How do horses sleep?

DillsMommy wrote: We don't live waaay out in the country, but enough that I pass horses and cows everyday when I go somewhere. Anyways, about a month ago I saw a horse lying down--but not like a cow does. It was lying on it's side like dogs do sometimes(you know, with their legs out to the side). At first I thought the horse was dead. And then today-- I passed ANOTHER one. Is that how they sleep??

Hillbilly Housewife replied: i thought they slept kinda standing??

luvmykids replied: No, they sleep standing up. But once in awhile, I mean once in a GREAT while, for our horses anyway, they'll lay down for a bit. Sometimes they get really playful and roll around too, especially if it's muddy in the summer and they want to cool off

If you see a horse with one of it's back legs cocked, or their head down, that means they're super relaxed.

It can be a sign that a horse is sick, usually if you toss a little rock nearby and they don't get up that's a bad sign, but 9 times out of 10 they'll pop right up if you do that. I hate to do it though, since they so seldom lay down, I only do it if I'm really concerned.

Calimama replied:
How do they adapt to the snow? Do they get blankets?

luvmykids replied: Ours don't get blanketed....for one thing, they generate a good amount of body heat on their own. Digesting hay helps them do that, in the winter we give them extra just for that purpose. Also, because of where we live and the gradual climate change, they start growing their winter coat in the fall so they have extra layers there. I love it, they get so soft and fuzzy And we fatten them up pretty good in the fall too. Most of ours do have a shed they can go in if they want, but suprisingly most of them only go in when it rains

One of our horses at this very moment is almost all white from the snow sticking to her....when I feel bad is when the snow melts and they're just soaking wet in the cold. But even then it's not as bad as it looks to us....they don't feel things like we do. (Pain included)

Calimama replied:
Oh that is NEAT!!! I always wanted to live on a ranch and have horses, but DH would rather be in a concentrate 13 story apartment building in the middle of downtown.

luvmykids replied:
We tried living in town.....I don't know who was worse off, DH or the dog They were both pretty miserable though.

But we have the best of both worlds....I don't know if I could be a ranchers wife...we just have 15 acres about 35 miles out of the city.

DillsMommy replied: So they were probably sick?

We only have 1 acre and for me that is plenty!

luvmykids replied:
I wouldn't think so, unless the same horse was laying down for hours and hours. If they're still down next time you go by then probably

Cece00 replied: My parents must have a lazy horse b/c it likes to sleep laying down about 1/2 the time...and its def. not sick...

luvmykids replied:
Is it old?

MoonMama replied: I want horses too. But DH so won't go for it! We have the space (we have 9 acres) and live where we can but DH is so not a horse person.

Calimama replied:
Buy one, put a bow on it and "give" it to DH for Christmas, then cry if he doesn't like it. You'll have your horse and probably some diamond earrings too. JK!

MoonMama replied:


Denise this is why I love you girl!

Boo&BugsMom replied: Troy had to explain this whole thing to me the other day. He grew up having horses and I didn't. I thought it was weird when I saw a horse the other day and he said "oh look it's sleeping". I knew they stood up and all, but it still looked really goofy.

Cece00 replied:
NO! Its a lazy male horse, he's only a few yrs old...he's spoiled though...seriously, I didnt know that could happen with a horse, but yeah...he is.

AlexsPajamaMama replied: Very interesting, you learn something everyday! Thanks for the info Mon!

luvmykids replied:
Oh yeah, it can happen Horses are pretty darn smart

holley79 replied: Gossip, one of my fillies, was always laying down. She wasn't sick and it didn't matter you could go lay on her and she would just stay down and look at you as if you were disrupting her "down time".

We have fairly mild weather here but because we had all show horses they stayed clipped year round and blanketed at the first hint of cool weather. Not to mention they were all spoiled. My mare, Tory, would go get her blanket out of the tack room and would be ticked if she didn't have it on when it was even 60 degrees. She was a little fruity.

Crystalina replied: My minis lay down a lot. My pony, who's bigger (one hand shy of a horse), doesn't lay down as much but if she catches some sun rays she's all about getting a tan.

About that part about horses laying down and getting playful...that can be deadly. We had a mini flip her stomach like that. Now whenever I see them romping around I yell at them to get back up. I don't want to have to go through that again. It was horrible and ended badly.

luvmykids replied: OK, I don't know about some of you and your crazy horses I should have clarified, our horses rarely lay down

Calimama replied: