Wherein I hang on and it doesn't work

On Saturday I came off my horse. For like the 9th time - I had to stop counting.

We were jumping the gray oxer and my intention was to head to big brick next which is straight ahead to the right, hidden behind the oxer's right wing. It's exactly what I did the last time I jumped big brick so successfully.

But I forgot to keep my eyes up the WHOLE time (been working on this) and instead at some point peeked at the jump - because apparently I think I can figure out when we're going to take off - and got a little left behind.

Sam landed low which is happening often lately and I landed low and looking down and when I went to push off his neck to sit up, I realized it wasn't going to happen. Instead of then bailing which the old me would have done, I grabbed around his neck in hopes to hang on until things settled. 

It's all fun and games...

Except that's exactly when Sam turned 90 degrees left toward the barn window. And I rolled right off the side of him. I actually touched my helmet to the metal you see below the windows. Just touched, like barely, because I was already down, just had momentum. Tink.

until your horse decides not to help you out.

And then he was off and ran down the side of the barn stage left to look for hay some horse might have dropped out their window.

I was fine, got right up. Marched over to my unabashed horse and remounted. We schooled some lateral and popped over an 18" jump. Then we did the oxer again, with eyes UP, perfectly. We continued to canter down the rail around the short end then finished with a revv'd canter down the other side. Sometimes, it helps to break loose a little after all that adrenaline. :)