Narcolepsy in horses

[lhopkins_]

My thoroughbred gelding has suspected narcolepsy and likes to fall asleep and try to lay down on the yard, and I'm not going to lie, it terrifies me. I've talked to the vet about it and he says an attack, as I like to call them, can only happen when his brain in inactive, so it will never happen when I'm riding or out competing.
That means it's only likely to happen when he is standing on the yard relaxed, which is also probably the most dangerous place for it to happen. I've already said that I'll make sure that there's someone watching him at all times when he's on the yard, not that I leave him long periods anyway, just when I go to grab something from my tack room or something like that.
Then I started to think of ways to keep his brain active when he's on the yard so it doesn't happen. I was thinking maybe having access to a haynet at all times, we're technically not allowed haynets on the yard but I've figured out a way of tying it up in his stable and he can eat it while he stands on the yard over his stable door. I also thought a salt lick would keep him entertained. Does anyone else have any ideas as to what I could do to keep his brain active? All I want is to keep him safe and I'm scared he'll hurt himself when he tries to lay down.

 

[Sukistokes2]

I know nothing about this but as I am nosy the thing I did was google it and this story came up. It seems to suggest keeping the mind active helps.
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/10050/equine-narcolepsy

So a hay net should be helpful

So would not standing about this long under saddle

 

[Red-1]

As I understand it (not that I know a lot) it is not that they try to lie down to sleep with narcolepsy, more that they drop where they stand as sleep overtakes them.

I read an article recently that suggests at least some cases are where horses do not feel comfortable either physically or mentally to lie down to sleep on a day to day basis.

I would not tie up in this situation, as the horse could hand himself. I would also have a full grid on the stable door so he can't fall with his neck over the door, as the horse I knew with narcolepsy did, and nearly died.

I would also take some time off to watch the horse for an extended period to see if he does get adequate rest, for instance is he being bullied in the field? Or, conversely is he anxious when separated in the stable?

For your immediate problem, I would groom loose in the stable, with the gridded door shut.

 

[lhopkins_]

My problem with that is he's not the biggest fan of his stable. If he is at his end of the yard by himself he will stand fine on the yard but if you put him in his stable he will stress and weave. Of course, if his stable buddy is in I could put him in his stable as he is fine with her there. He only really stresses when he's by himself.

 

[Nudibranch]

Not to worry you but your vet's advice conflicts with that of mine. I had a TB who was diagnosed with it. As Red-1 says it's more of an instant event where they just drop. Mine did it under saddle and she went down with me on board on the yard. That was the last time I rode her. There is no warning. It was lucky neither of us broke anything. As it started becoming more frequent she was pts as the risk of serious injury in the field was too high. It started off as more of a funny turn, with her sagging at the knees but became much more dramatic fairly quickly. No idea what caused it but lack of sleep seems an unlikely cause in true narcolepsy. She was in a small, happy herd and out 24/7 with no bullying. My understanding is it's a neurological issue.

 

[scats]

Im sure Tim Stockdale had a narcoleptic horse at one point- a big grey. Can't for the life of me remember its name. He used to say it was fine when being ridden, but when inactive it would drop.

 

[lhopkins_]

Im sure Tim Stockdale had a narcoleptic horse at one point- a big grey. Can't for the life of me remember its name. He used to say it was fine when being ridden, but when inactive it would drop.

Same with me, he doesn't always do it when inactive though. He's fine in the field and stable but it's the minute he's standing in the sun on the yard, relaxed, he'll doze off and then drop.

 

[ycbm]

Im sure Tim Stockdale had a narcoleptic horse at one point- a big grey. Can't for the life of me remember its name. He used to say it was fine when being ridden, but when inactive it would drop.

I met it. He told me not to stand anywhere near it, it was very dangerous when stood still. But it was a great show jumper.

 

[scats]

I met it. He told me not to stand anywhere near it, it was very dangerous when stood still. But it was a great show jumper.

Was it a mare? I can't remember it's name at all. I remember it was an amazing jumper though.

 

[crabbymare]

the horse that tim stockdale had I think was called cloudy night. it is a dangerous condition and does need people to be very aware of the horse especially if it is somewhere someone may do something like walk past too close without thinking

 

[spottybotty]

My problem with that is he's not the biggest fan of his stable. If he is at his end of the yard by himself he will stand fine on the yard but if you put him in his stable he will stress and weave. Of course, if his stable buddy is in I could put him in his stable as he is fine with her there. He only really stresses when he's by himself.

Mine was a box walker and a stress head in the stable! He just would not lie down in the stable at all at night which meant he did not get enough sleep so if you tied him up out side to tack up he would have abnormal REM sleep episodes and would collapse if he was left to long. I tried everything including moving yards! He had an enormous big bed to encourage him to lay down at night, a stable mirror ,supplements, extra turnout, night time turnout etc.

