The horse is a domestic animal, which was often used for transportation purposes in ancient times until the arrival of modern means of transportation.Horses are hoofed mammals. Like all other mammals, adult horses reproduce by giving direct birth to foals.They belong to the family of Equidae and prefer living in a herd. These animals are fast runners and as a result, they can quickly escape from an attack from predators. This ability was put to use by humans to carry loads or as means of transportation. Interestingly, horses sleep standing. A mare or a female horse carries its baby for 11 months in its womb; a foal can almost immediately start running following its birth. A horse is completely developed by the time it is five years old, and they generally have a lifespan of about 30 years.Horses have been used for agricultural works, police works, entertainment, and various outdoor activities. After reading more about the sleeping habits of these herd animals, also check some interesting horse facts and different types of German shepherds. Right here on Kidadl.Why do horses sleep so little?While humans need eight hours of proper sleep to wake up the next day as fit and energetic. For humans, sleep deprivation can lead to feeling drowsy and lazy the entire day. However, the situation is not the same for horses. Horses sleep for about three hours in an entire day. Sometimes they just doze off in slow-wave sleep, instead of entering into REM sleep.Horses usually spend a major portion of the day standing, and rarely fold their legs or sit down. Horses take brief naps or might doze off in the middle of standing. You will be surprised to know that a horse sleeps for a few minutes to a couple of hours in a day. But yet, horses don’t suffer from sleep deprivation.According to Dr. Sue McDonnell, a certified animal behaviorist at the University of Pennsylvania rarely does a horse sleep by lying down. Normally, a horse standing alone or without any companions will sleep less. This is because no guards or horses are there to alarm the horse about any danger. So, it feels that it has to look after itself, and thereby a slight disturbance can break its sleep. Like most other animals, horses feel that they need to look out for danger and get as much sleep as possible.Do horses stand when they sleep?Horses can sleep or take rest and relax by standing. This is a surprising feature of horses that are put to use by them to protect themselves from attack by predators.Horses use a technique called the stay mechanism. This method allows them to relax by standing. While standing, they rest their entire body upon three legs and allow the fourth leg to rest. They continue changing legs to allow relaxation to all four legs. Now, horses can sleep while standing but if they lay down, they can get into a deeper sleep. After all, not every sleep is the same. Sometimes it’s a deep slumber and other times it can be a nap.It is seen that horses take deep sleep when they lie down. Horses sleep in any position, and horses sleep standing or lying. The stay apparatus is employed by the equine, which enables it to sleep in a standing position. This apparatus is a typical arrangement of the ligaments as well as the tendons that allow horses to sleep properly by locking the important parts of the legs in the desired position. This allows foals or adult horses to sleep in their stall even if they have been left standing for over a 24 hour period, without any risk of falling. The animal will not become sleep-deprived. And if they are in their own stall, and not in the wild, the animal does not have to worry about being prey.When should you put a horse to sleep?Sometimes there are certain cases when your horse is suffering from a medical condition, which has no treatment. In such cases, the horse owner must arrive at a hard decision of putting your horse to sleep, called euthanizing.Often the horse owners lack the means to provide good treatment to their horse. In such cases, the owner decides to euthanize their horse to end its pain. Often the horse might catch a dangerous disease or exhibit behavior that might harm creatures around it. In such cases too, the horse must be euthanized, which is the only way to put the horse out of misery and suffering. However, before you come to a conclusion of considering euthanasia for your horse it’s best to consult a veterinary doctor and inform your decision. They will know best if euthanasia is the only way to end the suffering of your horse.How much REM sleep do horses need?While humans need eight hours of sleep to wake up rested and energetic, it’s not the same in the case of horses or other animals. Horses go through various stages of sleep but in total, they sleep for three hours in a 24 hour period. REM sleep is a rapid eye movement method of deep sleep for which they have to lie down to sleep.For REM sleep, a horse usually is asleep on its chest or on one side. REM sleep lasts for a few minutes or can be even for a few seconds. A horse needs about 30-40 minutes of total REM sleep in an entire day. If a horse doesn’t get enough REM sleep it can suffer from various sleep disorders.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for horse daily sleep: Amazing sleeping facts you didn’t know! Then why not take a look at translucent vs transparent: Light difference facts simplified for kids, or what is the biggest thing in the world? Here’s the curious answer
The horse is a domestic animal, which was often used for transportation purposes in ancient times until the arrival of modern means of transportation.
