What Are the Dangers of Cross Ties for Horses?

Cross ties are common in many barns and are convenient for tacking up, shoeing, grooming and bathing your horse. Your horse must learn to cross tie even if it ties with a single rope. Do not start to cross tie until your horse has learned to give to pressure, and do not assume that a new horse knows how to cross tie or will cross tie safely. Regardless of how good a horse seems, do not leave the horse in cross ties unobserved.

  1. Cross Tie Material

    • A chain cross tie could cause serious injury to horses and humans.

      Cross ties should never be made of chains; if a chain breaks, you do not want it flying around and hitting you or your horse. Bungee ties are popular with some horse owners; there is enough give so that if a horse starts to pull back it is not met with immediate resistance, and you can get to it in time to either encourage it to move forward or release it if necessary. However, if the bungee is pulled taut and then breaks or releases at the snap, it can "spring" and go flying into you or the horse.

    Cross Tie Height

    • Your horse's head should be comfortable in the cross ties.

      Shelley Winston, owner of Creek Road Horseshoeing in Dripping Springs, Texas, works daily with horses in cross ties and cautions that if the cross ties are so low that the horse can easily lower its head and the tie drags on the ground, the horse can step on the tie and panic, risking injury to itself or others. If the tie loops around the horse's foot or leg and it pulls back, it is now exerting pressure on its leg that at a minimum can cause soreness and possibly something more serious. The ties should be placed on the wall or posts just above the withers of the tallest horse in the barn, and the two ends should barely meet in the middle. You want them long enough so that there is no pull on the horse's head when it is relaxed.

    Snaps or Loops

    • You can purchase cross ties with quick release snaps so they will release if a horse pulls back or rears. Some owners and trainers prefer these snaps to be at the halter, but Poseidon Sport Horses owner Laura Whitfield of Hutto, Texas, prefers that the quick release snaps be affixed to the wall end. "If the horse starts to panic and is flailing around and trying to rear, you do not want to try to get close enough to him to release the ties at the halter. It is safer to go the wall and release the horse at that end." Using a breakaway loop is an alternative to quick release snaps. Some horse owners use quick release snaps at both ends, or make their own breakaway loops with baling twine that breaks easily.

    Footing

    • Cross ties should never be used in areas with slippery footing with no traction, such as cement. If a horse pulls or rears in a panic, it can easily fall, flip over or cut itself, particularly if it has shoes. If you do have cross ties with cement floors, simply place rubber mats in the cross tie area. A dirt floor is fine too.

    Beginners or Anxious Horses

    • A horse naturally wants to turn its head to see what is behind it.

      Always watch horses who are new at cross tying, or who appear nervous, even if they have cross tied before. Horses want to turn their heads to check on activity or potential danger behind them; cross tying prevents them from doing this instinctive and natural activity. This can be hard for a horse to get used to and can cause panic, particularly if it is cross tied in an area with a lot of activity around, such as at a show or lesson barn. It may help if there is a solid wall behind them. Also avoid going under the horse's head where it cannot see you.