How do horses sleep?

Updated on April 5, 2024
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

If you’ve spent a lot of time around horses, you’ve probably noticed that they often sleep standing up. They do this to balance their need for sleep with their need to stay alert and on the lookout for predators.

However, that does not mean horses never lie down to sleep— they need to lie down for REM sleep.

In this article, I will cover how horses sleep, why they most often sleep standing up, and what they gain from sleeping lying down.

Why do horses sleep standing up?

In nature, horses are prey animals. They are also heavy animals, so lying down for an extended time isn’t in their best interest.

It takes a bit of work for a horse to get back on its feet, which makes it harder for the horse to escape predators. Lying down also puts a lot of weight on the horse’s internal organs, which means that lying down for extended periods is dangerous for them.

Sleeping standing up allows the horse to make a quick escape or defend itself against predators if needed, and it also ensures that no damage is done to the horse’s internal organs.

Horses are able to sleep standing through a unique part of their anatomy called the “stay apparatus.” Located in the horse’s hind leg within the stifle joint, this mechanism enables the horse to lock its joints in place, allowing it to sleep upright.

In addition, the horse’s check ligaments in its lower legs take any strain off its muscles, ensuring that the horse is comfortable while sleeping upright.

You might also be interested in: “How to stop a horse from cribbing.”

When do horses sleep lying down?

Just like humans, horses need their REM sleep. REM, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement, is the most profound form of sleep. Horses can only achieve REM sleep while lying down, so they don’t always sleep standing up.

REM sleep allows the muscles to relax, results in dreams, and is believed to help with memory and learning in humans. Studies suggest that REM sleep is just as important for other mammals, including horses.

Unlike us, however, horses only need around 30-60 minutes of REM sleep every day. This is because they can only achieve REM sleep while lying down. As horses are unable to lie down for long periods of time, they have evolved to need less REM sleep.

You might also be interested in: “How to stop a horse from rearing.”

How to ensure that your horse gets enough sleep

Horses need far less continuous sleep than humans and will sleep on and off throughout the day for an average of 3-5 hours, 30-60 minutes of REM sleep. However, although they need less sleep than us, it’s still crucial that your horse gets enough sleep.

Without their REM sleep, horses are at greater risk of falling ill or developing behavioral problems. They may also experience sleep deprivation, which can be a severe health risk for your horse. Sleep deprivation can increase the horse’s risk of injury, making it more prone to falling over. A sleep-deprived horse can even fall over with a rider on its back, which is extremely dangerous for both.

This makes it very important that your horse gets enough sleep.

To ensure this, there are a few factors you should consider:

Environment: In order to sleep lying down, your horse needs an environment where it feels relaxed and comfortable. Ensure your horse has a good place to sleep, like a bedding stall or a patch of soft ground in the pen.
Health: If your horse is suffering from health problems, not eating right, in pain, or otherwise in discomfort, it will be difficult for your horse to get the sleep it needs. If you suspect that your horse isn’t sleeping due to health problems, it’s essential to seek expert help.
Safety: A horse that is anxious, nervous, and doesn’t feel safe is less likely to feel comfortable lying down to sleep. This means that horses who are lower in the pecking order and constantly trying to evade more dominant horses will often not lie down to sleep. Ensure your horse feels safe enough to get the sleep it needs.

If you’re worried that your horse is not getting enough sleep, the best thing you can do is to listen to what your horse is trying to tell you.

Your horse communicates with you every day. Learning to read your horse’s signals will give you a thorough understanding of how your horse is feeling, what may be causing your horse to struggle to sleep, and what you can do to ensure that your horse gets all the sleep it needs. A horse whisperer can help you do just that.

With the help of a professional horse whisperer such as myself, you can get to know your horse’s personality better. You will be able to handle better behavioral problems such as biting, bucking, or kicking. You will learn to listen to what your horse is trying to tell you and get to why your horse isn’t sleeping well. Not only will this help you improve your horse’s health and quality of life — it will also help you strengthen the bond of trust and love between you and your horse.

You might also be interested in: “Headshaking in horses.”

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Learn how to understand what your horse is telling you with Ditte Young

I, Ditte Young, have been a spiritual coach, therapist, and clairvoyant for 25 years. I am the author of three books about animal communication and am known as the most recognized animal communicator and horse whisperer in Europe.

In my online course, “Horse personality types,” I will help you get to know your horse’s individual personality profile and gain a new, more profound understanding of how your horse understands you, responds to you, and reads your signals. With this knowledge, you will learn to understand exactly what your horse is trying to tell you and ensure that your horse gets the sleep it needs.

Want to learn behavior techniques applicable to horses from Europe’s most recognized horse communicator? Now is your chance.

You can now participate in Animal Telepathy Mastery from anywhere in the world.

This is for you if you:

Want to give your horse the best life possible
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How do horses sleep?

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