change horses in midstream

Fig. to make major changes in an activity that has already begun; to choose someone or something else after it is too late. (Alludes to someone trying to move from one horse to another while crossing a stream.) I'm already baking a cherry pie. I can't bake an apple pie. It's too late to change horses in the middle of the stream. The house is half-built. It's too late to hire a different architect. You can't change horses in midstream. Jane: I've written a rough draft of my research paper, but the topic doesn't interest me as much as I thought. Maybe I ought to pick a different one. Jill: Don't change horses in midstream.

If someone changes horses in midstream or switches horses in midstream, they stop using one method or thing and start using another one, or they stop supporting one person and start supporting someone else. I think we were very wise not to change horses in midstream. Note: You can also just say that someone changes horses or switches horses. Andersson is angered at the way Taylor initially supported the deal, only to switch horses later and back the opposing bid. Note: These expressions are often used to advise someone against doing one of these things. Note: The American President Abraham Lincoln used this expression in 1864, `I am reminded of the story of an old Dutch farmer, who remarked to a companion that it was best not to swap horses when crossing streams.'