Lead ropes - not how they used to be?

[Love]

Has anyone else found that lead ropes are just not made how they used to be?!

When I was about 7 (13 years ago) I spent my pocket money on a purple lead rope. I didn't even have my own horse at this point and had only just started having lessons but I thought it was the best thing in the world. I then got my own ponies and of course could start to use it.

I've found that over the years I have bought numerous lead ropes (mainly in more appropriate colours for the geldings I've owned - not that they give 2 hoots) and every single one has broken or disintegrated in a ridiculously short amount of time, resulting in me going back to this trusty old purple lead rope - its indestructible!

Has anyone else found the quality of them rapidly declining in recent years? It's not even that I only buy the cheap ones, some I have paid a fair amount for in the hope they would last but no such luck!

 

[wipeout]

Yup, I bought one yesterday. Loaded horse who decided he was not up for staying in the trailer, he pulled back and broke both the twine and the damn lead rope. Not sure if I should take it back to the shop or not!

 

[iconique]

Unfortunately I have to agree, as horse and I parted company as he legged it one way and I ended up on my backside in the other direction! Clip snapped in 2! Thank god we weren't anywhere else but at home!

 

[Mrs B]

That's (I'm afraid!) part of what keeps the current economy going. It's called 'built in obsolescence'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence

I still have feed buckets (not used for feed now, but in my garden) from 1978. I also have a very good body brush from the same year in my grooming kit and it's a bit tatty but still does its job well.

But in those days (leans on Zimmer frame) you expected to pay more for something and have it last. Therefore, the manufacturer made enough from fewer sales.

Now, everyone wants stuff for peanuts. And the newest, shiniest, latest version to boot. As a manufacturer, it doesn't make any sense if you receive less than it costs to research and make a product unless you pretty much know it will fail within a shortish period of time. Not short enough to put the customer off buying again, but short enough that you can get the smaller price for your product time after time.

 

[Moomin1]

Ohhhh tell me about it!! I am pretty sure I single handedly have kept the lead rope industry going over the past four years....

My mare is a nightmare with breaking them. I went through a phase last summer of having to buy one nearly every single week (no joke).

 

[AdorableAlice]

They seem to have those pull clip fittings rather than the rounded snap clip and are too short. The last one that broke gave my friend a nasty ragged cut on her finger.

 

[LadyRascasse]

They are designed to break, I would rather that snapped than my horses neck in a panic moment, my boy snapped 2 leadropes in a week when he was going through a bad phase. So yes much weaker than they used to be but you won't see me complaining about it even when he costs me an arm and a leg in leadropes and headcollars.

 

[Moomin1]

They are designed to break, I would rather that snapped than my horses neck in a panic moment, my boy snapped 2 leadropes in a week when he was going through a bad phase. So yes much weaker than they used to be but you won't see me complaining about it even when he costs me an arm and a leg in leadropes and headcollars.

In all fairness, I think my mare would snap the old ropes pretty easily. She has managed to rip entire rings out of the wall before!

 

[Love]

They are designed to break, I would rather that snapped than my horses neck in a panic moment, my boy snapped 2 leadropes in a week when he was going through a bad phase. So yes much weaker than they used to be but you won't see me complaining about it even when he costs me an arm and a leg in leadropes and headcollars.

I understand where you are coming from actually! Although I think most of the ones I've had have just been poor. It's not so much them snapping which I can see why it would be safer, it's them freying and unravelling after about a weeks use!

 

[understated]

I've got 2 or three which are still going strong after about 10 years, but other than that every one I've bought more recently seem to last 5 mins!

 

[Love]

That's (I'm afraid!) part of what keeps the current economy going. It's called 'built in obsolescence'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence

I still have feed buckets (not used for feed now, but in my garden) from 1978. I also have a very good body brush from the same year in my grooming kit and it's a bit tatty but still does its job well.

But in those days (leans on Zimmer frame) you expected to pay more for something and have it last. Therefore, the manufacturer made enough from fewer sales.

Now, everyone wants stuff for peanuts. And the newest, shiniest, latest version to boot. As a manufacturer, it doesn't make any sense if you receive less than it costs to research and make a product unless you pretty much know it will fail within a shortish period of time. Not short enough to put the customer off buying again, but short enough that you can get the smaller price for your product time after time.

Very interesting! And definitely an eye opener!

 

[PolarSkye]

Ohhhh tell me about it!! I am pretty sure I single handedly have kept the lead rope industry going over the past four years....

My mare is a nightmare with breaking them. I went through a phase last summer of having to buy one nearly every single week (no joke).

Mine don't break . . . they get nicked. Does that count?

P

 

[mandwhy]

I am a fan of anything other than those silly twisted lead ropes, I like the braided, plaited, web, anything but twisted!

 

[mandwhy]

In fact randomly the leadropes we leave outside often seem to get mysteriously chewed by something, maybe mice? There are shredded twisted lead ropes everywhere... Not my trusty braided one though!

 

[Equi]

Yeah you know what I agree! My newest lead rope has a terrible clip and it's got to the point I don't use it anymore. My old "first" one lies outside most of the time and I still go back to it. Same with my head collar!

 

[Skib]

I once went to a demo where Lesley Desmond had us examine different lead ropes and the difference in feel to the horse when the rope was used to communicate. Good ropes are hard to buy in UK. But tho I have a tie on American rope, in real life, I never use it as it is quicker to clip one on. In fairness too those who need clips to break, even in my UK BHS training, I was never taught that. But maybe this thread explains the endemic shortage of lead ropes at any riding school.

 

[PolarSkye]

I am a fan of anything other than those silly twisted lead ropes, I like the braided, plaited, web, anything but twisted!

Oh me too . . . the only twisted one I ever bought is now a dog lead. I like the big, chunky braided ones - I like to feel as though I have something in my hand.

P