Why are TE probes so long?

Hank Nixon wrote:

Easier to learn not to bend probe than try to make TE system work with
stubby probe.

Last year, our Astir lost its TE probe due to a rough landing. We did not
find it and invented a replace from an old glider that was out of service.
We had to bend it to make it fit to the Astir. After this had worked fine
for several weeks, we found the original probe laying in the grass just
beside another landed glider, in perfect shape. So we could replace it
again! But the bended probe had done a good job.
Eggert