Why doesn't he lie down?

[louise1989]

My 16.2hh TBx never seems to lie down! I know this is maybe a strange question but is this normal? I have had him for about 7 months and have never seen him lie down!

 

[Guinness]

He probably does it when youre not there! Horses only sleep lying down for a few hours a day (between 2-4) the rest of the time they sleep standing up. My horse is special because he sleeps laying down ALL the time!

 

[RhiannonE]

Are you sure he doesn't lie down? My ISH that I used to have was quite nervous so he wouldn't lie down (or so I thought) but some mornings I would find his mane and tail covered in shavings and then one night a friend's horse had colic and she said that before they starting making a load of noise they saw Bailey lying down!
I did read that horses have to lie down every so often otherwise they don't get proper rest - not sure how true that is though!!!!

 

[ruscara]

Just because you don't see him, doesn't mean he doesn't lie down. I rarely see my horse actually lying down, but if he's in at night, in the mornings there will be straw and poo on his sides/rug; or he will be damp or muddy if he's lain down in the field.
Look for 'signs', and I expect you will see some.
If he really doesn't lie down at all, there will be some reason, because horses need to lie down to sleep in order to dream, and they certainly need to dream periodically.
Has he any physical problems? One reason for a horse never lying down, is because they cannot get up again, or fear they won't be able to.
But I think it's unlikely that he never lies down - you just don't see him!

 

[kellyeaton]

i have had my boy 8 years and i have not seen him lie down ever!

 

[salee]

i would tend to agree with the other posters, a lot of horses will not be happy being seen lying down, but do it when no-one is around, some are OK, and some would if they could almost sit on their owners knee & fall asleep like a pet pup.

a horse will only lie down if it feels relaxed,

if it feels any sort of worry it won't lie down, the commonest reasons are pain, fear, memory of either,
what i mean is, if a horse has had a fright while lying down, could be something stupid like a car back fire say, or lay down and it hurt for some reason, then they may be nervous of lying down again for a bit which could a suppose become a habit?
the number 1 reason is they feel vulnerable, they are at high risk in the wild if they lie down, so if they can't feel safe they won't do it,

my Breton Gerry at 18 mths old came from a bad place, it was months before he would lie down and then it was because my old mare had by then moved in with them and she was standing guard over him like he was a foal.
she does it to the other Breton also, she is the big mamma now.
bye

 

[Hippona]

2 of mine lie down often...I have seen them in the stables and in the fields...in fact when in the field they don't even bother getting up, they are happy for me to sit next to them and feed them mints..... the lazy gits.

The other one I have seen out in the field, but never in the stable.....but I know he does because his tail has shavings in on a morning, and once my firend saw him, took a piccie on her phone and txt me it.....its the only pic I have of him lying down, bless.

 

[Donkeymad]

He most probably lies down when you are not around.

 

[gw171093]

wel i know sum1 whose horse never lay down, it had some treatment and was found to be really sore, he had also never rolled! As soon as he had finished the treament and was turnewd out he rolled and has never looked back in 2 yrs! So it may be pain related!

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

As the others have said he probably does but just not when you are around. I live at the yard so am lucky enough to see the horses at all sorts of times that most owners don't - all of the horse here sleep lying down at some point - usually between 9 -11 in the morning after brekkie and the sun is getting warm. Is also the quietest time on the yard - anyone who comes in the morning has gone and generally no one else until early afternoon. It is not uncommon for all the horses here to be lying down at the same time - with no one standing guard!! But we are lucky here in the middle of no where in the peace and quiet. One of the liveries has had her horse for nearly 20 years and had never seen her lying down until relatively recently - she has been off with a baby so is coming to the yard at different times.

 

[Chico Mio]

In three years I have only ever seen my lad lying down on three occasions., once he had broken into the straw barn at the RS (before I owned him) and was sleeping off his ill gotten feast, the second time he had colic and was looking very sorry for himself and the third time was this year when he lay out sparko in the field in the sun and I had kittens cos I thought he was dead! He does lie down though, he has bed all over him in the mornings and sometimes I hear him getting up, I just never see him.

 

[3BayGeldings]

Count yourself lucky - the number of times ive walked into my horse's stable and thought he was dead, when really he's just sleeping!

(QR)

 

[Vixxy]

My grey and Strawberry Roan fequently lies down in the field but my Bay mare has not done this since I imported her a year ago, I can see the field from house and suffer from insomnia so I often check them out of the window or stroll down to see them in the wee hours.

I have always wondered why she doesnt, obviously the others feel relaxed enough to do it, I know she lies down in stable as I can see shavings on her mane tail and rugs.

It kinda makes me sad if she isnt relaxed enough, I live in sleepy hollows lol and they have nice turnout and the top field is well drained, I cant imagine why she just stands when the other two lie down.

 

[louise1989]

thanks everyone! i know it isn't a pain thing because he rolls all the time especially just after he's had a good brush and is looking lovely (he's a grey who wants to be black i think)
But neway he must lie down at some point i dont think i'll worry about it!!