Even horse owners sometimes wonder if horses sleep. They notice that animals spend most of their time on their feet, and lie down very rarely. Experienced breeders know that when a pet feels completely safe, he lays on his side and falls asleep in a serene sleep.
sleeping horse
How long should a horse sleep?
Unlike people who need to sleep for 8 hours to restore their strength, horses rest much more – only 6-15 hours a day they doze in a standing position. This allows them to partially recover. Full sound sleep takes 2-4 hours a day. At this time, the horses comfortably fit on their side, relax and fall asleep soundly.
How do horses rest?
Horse owners often find them standing motionless in a stall with their eyes closed. At the same time, the pet can swing its tail and move its ears. It seems that the horses never sleep, because it is rarely possible to see them lying on the floor. It turns out that horses are able to restore strength while standing.
Half asleep on your feet
In a state of half-asleep, odd-toed ungulates spend most of their time. When they freeze with a slightly arched lower back, almost all the muscles relax. That is why horse breeders find their pets in a strange position – with closed eyes and moving from time to time ears and tail.
Horses sleep standing up, but their sleep is shallow. Due to the special structure of the joints and tendons, the animals distribute the body weight on 4 limbs, while the load is not felt at all. The horses are completely relaxed, as evidenced by the deflection of the spine and the drooping lower lip. In half-asleep, the horse is able to stay up to 15 hours a day.
Odd-toed ungulates learned to sleep while standing in the process of evolution. Their wild ancestors were often attacked by predators. In order not to become their prey, the horses, even in a dream, remained alert. Hearing the noise, they immediately took off and ran away from the enemy. Wild horses cannot afford to fall asleep lying on the grass, otherwise they will pay for their carelessness with their lives, they will become a predator’s dinner.
Horse half asleep
In the pasture
In the wild, you can see herds of horses that sleep with their limbs tucked under them, right on the pasture. It is interesting that the horses guard in turn while the rest are resting. The βdutyβ mare or stallion descends on the grass, bending its legs at the joints. The head is slightly lowered.
The animal seems to be sleeping, but the sleep is not deep, but superficial. The horse reacts to sounds and notices the slightest changes in the environment. When he detects danger, he will inform the others.
Attention! The position with legs tucked under the belly is ideal in terms of safety. Hearing the noise, the horse quickly stretches its hooves forward, rises and, pushing off the ground, accelerates.
Lying on your side
Horses can only achieve maximum relaxation and plunge into the deep phase of sleep while lying on their side. Such a rest allows you to quickly restore strength, within 2-4 hours. Odd-toed ungulates fall asleep in this position if they feel safe, for example, in a stall. A vivid example of a serene and sound sleep is given by small foals. Being next to their mother, they are not afraid of anything, so they can often be caught sleeping soundly.
Attention! Horses do not spend more than 6 hours lying on their side. Due to the large weight and small thickness of the ribs in this position, a strong load is created on the lungs. Prolonged lying leads to their swelling.
Why does the pet never sleep?
Lack of proper rest affects the health of pets. If the owner of the horse never manages to catch him sleeping on his side, this means:
- the animal feels discomfort;
- danger;
- experiencing stress.
The horse sleeps on its side
Horses cannot relax and switch off if they have little contact with their relatives or are rarely outdoors. Stress causes and lack of lighting. Exceeding the norms of physical activity is one of the factors affecting the mental state of animals. Having eliminated the possible reasons that prevent the pet from relaxing, the owner will certainly find him sleeping peacefully.
Do horses dream?
Scientists say that horses dream. Chaotic movements of the eyelids, twitching of the lips and limbs testify to this. Since these animals have color vision, there is reason to assume that they also see dreams in color.
Reference. Horses snore, whistle and grunt in their sleep just like humans do.
Horses don’t sleep like we do. Due to the special structure of the joints of the legs, they are able to partially restore strength even while standing, but they still need deep sleep in the prone position. In order for the horses to get enough rest, it is important to eliminate sources of stress and discomfort.
