Do horses dream??

Odd Socks

Odd Socks

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Whilst sat watching my dog have a rather energetic running dream the other night, it got me wondering if my horses have anything similar :S

Pretty pointless post really, just wondering! :)
 
Im pretty sure they do :)
Was sat next to Rosie a pony I used to look after while she was flat out on her side. She was whickering, moving her legs and her tail and then about 5 mins later woke :p ah I miss that pony!!
 
I've seen a horse dreaming just like a dog, twitching legs bobbing head etc. I am pretty sure he was running through a glorious field somewhere!!!!

It did panic me to start with (first thought colic) but I soon realised it was just dreams :)
 
Yes, one of my fillies fell asleep with her head on my lap in the field (we were all chilling out) and she started dreaming. She was twitching and her legs were going. I was shaking with laughter trying not to wake her up when she whinnied (still in her sleep) and woke up and didn't know where she was for a moment. So sweet.
 
I've seen a stallion flat out in his paddock, limbs twitching and making stallionish "come hither" noises (albeit in a tiny, distant-sounding voice) and then, immediately after waking, leaping to his feet, whinnying and looking around for, one presumes, the mare of his dreams, who wasn't really there. That's the best evidence I know of a horse actually "seeing" something during REM sleep.
 
fburton said:
I've seen a stallion flat out in his paddock, limbs twitching and making stallionish "come hither" noises (albeit in a tiny, distant-sounding voice) and then, immediately after waking, leaping to his feet, whinnying and looking around for, one presumes, the mare of his dreams, who wasn't really there. That's the best evidence I know of a horse actually "seeing" something during REM sleep.
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:D:D:D
 
RebelRebel said:
Yes, one of my fillies fell asleep with her head on my lap in the field (we were all chilling out) and she started dreaming. She was twitching and her legs were going. I was shaking with laughter trying not to wake her up when she whinnied (still in her sleep) and woke up and didn't know where she was for a moment. So sweet.
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Aw how lovely, i like this :D
 
Here's pictures of 2 ponies dreaming :P Shame I didn't video them, they were twitching and doing little whinnies!

Kitty -
Photos028.jpg


Mini-Pip -
Photos022.jpg
 
Aww loving the photos! I think I need to make some sneaky trips to the yard in the middle of the night! I've seen plenty of snoring but never any dreams in all of my many years around horses :(
 
More technically it's during the REM sleep phase just like humans. A horse needs at least 5 mins a day of REM sleep which can only be achieved whilst "flat out", lying down.

I too have seen mine dreaming as well and it's quite cute.

Terri
 
Equilibrium Ireland said:
More technically it's during the REM sleep phase just like humans. A horse needs at least 5 mins a day of REM sleep which can only be achieved whilst "flat out", lying down.
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There are exceptions to every rule! I knew a pony that very rarely lay "flat out" to sleep and used to do REM twitching while in sternal recumbency - although he would also rest his chin on the ground. Later in life, I saw him REMing while standing up and resting his chin on the top of a post - a most odd sight. He had that wobbly look of a sedated horse, but didn't lose his balance.
 
True FB, have watched my mare wobbling on her feet from sleep deprivation after she has a foal. All my other mares would sleep with the foals, but for the first 3 days Stella will not get down and protects her baby to the last. Since I have a camera I'm always relieved when she finally lays down and gives in to sleep. Normally though, obnoxious baby decides that's the best time to have a drink! I'm sure mothers everywhere can relate.



Terri
 
I don't need to be sneaky. I can jump over my gate, walk the whole length on my field with keys jingling taking photos with my phone. Even standing over his head and yes touching his cheek and still he won't wake up. Just stays twitching and whinnying etc. I was talking to him in the field for 15minutes before he woke up
 
fburton said:
There are exceptions to every rule! I knew a pony that very rarely lay "flat out" to sleep and used to do REM twitching while in sternal recumbency - although he would also rest his chin on the ground. Later in life, I saw him REMing while standing up and resting his chin on the top of a post - a most odd sight. He had that wobbly look of a sedated horse, but didn't lose his balance.
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Yep , mine does this. He nickers and sometimes shakes his head. He is aware of what's going on around but is obviously in "another world".

