CrossTies

Just a random thread on your opinions of crossties. Personally, I don't like them and refuse to use them. Horses were meant to move, and I don't like how they restrict their movement. Gosh, some of them that I've seen are so tight that the horse's halter is snug against his face and he can't move at all. Some are not as tight and not as bad, but as for me, I'd just as soon have my horses learn to stand tied than force them to.

Plus, one of my guys was beaten in crossties, so even if I did use them, it wouldn't be an option for him. He flips himself over. Poor guy.

Anyway. What are your opinions, and do you use them?

I don't use them since there aren't any where Lacey lives, even if there were I'm not sure I'd use them.
I think they have their place in a barn where you can't just have a horses butt out in the middle of the aisle. I also think they're helpful with horses that can't stand tied, for instance, the camp I volunteer at gets tons of horses that have never learned to stand quietly tied and we don't have the time or energy to teach them. Cross ties would be great in that situation because then we could worry less about one horse backing it's butt into another, etc.

I don't think they're "evil" but I definitely don't think they are necessary, yknow? =)

Yeah, I get that. I just get so mad when they're unnecessarily tight, you know? Like uber pressure against the horse's face. I see where they have their place though, I guess.

If a horse is clastrophobic, it doesn't help that at all, though. I think it might even contribute to it some.

Exactly though. Sometimes needed, but I wouldn't use them if I didn't HAVE to.

LOL, wallaby, I just replied to your post and you just replied to mine. Weird.... haha.

I always use them. Mine aren't tight (they hold my horses' heads up at about chest level when they fall asleep while being groomed) and I've only had one problem. My TB mare freaked out over something the other day and reared, she triggered the quick release, so it was all ok - but she doesn't (post) tie at all, so cross ties work best for her.

I even stick my weanling (6 months) in them every now and then to give her a quick groom... she handles it like a pro :)

I personally don't use them and probably never will. All my horses are taught to ground tie and stand tied. They will stay stationary while I tack/untack them, walk all around to groom, and clean out all 4 feet. I just don't feel the need to restrict their movement that much. I have a tie ring just inside the door of my tack room that I will either loop the lead through or tie a slipknot (depending on how broke the horse is, green gets the knot) and they stand facing the wall of the tack room. IMHO, it makes it easier too because I don't have to duck under a lead rope every time I go from front to back.

I never really thought about it. I've used them, but I don't actually use them on a regular basis. It doesn't really matter to me one way or the other. My horse will stand, and if crossties are tighter than I want I will just attach one. My horses are pretty cal whereever they are tied so they are normally just tied wherever is convenient. :)

We have crossties in our washrack and they work great. They are very loose and do not put pressure on the halter. My horses have never had an issue using them, they do have quick releases in case something happens. My gelding will sleep in the cross ties all day if you let him, but that came from whatever his previous owner did with him.

I don't think they are a problem unless they force the horses head still or they can't move around. I just use them while I am braiding a mane or giving bath, otherwise my guy stands at the rail dally tied.

I use them all the time, but I never tie them tightly, just loosely, I find I like them sooo much because its like a stall almost, lol. Sometimes I just tie the two ropes together to make it a losed off area and I take my horses halter off... haha she has sooo much more charactor without and halter/bridle! I don't like it when people tie their horses head tightly...it doesnt really make sense to do that even if the horse bites. My horse enjoys the crossties more then just being tied for some strange reason... haha I have a weird horse! But I have nothing against them

I use them, I've always used them. I don't think I would use them if they were super tight. The ones at my barn let his head hang at just about chest level, but he usually stands stock still and straight up, very TB like. He can still move and fidget and whatever else, but single tied, he tends to a) move into any other horses space that he can get to and bug them or b) untie himself and walk away.

Everywhere I ever rode or knew of that had horses used cross ties, or they were at least available, so when Dad and I started getting our barn ready for horses when I got my first horse, a pair just went in. I like them. They can definitely be survived without, but they work for me. My horse will stand nicely post tied, and will ground tie to a degree (if you're still paying attention to him, he's still learning) but to have him ground tie while I'm cleaning his stall, in the barn, with cats to follow and all kinds of stuff to investigate is a bit much. The crossties (fairly loose, the halter hangs normally on his head and the tie ropes are slack) just seem to remind him that I want his butt right where I put it while my back's turned. I'd love to replace my standard quick release snaps with Aussie tie rings someday. I have seen horses freak out tied in any fashion, and I like the idea that those won't snap and send him falling onto the cement floor.

I HATE it when people leave crossties tight, holding their heads up and the halters tight! Grrr