[SweetIron]

my mare is always nervous when i put her in crossties. she is constantly fidgeting, shifting weight, and looking back at me to see what I am doing (grooming). I can tie her to one of the barn poles just fine, with a leadline, and she is fine, but crossties really make her nervous for some reason. I was thinking, maybe it is cuz her butt is facing the barn door and she wants to see what is coming by (a person, dog etc.) but any advice to get ehr to calm down would be great!

[MyBabyTex]

Can you not turn her around in the crossties and face the door so she knows what is coming? Does she pull on the crossties or is just unhappy about being iin them??

If she is pulling, use bungees.

Don't forget how much praise means to a horse. When she is standing still pet her and praise her. When she starts to fidget, just give her a sharp HEY and see how she responds. Once she stands still, give her the praise again.

[Bruce Wiley]

It maybe that, she is looking around, she is limited and she haven't figure it out the lines on both sides of the crossties and as she moves, she is getting abit of the pressure, no one is there or she know it not you putting the pressure on her pole and sides or limiting her.
Teach her to yield to pressure, make sure she isn't fresh standing there.
I hope this helps.

[3WishesDun]

Be very careful with crossties that are bungees/stretchy..... they can seriously injure the horse if they break or come off and come richocheting back. Some people will use a bit of twine tied to the cross ties that is easily broken if a horse were to pull.

[Blistering Winds]

I've heard this on several occassions.

It isn't the "tying" that scares them as ones like yours is fine if tied to a post. It is the fact that there is nothing TELLING them they cannot go forward except for these invisable cables (since most horses don't see the cross ties) holding them in place. they are confused and lost and will panic faster in cross ties than against a wall or fence. Also, the pressures are different. Most cross ties have Upward pull to them when the horse resists. Unlike a fence or post, where the lead line is attached Under the halter, and you'll have straight or slightly upward, not the almost vertical pull that cross ties have, if you know what i"m saying.


Time and patience.

[BarebackJourney]

Put yourself in your horse's shoes. IMHO, being confined by crossties and limited in movement, is quite scary. I don't blame a single horse for fidgeting about it, either.

Crossties are NOT NECESSARY. If your horse ties well with the lead rope, why not keep it at that? I have heard too many horror stories of horses seriously injuring themselves, and some even winding up DEAD after ******** out from being in crossties. The fact of the matter is, cross ties are not safe, nor necessary.

[alana529]

Originally Posted by BarebackJourney

Crossties are NOT NECESSARY. If your horse ties well with the lead rope, why not keep it at that? I have heard too many horror stories of horses seriously injuring themselves, and some even winding up DEAD after ******** out from being in crossties. The fact of the matter is, cross ties are not safe, nor necessary.

I agree. I don't crosstie my horses, we teach them to stand while they're being groomed and tacked up. That might also help your horse- if you just put her back where she was when she moves her feet every time she moves, it won't take her long to figure out that it's easier to just stand still. This way she can look out the barn door if that's what she needs to do, as long as she doesn't move her feet. Once she understands about standing still, I bet you could crosstie her (if you really wanted to).

[belle4]

If your horse is nervous in cross ties, PLEASE, don't use them. Personally I hate them, don't use them and won't have them.