Why Do Horses Sleep Standing Up?

Spoiler! Horses only nap while standing…

Do horses sleep while standing up? This is one of those pesky trick questions that’s hard to answer. But do they, horses, sleep while standing up, and why do they do it?

Horses, as opposed to popular belief, don’t sleep while standing. They only take naps while standing up. And some physical factors enable them to do that.

To keep with the topic, here are some of the reasons why horses sleep while standing up. But remember, these are only naps; full sleep of around 3 hours doesn’t happen when the horse stands.

Do Horses Need Sleep?

All land mammals need sleep — and horses aren’t different. They need sleep to function both mentally and physically. And they [horses] tend to take a lot of naps during the day -while standing.

You can notice some of them dozing off during the day if you happen to pass by a pasture. Deep sleep, however, is not possible to achieve while they stand.

Why Horses Dose off While Standing?

As stated, horses tend to take many naps during the day, and they do so while standing. They lock their kneecaps with ligaments and tendons, which enables them to nap without falling.

Stay apparatus is how horses can sleep while standing. The joints in their feet align, and that’s why they don’t fall. So, when you see a horse head down and drooling, it’s taking a nap.

They [horses] can do this because they are prey while they are out in the wild. They are alert and attentive to danger, making sleeping a luxury they can’t often afford. So, when do they get REM sleep?

Do Horses Get Deep Sleep?

As mentioned, horses, like any other land mammal, need deep sleep to function. Unlike humans, horses only need two to three hours of sleep, and they’d have replenished.

Horses can sleep in bits of 20 minutes each at night. This is the only time horse can get serious shut-eye while they lay down. They, yet, need to have a safe environment for them to sleep.

This comes back to the idea of them being prey, and their instinct won’t let them rest easy. For example, loud areas will not make the horse feel safe, in case you’re wondering why your horse doesn’t sleep.

Another reason why your horse may not be sleeping because stall space is small. This can make the horse feel trapped and unable to have a serious shut-eye. Environmental stress can affect your horses’ sleep time.

A horse may feel safe sleeping when another horse is looking out. Or when they are in a quiet and large space. This is why you’ll find a horse laying down while others graze but won’t sleep in the stall. The stall isn’t a safe zone as others aren’t standing watch.

Sleeping for Different Ages

Horses sleeping patterns vary with different ages and for different reasons. First, a grown horse requires only 2–3 hours of deep sleep in a day. This is despite the many naps they can take during other hours of the day.

For foals, they need more sleep, and they can sleep as their mothers’ stand watch. Foals spend most of their days asleep until they are at least three months old. During this time, they [foals] sleep for half the day.

When they are three months old, they have to learn how to sleep while standing. And taking several naps during the day.

What Happens When a Horse Doesn’t Get REM Sleep?

It needs to get at least 2–3 hours of sleep for the horse’s general well-being. Without it, they get stressed, and they will not function well. You need your horses to be active and not irritable.

Horses also tend to lose weight when they don’t get enough sleep. Imagine a horse having to carry 500 kgs without having to rest every day. The horse may also fail to keep what it learns in the long-term memory part of their brain if they don’t get sleep.

There will also likely be some discomfort that shows despite having regular naps. So, other than physical issues, your horse will also have some mental ones when they don’t get enough sleep.

Ensuring Horses Have REM Sleep

There are certain measures that you can undertake to ensure that your horse has enough sleep. First, as you have noted, horses need the right environment to feel safe sleeping.

You need to ensure that the stalls they sleep in have enough space for them not to feel boxed in. another idea is to ensure that the stables are peaceful, if possible secluded areas’ less noise.

You can even study your horse sleeping patterns and find out why they sleep during the time they do. Create a similar environment for them while they are in the stables to sleep at night.

If you have enough land, that can work to the horses’ advantage as they can have a more natural feel. If there are other horses around them, they can better look out while getting REM sleep during the day.

Conclusion

To answer why horses sleep while standing, the best answer would be — because they can. Their body structure allows them to sleep while they stand. But when they want to get deep sleep, they have to lie down for a bit.