If you’re anything like me, sleep doesn’t always come easy. Either you can’t fall asleep, you can’t stay asleep, or your sleep is filled with nothing but nightmares and restlessness. It’s a pain in the ass, right? But what happens when our horses don’t get enough sleep?
Sleeping Positions
To begin, there’s three different sleeping positions horses sleep in, all of which allow them to reach different levels of sleep.
The first (and safest) position is to sleep while standing up. This provides the lightest level of sleep and allows the horse to wake up and run away if confronted with a threat. Horses have an anatomical mechanism in their hind legs called the “Stay Apparatus.” This is when the horse’s knee cap pops out of place, locking the hind limb in a standing position. Only one hind leg locks in place at a time, while the other leg is relaxed.
Next is where the horse lays down with their legs curled underneath them, otherwise known as semi-recumbent. This provides a bit deeper of a sleep compared to standing, but the legs are positioned in a way the horse can quickly stand and flee if needed.
And finally, fully recumbent, where the horse is laid flat out on their sides. The fully recumbent position provides the deepest sleep and is actually the ONLY position a horse can achieved REM sleep.
Amount of Sleep
Horses need anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours of REM sleep a day, however this has to be done in intervals no longer than forty-five minutes at a time. Because the equine body is so large, they could crush internal organs if they lay in the fully recumbent position too long.
Horses sleep so little because their natural instinct involves sleeping in an environment where they need to be constantly alert and ready to protect themselves.
The length and type of sleep are affected by diet, temperature, workload, gestation, and gender. The sleeping patterns of foals are quite different compared to adult horses, as they spend about half of their day sleeping and lie down frequently for naps. Once a foal reaches about three months old, the naps become less frequent and they are more likely to stand rather than lie down.
Nocturnal or Diurnal?
Believe it or not, horses are neither nocturnal (night active) or diurnal (day active). Most nights are spent alternating between rest and activity. If left to their own devices, this routine will repeat even when the sun rises.
A horses sleeping habits are dependent on their routine. If we work them throughout most of the day, they’re more likely to sleep at night. However they’ll adapt to the sleep routine they feel most comfortable with if they commonly have days to themselves.
What Happens When Horses Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
If a horse isn’t getting enough REM sleep, it has a negative impact on their health.
They may be grumpy or have a change in personality. They could become overly spooky or even standoffish. In more severe instances, a horse may go into REM sleep standing up, in which their legs will buckle and the horse will collapse.
Factors That Prevent Sleep
While horses don’t need nearly as much sleep as humans, they are still affected by not having enough REM time. Some factors that may contribute to a lack of sleep in horses are:
Stress
A stressed horse doesn’t always feel safe. And if they don’t feel safe, they won’t sleep in the fully recumbent position.
No Room
If the horse is in a small stall where they can’t comfortably lie down, they’re going to miss out on REM sleep.
Recent Relocations
Horses may go days or even weeks without REM sleep when relocating to a new barn as they have to adjust and learn the routine.
Pain
If they’re in pain, they may not want to lie down and get back up.
How to Make Sure Horses Get Enough REM Sleep
So how can horse owners ensure their horse is getting enough REM sleep?
Bedding
While stalled horses seem to have no preference between straw and shavings, the deeper the bedding, the more comfortable it is for the horse to lay down. Having just concrete is not ideal, as horses rarely lay down on such a hard surface.
Pastures
Big, open pastures are more natural and more likely for a horse to lay down.
Stall Size
If a stall is too small for the horse to comfortably to lie down, it’s going to affect their ability to get enough REM sleep. Always make sure the stalls are spacious.
To summarize, it’s important your horse gets enough REM sleep. As humans, we may have caffeine to make a lack of sleep more bearable…. But horses don’t have opportunities like that.
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