Menu
The sleep pattern of horses is different from humans. They don't sleep for as long at a time as we do, and usually not for as many hours in the day either. However, sleep is just as important for our horses as it is for us. Especially deep sleep can be crucial for your horse's health.
According to Katherine Houpt, who is a professor and specialist in equine behavior at Cornell University, horses sleep an average of six hours a day, with most of their sleep occurring at night.
"It's important that the horse has the opportunity to achieve deep sleep, where all muscles relax. If this doesn't happen, the horse can simply collapse due to exhaustion over time," she says.
Read also: Basic riding: The idea behind inside leg to outside rein
Horses are one of the few species that can sleep standing. However, they usually cannot achieve deep sleep in this position. They generally only sleep lightly when standing.
Should happen that the horse achieves deep sleep while standing, there's a risk that the horse's legs will collapse under it. Simply because the muscles relax, according to Katherine Houpt.
Horses usually do not sleep lying down for very long at a time. Often only 15-20 minutes at a time.
"Because horses are so heavy, they cannot lie down for long periods without affecting blood circulation," explains Katherine Houpt.
Researchers agree that deep sleep is important for horses. However, it is uncertain how much is enough when it comes to deep sleep.
"Because there is not much research in this area, we do not know how much deep sleep horses need in a day. It is most likely somewhere between a few minutes and half an hour," explains Katherine Houpt.
There can be different reasons why a horse doesn't lie down when it sleeps. Most horses prefer, according to Katherine Houpt, to sleep on a dry and soft bedding.
"If the horse has a choice, it will never lie down on a hard surface," she says.
Box size can also affect how much the horse lies down. If the box is not large enough for the horse to lie down and get up without feeling cramped, there is a risk, according to Katherine, that it will not lie down.
Two other factors that can affect a horse's desire to lie down are pain and stress.
If the horse is in pain, lying down and getting up again can be associated with more pain. And the horse will usually try to avoid this.
Stressed horses tend to sleep less for the simple reason that they have difficulty settling down. Stress can arise from various causes, and it is important as an owner to be aware of the triggering factor, which can potentially contribute to lack of sleep in the horse.
Read also: Jumping: 3 Exercises that can make you flawless
Sources:
What Happens To Sleep-Deprived Horses? They Collapse
Asleep on His Feet
