How horses sleep: standing or lying down, how long the rest lasts, optimal conditions

As you know, the horse is one of the first animals tamed by man. Carriages and wagons have long sunk into oblivion, and frisky horses still enjoy the love and admiration of people. Many have seen what horses look like, but not everyone knows how these amazing creatures sleep. Keeping and raising a horse is not an easy task. In order to succeed in the field of riding, you need to study the habits and habits of these graceful animals.

How horses sleep - let's look at the issue from a scientific point of view

To a person who is far from the intricacies of horse breeding, it may seem that horses always rest while standing. It's hard to believe that such a massive animal can lie down on the ground and then effortlessly stand up.

Zoologists say that a horse's sleep can be divided into 2 important phases:

• quick (sleep and nap);
• deep sleep.

Depending on the sleep phase, the horse can sleep in a standing position or lying on its side.

On my feet

On city festivities, you can often meet a horse, peacefully frozen in anticipation of a client. As a rule, the animal stands with its head down. The horse's back is arched at the loin, the muscles are relaxed, and the hind leg is slightly bent.

In this position, the horse is half asleep. Such a dream is unsteady, the animal perfectly hears the surrounding sounds and controls the situation.

In a state of half-asleep, the horse spends the lion's share of the time. Due to the unique structure of the knee joints, the horse can rest in a standing position. The impressive weight of the horse is evenly distributed on all 4 limbs. Deep sleep in this position is impossible.The half-asleep state can last no more than half an hour.

On the side

In a state of deep sleep, the horse lies on its side. The neck and legs of the horse are extended, the tail and ears remain motionless. In a dream, a horse may make sounds, twitch its legs or head. At this time, the animal is completely defenseless. We can say that the horse is unconscious. It will take him a few minutes to recover.

In the wild, soundly sleeping horses are guarded by relatives. When signs of danger appear, the watchmen give a signal to flee. Under natural conditions, an adult horse rarely manages to fall into a deep sleep. There are too many dangers around.

In some cases, animals can go several months without sound sleep. For example, a horse that takes the place of a leader in a herd cannot leave his post even for a short time. In an attempt to take the place of the leader, a young stallion strives to take advantage of his weakness.Foals feel the most at ease. Under their mother's care, they sleep as long as they please.

Are your eyes open or closed?

With closed eyes, the horse sleeps only in a state of deep sleep. Otherwise, the animal's eyes are half open.

Snooze - the main differences from sleep

In the state of drowsiness, the horse rests in the prone position. Her limbs are tucked under her own torso, her muscles are relaxed, and her head is lowered to the ground. Superficial sleep helps the horse to replenish lost strength. At the same time, the animal is in a state of “combat readiness” and, at the slightest danger, is ready to take off. The animal's ears are constantly twitching. Like highly sensitive antennas, they pick up any sounds. Upon hearing the alarm signal, the horse quickly straightens its front legs and jumps up.

Do horses dream?

During sound sleep, uncontrolled eye movements are clearly visible under the closed eyelids of the animal. This is a sign that the pet is dreaming. Watching a sleeping horse, you can see how the horse's lips and limbs tremble.

How much sleep a horse should

In its natural habitat, the horse is busy playing, foraging and other important things, so he sleeps 6 to 8 hours a day. The state of complete immersion in sleep lasts no more than 3-4 hours. During the time allotted for rest, the animal manages to replenish its strength, periodically falling into a state of drowsiness or deep sleep.

In stable conditions, the pet stays at rest much longer. Here the animal feels completely safe. The horse does not need to travel in search of food and stay alert for predators. Being in a state of idleness, the animal sleeps from 6 to 15 hours a day.

Factors affecting sleep duration and quality

In nature, horses rarely enjoy deep sleep. The animal is forced to listen sensitively to suspicious sounds and smells. Deep and prolonged sleep is possible only in conditions of complete safety, in the circle of your fellows.

When it comes to stables, the main causes of poor sleep in animals should be noted.

1. Close space.
2. Lack of fresh air.
3. Loneliness.
4. Hygiene violations.

Create optimal conditions for a good rest for your pet

The quality of rest for the inhabitants of the stable depends on the conditions created for the animals by a responsible person.

Safety

First of all, you need to make sure that the floors in the stable are kept in order. Rotten boards can cause injury to the animal. Fractures, sprains of tendons lead to serious consequences for the he alth of a frisky pet.

Save the he alth and life of the horse will allow high-quality ventilation of the stable and regular cleaning of the stalls.

Often, due to poor sanitation, the room is simply poisoned by the smell of ammonia. The stench is especially acute below, at a level of 40-50 cm from the floor. For this reason, horses ignore deep sleep, they simply cannot lie in such an environment. Breeders know what kind of trouble a "blockage" of a horse can bring. In this case, the animal is able to be fixed in a supine position for a long time. Under the weight of its own weight, the horse will have problems with the lungs. In order to prevent blockages, the stall is equipped with special slopes.

Music

Soft, melodic composition has a calming effect on pets and helps to establish contact between people and animals. Most horses prefer classical music. Some compositions serve as an aid to the development of lynx in animals. Unfortunately, unscrupulous stable owners turn on loud music to please their customers.The hearing apparatus of four-legged pets is much better developed than the human one. Loud noises adversely affect the state of the psyche of animals. Horses become nervous, irritable and uncontrollable. In addition, extra decibels can cause colic in a horse.

Company and comfort

When alone, even a he althy horse can refuse deep, prolonged sleep. The animal is stressed and does not feel safe. The horse needs constant communication with his brothers. Even during a walk on an individual basis, the horse must see its own kind. Compliance with the walking regime and constant contact with relatives will bring the animal back to normal.

In order for the pet to feel comfortable, you need to settle it in a spacious room. The area of the stall should allow the horse to lie down freely on its side and stretch its legs. The horse spends a lot of time indoors, it will not be able to live in cramped quarters.

Particular attention is paid to the lighting of the stables. Graceful animals should not be in the dark. The stable is designed so that one pet has at least 1 sq. m windows. Rooms should be regularly ventilated.

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