 

[Cobbytype]

My problem with that is he's not the biggest fan of his stable. If he is at his end of the yard by himself he will stand fine on the yard but if you put him in his stable he will stress and weave. Of course, if his stable buddy is in I could put him in his stable as he is fine with her there. He only really stresses when he's by himself.

I think there are different types of this disorder. The warmblood in the field next to me sounds similar to your horse - she seems to lack sleep as she won't lie down voluntarily and won't be stabled. If she is stood quietly on the yard and relaxed you can see her body move back and her front legs splay forwards and she bumps her chin on the ground. On occasions she has fallen over on the yard and her owner put rubber matting in the mare's favourite standing spot to try and minimise injury. The mare's disorder seemed to manifest when she spent a period of time on her own and I think she became too frightened to sleep. Although she has company now, the problem persists and she's generally a stressy kind of horse.

I think for the type of sleep disorder I've described (not the type of narcolepsy mentioned with Tim Stockdale's horse) the key is to find a solution whereby the horse feels calm and safe enough to rest adequately. I've always thought that the warmblood would be best suited on a yard with a set routine where there are certain times of day when all is quiet and all the horses rest at the same time with no comings and goings. Easier said than done on a livery yard with lots of activity.

 

[lhopkins_]

I think there are different types of this disorder. The warmblood in the field next to me sounds similar to your horse - she seems to lack sleep as she won't lie down voluntarily and won't be stabled. If she is stood quietly on the yard and relaxed you can see her body move back and her front legs splay forwards and she bumps her chin on the ground. On occasions she has fallen over on the yard and her owner put rubber matting in the mare's favourite standing spot to try and minimise injury. The mare's disorder seemed to manifest when she spent a period of time on her own and I think she became too frightened to sleep. Although she has company now, the problem persists and she's generally a stressy kind of horse.

I think for the type of sleep disorder I've described (not the type of narcolepsy mentioned with Tim Stockdale's horse) the key is to find a solution whereby the horse feels calm and safe enough to rest adequately. I've always thought that the warmblood would be best suited on a yard with a set routine where there are certain times of day when all is quiet and all the horses rest at the same time with no comings and goings. Easier said than done on a livery yard with lots of activity.

This actually makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

 

[Frumpoon]

Narcolepsy, cataplexy and sleep deprivation can all present quite similarly but have very different origins

 

[Cobbytype]

This actually makes a lot of sense! Thank you!

You're welcome

Just wonder if your TB has come from a racing environment where there's the early morning work and activity routine, followed by snoozums in the afternoons when the yard staff grab a few hours rest. Maybe his brain is attuned to that sort of routine? Perhaps you will notice a pattern of alertness and sleepiness at differing times of day? Hope you find a solution; it's an unpleasant disorder.

 

[lhopkins_]

You're welcome

Just wonder if your TB has come from a racing environment where there's the early morning work and activity routine, followed by snoozums in the afternoons when the yard staff grab a few hours rest. Maybe his brain is attuned to that sort of routine? Perhaps you will notice a pattern of alertness and sleepiness at differing times of day? Hope you find a solution; it's an unpleasant disorder.

I'm pretty sure he didn't come from a racing background as he is a thoroughbred cross and seems too small to be a racehorse, only being 15hh. There's not much known about his past, only that he was at the yard I bought him from (I bought him a year ago) for 7 years. Thank you though, the vets coming out for vaccinations next week and I'm going to get the vet to check everything just so I can rule everything else out.

 

[Illusion100]

Narcolepsy usually has a trigger that causes an episode, in your horses case it appears to be standing quietly on the yard. So the bottom line advice is don't put him in that situation where possible, as preventing the trigger is key.

Keeping him stimulated, or attempting to, might not be a solution as just like ourselves, when there isn't something to be a strong focus of our attention we 'switch off' sometimes whether we want to or not.

If you know the trigger it's best to avoid that scenario as the condition is too dangerous to take chances with. I'm sorry you are having to deal with this, best of luck and I hope you find a way to safely manage things.

 

[Wimbles]

One of my thoroughbreds suffers with sleep deprivation which manifests itself in the kind of scenario that you describe. He spent a lot of time cross tied in racing and when he is tied up he leans back against the rope and sometimes will drop his front end completely to the ground. He also does it in the field on warm sunny days. He hates being stabled and is always the bottom of the pecking order in the field so rarely gets adequate rest.

He's never done this ridden (although I was careful to keep his attention in the line-up of a huge class on a sunny day at Royal Windsor!) in the 9 years we have been together and it doesn't cause us many problems. He wears upturned over-reach boots to protect his pasterns when he goes down.