(He also gets up with "morning glory" so I think I can guess what he's been dreaming about ;))
 
fburton said:
There are exceptions to every rule! I knew a pony that very rarely lay "flat out" to sleep and used to do REM twitching while in sternal recumbency - although he would also rest his chin on the ground. Later in life, I saw him REMing while standing up and resting his chin on the top of a post - a most odd sight. He had that wobbly look of a sedated horse, but didn't lose his balance.
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Hi, Sorry to drag up an old post but i saw my horse do this yesterday and i thought she was having a a fit at first. Just wondering if the horse you knew was officially diganosed with anything? The vets said my horse has narcolepsy because she looks sedated when standing up asleep but i've just videoed this latest episode to see if it's sleep deprivation or whether she's just generally a bit odd!
 
There are exceptions to every rule! I knew a pony that very rarely lay "flat out" to sleep and used to do REM twitching while in sternal recumbency - although he would also rest his chin on the ground. Later in life, I saw him REMing while standing up and resting his chin on the top of a post - a most odd sight. He had that wobbly look of a sedated horse, but didn't lose his balance.
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Single case study observational data :D but... my experience is that when the ground is very wet, horse doesn't lie flat out, but sternal recumbency. Just like above, he's balancing his head on his chin and teeth, but will still do the twitching, whinnies and you can see the REM if you look at his eyelids. He does almost keel over, but always catches himself at the last moment.

When the grass is dry, he lies flat out.
 
My mare too does the chin resting REM sleep. Particularly hilarious when she does it lay down, her lips spread either side so she's actually propped on her teeth. And I used to know a very late gelded horse who had covered plenty of mares in his time. We often said he thought he was back in his stallion days when asleep. He used to do rather happy grunting noises whilst flat out.
 
Harlequin Jazz said:
Whilst sat watching my dog have a rather energetic running dream the other night, it got me wondering if my horses have anything similar :S

Pretty pointless post really, just wondering! :)
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I've only seen my little horse flat out once. And panicked until she started cantering while down. From this and the other vids posted I'd said yes :D
 
Sirocco said:
Hi, Sorry to drag up an old post but i saw my horse do this yesterday and i thought she was having a a fit at first. Just wondering if the horse you knew was officially diganosed with anything? The vets said my horse has narcolepsy because she looks sedated when standing up asleep but i've just videoed this latest episode to see if it's sleep deprivation or whether she's just generally a bit odd!
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Sorry, just saw this bit :o

Where does she do it? If it's when tied up, rather than when standing in the field, it's a bit more concerning, as she should be able to engage stay apparatus for that. There are a few reasons horses can end up sleep deprived - problems with stay apparatus (including standing camped under due to sore hooves), and not feeling comfortable/secure enough in stable or field are two reasons. When a horse (and a human) are deprived of REM sleep for any length of time, the need for it becomes a bit overwhelming, and you can get them dropping off and then just catching themselves before they fall down. They look sleepy and dozy in lots of situations, but just don't get the deep sleep they need.

With the narcolepsy, the horse does tend to fall - the stay apparatus doesn't engage if the horse doesn't go through the stages of falling asleep as they would normally, and it seems to happen in very specific situations - being tied up to be tacked up and groomed seems to be a trigger in a lot of cases.

That's my understanding of it (based on equine info I learned quite a few years back, and human neuropsych I learned even further back than that, so maybe not totally reliable ;)). Main thing is - when and where does it happen, and does the horse seem able to engage stay apparatus (i.e. have they been seen sleeping standing up recently).

ETA do post the video if you can, may not help with finding any answers, but it would be very interesting to see!
 
Yes they do, just like dogs.
When I first saw my highland dreaming I thought he was having a fit. His legs twitching and shaking, but then he started whinnying gently. It's very sweet :D
 
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