Rest and sleep

Horses doze standing and sleep in short bouts. For real deep sleep they must lie down flat now and then.

Rest and sleep: Horses doze standing and sleep in short bouts. For real deep sleep they must lie down flat now and then.
Read the combination and the context. Always read this signal together with the rest of the body and the situation.

What you see

The horse dozes standing with a low head, a resting leg and half-closed eyes, or lies sternal or flat on its side. Sleep comes in short bouts spread over the day and night.

What it can mean

  • Standing dozing and light sleep thanks to the stay apparatus, which locks the legs with almost no muscle effort.
  • Deeper sleep lying sternal, with the legs tucked under the body.
  • REM sleep, in which the muscles relax fully, is only possible lying flat, so a horse must lie down properly for it now and then.

What this does not prove

A lying horse is not automatically ill; lying flat belongs with normal sleep. But being able to doze standing does not prove a horse gets enough deep sleep, because for that it must be able to lie down.

Read the combination and the context

Note whether a horse can lie down safely: enough space, a dry soft surface and calm in the group. Horses that never lie down can become sleep deprived and sometimes suddenly buckle.

When to seek help

A horse that no longer lies down at all, is strikingly dull or unexpectedly buckles at the forelegs should be assessed by a vet for pain, sleep deprivation or other causes.

This section helps you observe; it does not diagnose. Behaviour alone does not prove pain or illness. New or clear signs of pain and unexplained changes in behaviour should be assessed by a veterinarian.

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Sources: University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine · McDonnell, S. (2003), University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (New Bolton Center).