Most people know that horses will sleep standing up, but that’s not their only sleeping position.
Just like other mammals, the ways that horses sleep goes back to their ancestors who adapted to survive in the wild. Making the most of time and their internal cycles, responding to their environment, and staying safe are the things that influence when, where, and how a horse sleeps.
So, how do horses sleep, and what factors influence when and how they rest? In this article, we’ll answer these questions and discuss everything you need to know.
So You’re Telling Me Horses DO Sleep Standing Up?
If you’ve ever driven through the countryside and come across a field of horses, you’ve likely seen a standing sleeping horse. Just like we enjoy mid-day siestas, horses take naps throughout the day.
The standing napping horse is taking the ultimate power naps when you consider the incredible strength and agility they can exert, and on maybe an hour’s sleep. When a horse is standing and napping, that’s exactly what it is – a nap. It doesn’t involve deep sleep. How many energy drinks would it take you to gallop like a horse if you got anything less than a good 8 hours?
This is actually an indicator of much more complexity in a horse’s sleep pattern, which goes back to them being a prey animal. Horses need to feel safe to achieve deep sleep, and that’s why they stand and doze when they’re out in an open field.
How Do Horses Sleep?
Resting While Upright
The idea that horses can get their Z’s in while also remaining upright seems bizarre and certainly is a far from relaxing thought.
Our fascination over a horse’s ability to stand and sleep stems mostly from our own inability to sleep in any other position than laying down, or sitting in the very least, which doesn’t make for a very good slumber!
So, how do horses sleep standing up? Horses’ bodies, specifically their hind legs, are equipped with something called the stay apparatus, which lets them doze while standing with little muscular effort. In this position, they can reach slow-wave sleep (SWS).
The stay apparatus is a system of tendons and ligaments that locks a horse’s joints and grounds them. They’re also able to distribute their weight to three of their four legs, allowing the one to rest.
The stay apparatus functions to protect the animal and is also seen in other land animals that are susceptible to predators – think cattle, birds, elephants, and giraffes.
Down For Some Good Sleep
All mammals, horses alike, need to experience the REM (rapid eye movement sleep) stage, which requires deeper sleep. So, how do horses sleep to achieve REM? Just like other mammals, and unlike with SWS, horses cannot achieve deep REM sleep without laying down.
Equine science experts report that horses rest anywhere between 5 and 7 hours a day.
However, horses are polyphasic sleepers, which means they don’t get that sleep all at once. Instead, they crash for 30-minute periods.
To creatures like us who need monophasic sleep (sleeping for specific, continuous periods) that would mean we’d never get any actual sleep, or we would suffer severely from a lack of sleep.
Yet, polyphasic sleep is a survival mechanism for creatures who are vulnerable to predators. That’s why their sleeping environment is so important. A horse who feels unsafe will not be able to sleep well.
How Much Sleep Do Horses Need?
This question is just as important as, “how do horses sleep?” Unlike other animals that we’re familiar with, like our dogs, who enjoy sleeping for most of the day, horses thrive on much less sleep. To get what they need from REM sleep, horses need 30 minutes of uninterrupted slumber.
Horses will spend the rest of their day supplementing their sleep cycle with rest in the standing position.
Why is Sleep Important For Horses?
Horses aren’t just the majestic, powerful creatures we perceive them to be. Much like dogs, horses are capable of understanding us and a considerable amount of language and human communication.
They’re also gifted at memorizing complex problem-solving strategies and remembering their friends, and that includes their human pals! Horses are social beings, and they rely on their community for things like safety, entertainment, and resources.
Proper sleep, REM sleep in particular, is linked to memory retention, the ability to learn, and performance. A horse that’s well rested is going to be healthy, and perform and behave well.
How Important is the Sleep Environment?
When a horse doesn’t have access to a safe, comfortable environment they can easily suffer from sleep deprivation, which leads to muscle weakness and the loss of ability to control body temperature.
This further leads to a heightened metabolism, which can result in the horse requiring more food than usual while at the same time losing weight, and muscle mass in particular. So, it’s important to ensure that your horse – or any other horse – feels safe and comfortable in their sleeping environment.
Taking care to make sure their box stall has plenty of room and is fitted with comfortable sleeping materials like hay will encourage them to lie down, and also safeguards their health and wellbeing in the long run.
Weather also plays a large part in a horse’s comfort, and horse owners should ensure that their horses get proper warmth in the colder months.
Joint Issues and Lack of Sleep
Horses are susceptible to osteoarthritis (OA), which can also play a large role in their ability to achieve their sleep requirements.
Be mindful that it isn’t just senior horses that you need to worry about when it comes to OA, as ongoing research shows that horses any age can suffer. Often linked to joint trauma, this inflammatory disorder can have an impact on a horse’s sleep as raising and lowering themselves can become very painful.
Kathleen Crandall, Ph.D., who is a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research, suggests giving joint supplements that contain glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and omega-3 fatty acids, as these all support healthy joints.
Final Thoughts
Horses are incredibly strong and capable animals. However, they require educated and thoughtful care to keep them healthy and happy! So, how do horses sleep? By now you know that horses can sleep standing up or laying down and their individual purposes.
It’s important to make sure they get their required hours of sleep per day and have a comfortable place to rest so that they can perform their best and stay in good shape.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-horses-sleep-standing-up
https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/aobriendvm/2014/november/contraray-popular-belief-horses-do-not-sleep-standing-321
https://sciences.adelaide.edu.au/news/list/2019/05/08/why-dont-horses-sit-or-lie-down-even-while-sleeping