“We’ve Always Done It This Way” — When Tradition Quietly Increases Risk
There’s a phrase heard on every yard:
“We’ve always done it this way.”
And most of the time, that’s fair. Equestrian knowledge is built on experience, passed down from one generation to the next. Much of it works — beautifully.
But sometimes, tradition survives not because it’s the safest option… but because it’s familiar.
And familiarity can quietly increase risk.
The Comfort of Routine
Tying up with baler twine. Using a panic snap. Cross-tying in the same space for years. Clipping onto a solid ring without thinking twice.
These aren’t reckless decisions. They’re habits. Habits built on what was available at the time.
The problem is this:
Most of these systems weren’t designed. They were improvised.
Baler twine was never engineered as a safety release device. Panic snaps were never tested under true panic load. Solid rings were made to hold — not to fail safely.
And horses, as we know, don’t always respond predictably.
When Tradition Meets Physics
A calm horse can generate extraordinary force in a split second.
When a horse feels trapped:
- The poll rises
- The back stiffens
- The rope tightens
- Instinct overrides training
In that moment, two things matter:
- How quickly separation happens
- Whether that separation is controlled
Traditional systems rely on:
- Rope breaking unpredictably
- A human reacting fast enough
- Hardware not jamming
That’s a lot of variables for a situation that unfolds in seconds.
The Myth of “It’s Fine — We’ve Never Had an Issue”
This is the most dangerous sentence on a yard.
Not because it’s careless — but because it assumes past luck predicts future safety.
Most serious yard accidents happen during routine tasks:
- Grooming
- Rug changes
- Moving between stable and field
- Brief tying before turnout
They don’t happen because someone was being irresponsible.
They happen because routine lowers alertness.
And when routine meets instinct, the outcome isn’t always predictable.
Evolution Isn’t Criticism
Improving safety isn’t a judgement on how things were done before.
It’s recognition that:
- Equipment evolves
- Materials improve
- We understand equine behaviour better
- Risk analysis has moved forward
Modern safety thinking asks a different question:
Not “Will this hold?”
But “How will this fail — and is that failure safe?”
That shift matters.
Designed Failure vs Accidental Failure
There’s a difference between:
- A rope snapping unexpectedly
- A clip jamming under pressure
- A system engineered to release at a defined load
The first two are accidental failure.
The third is planned failure.
Planned failure reduces:
- Injury severity
- Human reaction reliance
- Secondary accidents
It accepts something important:
Horses are flight animals. Panic can happen. Design should reflect that reality.
Respecting Tradition — While Improving It
Tradition built horsemanship. Experience built yards. Skill builds confidence.
But safety improves when we question habit.
It’s not about replacing knowledge. It’s about updating systems in light of what we now understand.
Because the phrase:
“We’ve always done it this way.”
Should never be the final answer to:
“Is this still the safest way?”
Final Thought
Good horsemanship isn’t just about training the horse.
It’s about designing environments that reduce risk when instinct takes over.
Tradition deserves respect. But safety deserves progress.
Looking at Safer Alternatives
Modern safety systems are designed around controlled release and predictable failure under load. If you’re reviewing your yard setup, it’s worth exploring options built with that philosophy in mind.
