Do horses living out lay down at night?

[Laurac13]

Hello lovely people
quick question do horses living out lay down when it’s dark?
I’m watching my retired boy like a hawk as he is retired due to neurological problems, he has always been one to like a lie down but the other evening he was doing this when it was dark, since he has been living out I’ve only seen him lay down in the mornings when it’s light ?

 

[[153312]]

Mine don't at night but do in the day when on herd turnout. When in pairs only the laid back ones do.
I've not known any of them lie down at night when out.

 

[Gloi]

Ours always laid down in a group.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yes, as proven by the leaves in B Fuzzys tail and the flat nesty bit in one patch of the field.

She's still out 24/7 tho little A is in at night - and has been all year, thus leaving B out on her own at night but she's quite happy about that ?

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes ours do they leave one standing .

 

[Equi]

Mine generally have a lie down about 11am when the suns just warm enough and they’ve had their breakfast.

 

[rextherobber]

Mine do, as I can see their "nests", but possibly they lay down 4-5 am, before I'm up and about?

 

[GreyDot]

My younger one does, but the older one only lies down midmorning. They are in a group and there is always one or two standing guard. For the lions, you see

 

[Archangel]

Yes mine do. One lies down fast asleep in the rain.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Mine often have a kip at some point between 7-9am, another mid afternoon and I know they do overnight as I can see where they’ve laid. the morning one they often both lay down, at other times they take turns.

 

[ihatework]

I actually haven’t got a clue as I’m never stood out in the field with them at night ?

 

[Laurac13]

Thank your everyone I was just worried if it was normal or not so you have reassured me it’s nothing to worry about thank you x

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I assume mine do judging by the pony shaped flat patches of grass, and grass stains on the old ones knees and poo stains on the young one because out of the whole field he just has to lie in a pile of poo every time. I quite often catch them lying down first thing in the morning as well.

 

[TheMule]

Yes- mine live out and lie down for short periods of time in the night and then have a mid-morning sleep too.

 

[milliepops]

My youngsters lie down together in the shelter at night, i see them on the cameras flat out snoring away.
the oldies mostly take turns.

 

[SEL]

Yup. In the one muddy bit of the field as far as I can tell ?

 

[bouncing_ball]

Mine do. They are out overnight. I got them in at 5.30am last week. Were both lying down in the dark. Too dark for a photo. They also have a mid morning snooze in their stables.

 

[Fruitcake]

Ours do. They have a field shelter but seem to prefer to camp out. The bottoms of their rugs are often damp first thing in the morning, and when I go out with my head torch to do a bedtime check I often see eyes glinting at ground level before they appear at the fence for their apples.

 

[BSL2]

We have four. Three lay down. One standing "on guard".

 

[Laurac13]

Thank you guys I’m reassured it’s normal x

 

[southerncomfort]

Yes I've seen my youngster lie down in the field shelter, plus I find flattened areas outside the shelter where the others have been lying.

 

[SantaVera]

Mine tend to lie down mid morning, I expect nature tells them preditors will have made a kill and eaten by then,so its safe to lie down,they leave one standing on guard

 

[meleeka]

Perfectly normal if they are happy and settled. My oldest one and youngest one lay down sleeping a lot, both overnight and during the day, possibly because they are the lowest ranking and haven’t got anyone to be responsible for.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Answer to question is YEP! Always in the muddiest part of the field they can find.

Especially if you have a grey and/or a coloured with lots of white on it.

And especially so if you need/want them to be clean the next day..........

Give me strength!

 

[Shilasdair]

Either my two lie down in the field, or someone collects mud and throws it at them.

 

[exracehorse]

Mine generally have a lie down about 11am when the suns just warm enough and they’ve had their breakfast.

Yep. Mine ALL have a little nap about lunch time.

 

[Mule]

Mine do

 

[Lady Jane]

So long as they down and have some proper sleep it doesn't matter when they do it. I think horse only need 40 mins of deep sleep per day but that's from memory and I could have the numbers wrong

 

[J&S]

My two lie down in the field at night, I can tell from their coats or rug, also from the marks on the ground.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Yes, but one would generally stay up like the guard on duty!