Letting go if a horse bolts

[RubysGold]

Im the odd one out
The few times Ive fallen off Ive let go, Id rather keep hold but I just automatically let them reins go :/
And if a horse pulls off I dont know how you can keep hold. My young cob, saw a horse and rider the other day when I was trying to turn out, before I could stop him he was off. Within seconds, he put himself so that the leadrope was flat against his side, and so I had no leverage, and then started dragging me, I couldnt keep hold. (No one was injured and Ive now bought a chain leadrope which I was told will help)

 

[Lintel]

I lead my unpredictable 4yo with a lunge line, then I can be safe at a distance but dont have to let go, normally ends with him lunging himself til he decides to behave again!

I held onto my boy(A Highland)Ripped knees, elbows, some kick-ass rope burn, arms out of sockets, burnt a hole in the bum of my joddies and being near enough stuck in a swamp. Lost wellies and being dragged along a barbed wire fence.. I eventually learned to let go.

Then I found the wonderous lunge line!!!

I'm just thankful he has got over the teenage tantrums, well the worst of it!

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

I always had it drummed into me 'never let go'....and generally speaking, if I can I will hold on, but agree from experience now there are circumstances where it's best to let go...for example, a bizarre incident the other day....my new boy was being trimmed for the first time since I've had him..I was holding him (with long line lead rope) and he was being a bit resistant with his off hind...farrier had had the metal stand/leg rest out round the front...new boy settled down or so it seemed, then something must have spooked him from behind and he startled towards me..I grabbed the stand out of his way as he was just about to trample over the top of it and the next thing I know I've hit the deck and am looking rather too closely at newly trimmed front hooves coming towards my head! Farrier shouts 'Drop the rope!' - so I did and it was the best call because new boy shimmied round me and I was able to get back on my feet double-quick....he did shifty off a bit upset trailing the rope but not at any speed and quickly put his head down to graze....
In this instance, if I'd have hung on, my weight on the ground would have meant he'd have had nowhere to go but straight over my face...am very grateful to my quick-witted farrier!
Have no idea how I ended up on the deck - don't remember him barging me particularly..but by then I had been out best part of 4 hours, standing holding horses being trimmed/shod in well below freezing so was probably not at my most agile!!
So, it depends on the situation I'd say.