How do horses sleep?

If you are a horse owner, you may have noticed that these huge animals have strange sleeping habits. Unlike other pets, horses have unique sleeping habits that may seem confusing if you're a relatively new pet owner, but there's usually no reason to worry if you spot horses sleeping strangely. 😲

Horses have a natural instinct to sleep in the wild, an environment where they must be constantly vigilant and protect themselves. This is usually the reasoning behind their strange sleeping habits, so understanding their history can help understand their habits.

In this guide, we've explained the reasons why your horse may sleep standing up, as well as how much time he should spend sleeping each day.

Why do horses sleep standing up?

The reason why horses can sleep standing up for most of their sleep cycle is that it allows them to quickly escape a predator attack without having to waste time standing (which can be a slow process compared to a predator attack).

The method by which horses stand while sleeping is called the "support apparatus", and it is a system of ligaments and tendons that keep them upright with relative ease.

Unlike humans or other domestic animals, horses need very little paradoxical sleep each day. It is the part of a sleep cycle that we recognize as being in a sleep deep and can be spotted when horses lie down to sleep.

When your horse is enjoying REM sleep, you may notice him moving his legs while lying on his side. If this happens, it can be safe to assume that your horse is dreaming! 😴

However, horses only have a few minutes of REM sleep during an entire sleep period. The rest of the time it is light sleep and can be seen when your horse sleeps standing up by shifting its hind legs.

As horses are large animals, their blood flow can be restricted by lying down for long periods of time. This causes excess pressure on their internal organs, which is why they only lie down for REM sleep. They sleep upright at different times of the day.

How does a horse sleep?

Horses also like to use the sleeping buddy system, where one horse watches over the others while they sleep. The guard horse's role will rotate as each member of the group gets the sleep they need, including lying down for necessary REM sleep. Many horses adopt this type of rotation when they are in their stable, either in a pen or in a stall next to their usual neighbors. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

The observer will then exchange places with the sleeper until all horses in the group have rested.

How long do horses sleep?

Horses are known to survive on minimal sleep. They only sleep about three hours in a 24-hour period, but never rest for long periods, but younger foals may sleep more than adult horses. ⏰

A few minutes of nap time is all a horse needs at different times of the day, but over a 24-hour period, those minutes should make a total of three hours of sleep. Especially after a good session of equestrian discipline.

Remember that it is always a good idea to cover your horse in the event of an injury that occurs while he is sleeping. This can help protect you from the financial costs of medical treatment for your horse, while ensuring your pet is happy and healthy.