.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Regain your balance. Check your surroundings. Evaluate the situation. Jump off only if necessary.