Will not lie down in stable!!

[056775]

I have owned my pony for 23 years. For about the first 10 years he lived out unless the weather was appalling and did well off it

He was then stabled at night most nights over winter for the last 13 years.

During this time he has NEVER lay down in his stable.

People find this bizarre (as do I) but can assure you that my stable rugs do not have a mark and Ive never had a squashed poo in his stable ever.

Stables have always been big, had rubber matting and a deep flax bed to temp him.. I have also used shavings and straw to tempt him to get down and once made him a "nest"!! No avail...

The only time he has ever gone down in a stable was at pony club camp when they were stabled for 5 days and nights with no turn out at this was on night 4....

He is now on box rest and I'm a bit worried about his not getting REM or taking any pressure off his legs. He's happy to roll in hand on our walks but hes not allowed any turn out due to an injury.

Any one else had a horse that wont go down?!

**Of note** hes happy in his stable - not insecure - and as far as I know never had an accident or got cast in stable....

Any comments welcome !

 

[AmyMay]

He'll lie down - don't you worry.

 

[Goldenstar]

I agree with amymay keep a good big bed down and when he needs to he will.

 

[Fransurrey]

I can't remember the exact amount, but it's a surprisingly little amount of REM sleep that horses need, so don't worry. He's obviously getting a bit of shut eye in the field!

Had to smile at the thought of you making a nest, lol!

 

[clydesdale]

how odd i have a horse who is the opposite she will not roll or lay down outside :s i have owned her since she was 6 months old she has been in same field with same horse and always comes in spotless

 

[Quantock-cob]

Clydesdale - my cob rarely lies down outside. His thinking is "why would I lie down and waste time when I could be eating grass"

 

[056775]

I can't remember the exact amount, but it's a surprisingly little amount of REM sleep that horses need, so don't worry. He's obviously getting a bit of shut eye in the field!

Had to smile at the thought of you making a nest, lol!

I think its about 15 mins a day though as I understand - they can go for several days without it....

RE: "The Nest" - a mare about to foal at the British Stud would have prob thought it too deep with banks about 4 ft a bit much!!!

He just pooed on it and caught 40 winks on all fours!!

 

[Antw23uk]

My friend and I moved to a new yard a couple of months ago and she put her big 17.2 into what seemed like a small stable (compared to his last one) and he wouldnt lie down in it. He wasnt lieing down in the field so he was practically falling asleep on his feet to the point he actually fell over a couple of times in the stable

She took the banks away (only small so pointless) and brought the bed forward right up to the front of the door and he lay down that night and she has never looked back

 

[Wagtail]

I wouldn't worry too much. Horses are cross tied for weeks when they have fractures.

 

[056775]

Thanks Guys

Normally very pragmatic with horses but this one is like a child to me!!

OK so think we shall get nice deep bed of shavings/flax up to door and see what he makes of that...

The stable is 14 x 14 and hes a 13.2 in a 5'3" rug so small boy!!

If he doesnt lie down - I am offering him to a fete do to £1 pony rides to compensate me for the extra expense!!

 

[Littlelegs]

My mare is 24 in spring. In 22yrs except for across the field, or rolling in the field, nobody but me, & more recently my daughter, have ever seen her lie down or roll in a stable. Only time I even see her down in her box is early morning, if nobody else is yet around & its quiet enough for her to recognise that its me who is approaching. And she too rarely has squashed poo or a messed up bed, but being a typical grey always digs down to the wet to get nice ground in stains. Daughters pony has a roll virtually straight away every night & will lie down flat out for a kip regardless of what's going on or who's there, but neither her nor her bed show signs of it.

 

[moana]

I assume you have watched him all night every night he has been stabled to know this? Horses easily sleep standing by locking their stifle, and generally only lie down when feeling safe, but I would lay a bet your horse has lain down for short periods.

 

[Darcydoo]

I have the other way darcy is in bed most mornings and most days has an afternoon nap. Always a big darcy shaped dint in her bed.x

 

[HappyHooves]

When my horse's companion left he stopped lying down to sleep in the field. With new companion he is back to lying down whilst the companion stands guard. Maybe its worth trying a mirror in your horse's stable to make him think he is being guarded by another horse?!

 

[cambrica]

Mine all lay down and the youngster looks like Worzel Gummage in the morning .
I used to have a mare though that I never caught lying down and never had stable stains.

 

[tallyho!]

I never used to see my gelding lie down but there was evidence...

My filly will sleep though anything. I can walk in, muck out around her, fill her mangers, etc and she will just carry on sleeping. Then again she is a baby but I have never known anything like it. She once lifted her head when I dropped a fork as if to say "do you mind???!!! I am trying tos sleep" then sighed heavily and plopped her head back into the straw.