Horse Behavior Q & A: Crossed Wires in the Cross Ties

My horse seems very impatient in the cross ties. She holds her ears back and acts very annoyed, even if she's only in the ties for five minutes! Do you know why she does this, and is there anything I can do?
―Ellie

There could be several reasons for this behavior, Ellie. For example, if the cross ties are in the barn aisleway, she may be pinning her ears at the horses in stalls near her. However, if she is placed on cross ties for reasons that she perceives as unpleasant, such as a visit to the vet, she may associate them with things that do not feel good.
I suggest randomly putting her on the cross ties, feeding her some grain and then taking her off. Do this often, slowly increasing the length of time―and be sure not to place her on cross ties for unpleasant activities.