Horses sleeping

[LadyGascoyne]

I couldn’t take a photo because I was too far away and didn’t want to disturb them, but my mares were sleeping next to each other this morning. Mim effectively had her head on Milagra’s rump. Usually one sleeps and the other guards but they appear to be sleeping next to each other more often.

I wonder what has motivated the change?

Does anyone know anything about equine sleeping habits? I’d like to think they are both very secure so are happy without one of them on watch but that could be wishful thinking!

It’s almost foal-like, so I wondered if it could be something about their relationship changing and then wondered what that change might be related to.

Mim is always curled up, sleeping. It’s new for Milagra to be down too.

Mim is very happy to be approached when she’s lying down too. This was last week.

 

[SpotsandBays]

I went out to the horses last summer and they were all flat out in the sun one morning. Haven’t seen them all laying down like that before, so I figured they’d been partying in the field the previous night!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I went out to the horses last summer and they were all flat out in the sun one morning. Haven’t seen them all laying down like that before, so I figured they’d been partying in the field the previous night!

Ah, maybe it’s related to the track system I’ve put up for spring/ summer and the fact that Mimosa likes to see it as a race track not a grazing track. Perhaps we have night races ?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

When I first had the horses at home I had Arabi with my mare Grace here, they would lay side by side directly outside our bedroom window in the early hours so cute, I have never seen him lay down with Louis together though and I don't see them lay down separately that much.

When they do come in Louis will lay flat out snoring for ages though!

 

[catkin]

I went out to the horses last summer and they were all flat out in the sun one morning. Haven’t seen them all laying down like that before, so I figured they’d been partying in the field the previous night![/QUOTE

Many many years ago our three horses got (a then very novice-y) hubby really worried - they were all laid flat out in the sun.He thought they were ill, or worse!!! We laugh now but poor chap was so worried at the time.

Ours sometimes both lie down at the same time - and they are in no hurry to get up either. It has always struck me that they would only do that somewhere they feel very comfortable.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

We usually have "one up one down" but if it's a lovely warm, calm morning, then sometimes the one "on guard" clocks off early for a nap as well ?

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Ps I also hate to disturb mine when they're asleep! I usually back away quietly and come back later to do whatever I needed to do (usually shovelling their own shit ???)

 

[PapaverFollis]

My lot would be useless in the wild. They are often all flat out at once. They don't snuggle with each other though. Usually they are laid out in an evenly spaced triangle.

It's a good job we don't get lions.

 

[scats]

My girls are often flat out asleep together, snoring. I can walk right up on them before either of them wakes. Just as well I’m not a lion really...

 

[spotty_pony]

Ours were fast asleep at 7.30 this morning in the field. ?

 

[Lois Lame]

Was it a particularly sunny morning and too hard to pass up?

 

[J&S]

My two lie down at the same time too. Native companion is more likely to be flat out and coloured mare just sitting.
I feel they are just taking advantage of a wind free spot to rest their legs!

 

[humblepie]

I went to a behaviour talk couple of years back and that was interesting about the sleeping/on duty etc habits though I can't remember much of it! There had been some research been done about sleeping habits in stables and one bit was quite interesting in particular was that some horses preferred different bedding and that could affect how well they slept. Quite interesting since at home horse is on straw but if stay away competing he is on shavings so wonder if that affects his sleep pattern as well as being away from home, show ground noises, etc.

 

[julesjoy]

Ive never noticed all of mine laying down at once, and I have a few, always one of guard. It does amuse me when the one on guard is a miniature though, so it's head is barely higher for observation than the bigger horses' bodies and wouldn't be much practical use.

 

[Annagain]

I worry about the two oldies at the moment as they've gone on their holidays on their own as Monty needs very quiet turnout for his supensory injury and 7 acres and 6 horses, two of whom are very playful, wasn't suitable for him. They seem very happy but I do worry that they are, or rather Monty is, getting enough sleep. Arch sleeps anywhere, anytime but we've only seen M lie down once in 20 years - at 5.30am when I had an early start for a show. He obviously does lie down to sleep as he's often covered in poo or mud stains but it must only be in the dead of night so I worry that now it's just the two of them, he doesn't feel secure enough for a proper lie down or trusts that Arch will stay awake to guard him. Neither of them is particularly muddy at the moment - I'm not sure if they're not lying down or if it just keeps getting washed off with all the rain!

 

[deb_l222]

This is one of my favourite photos ever taken. Three mares and they always used to rest in a group but in various states of repose!! Sophie (the one stood up in this instance) I guess is technically on guard but lord knows how quickly she would have raised the alarm should a lion have appeared over the hill

Sadly all in heaven now but lovely memories

I used to spend hours just watching my horses in the field interacting with each other. They're fascinating creatures really.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

I worry about the two oldies at the moment as they've gone on their holidays on their own as Monty needs very quiet turnout for his supensory injury and 7 acres and 6 horses, two of whom are very playful, wasn't suitable for him. They seem very happy but I do worry that they are, or rather Monty is, getting enough sleep. Arch sleeps anywhere, anytime but we've only seen M lie down once in 20 years - at 5.30am when I had an early start for a show. He obviously does lie down to sleep as he's often covered in poo or mud stains but it must only be in the dead of night so I worry that now it's just the two of them, he doesn't feel secure enough for a proper lie down or trusts that Arch will stay awake to guard him. Neither of them is particularly muddy at the moment - I'm not sure if they're not lying down or if it just keeps getting washed off with all the rain!

I hope they settle Annagain. Milagra didn’t appear to sleep at all when she arrived but clearly was as she did have stains in the morning if she’d been in the stable.

She’s now relaxed enough to sleep during the day too but it’s taken a year.

 

[Annagain]

I hope they settle Annagain. Milagra didn’t appear to sleep at all when she arrived but clearly was as she did have stains in the morning if she’d been in the stable.

She’s now relaxed enough to sleep during the day too but it’s taken a year.

Thanks. They seem pretty settled and don't appear sleep deprived but we've not seen them sleeping yet - I think they're too busy gorging on all the grass! We try to keep visits to a minimum as it's effectively my friend's garden and she's never had animals in it. We don't want to disrupt her too much so 15 minutes twice a day for a quick check over, feet pickout, feed (for supplement purposes) etc is all we're doing so I suppose we wouldn't see them sleeping then. It's hopefully only for a 6-8 weeks until M's sound enough to cope in the field with the others. He's already looking a lot better, resting the bad leg a lot less and moving more confidently.

 

[chaps89]

I took this not long before the coloured was pts, it was a really lovely sight. I rarely saw her lie down, but if she did I could go and sit next to her and she'd lie with her head in my lap, which for a typical no-fuss mare was quite special. On this occasion I sat next to her until the bay one got up and came and bit me on the back ?



The bay has now moved and within a week I'd started spotting him lying down, now he's down snoozing most mornings!

 

[GreyMane]

Lovely photos especially #16.

For some reason made me think of "Whose Line Is It Anyway" in which they used to have a game called "Stand, Sit, Lie".
Oops! nearly spat tea over my keyboard while watching this

My childhood riding instructor once got a worried call from 2 old spinster ladies about her gelding "groaning with colic"; she had sent him for some R&R in their orchard. She arrived to find him flat out, snoring peacefully.

It seemed to me in Holland that the horses and other livestock were much more frequently all lying down at once than they would be here. I wonder if the fact most of their fields were surrounded on 2 or 3 sides by large water filled ditches made them feel safer.