# close the stable door after the horse has bolted

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/close-the-stable-door-after-the-horse-has-bolted
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To attempt to prevent a problem that has already occurred; to design and implement a preventive mechanism that is too late (after the first failure instead of before).

## Examples

- Adding a lock now is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
- They installed security cameras only after the robbery, which was just closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.
- By implementing these strict safety protocols only after the catastrophic system failure, the management was merely closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.