my friend and i were arguing this whos right,..,??
2007-01-06 15:59:57 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Can & do.
But they do lay down to sleep also....
2007-01-06 16:07:06 · answer #1 · answered by More Lies & More Smoke Screens 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You won't be happy with me, but you are both right. Here's why:
Horses can sleep standing up. Its an evolutionary advantage since it can take a few seconds to get up and get running if they sleep lying down. When there is a mountain lion after a horse, speed counts! However horses cannot go into deep sleep standing up, they can only 'nap'. If they go into deep sleep (REM), they won't be able to keep their legs locked and will fall.
This is why a horses that feels safe in his herd will lie down to sleep. But a sleeping horse is more vulnerable, which is why some horses always remain on 'guard" duty. They get much better sleep lying down, but only if they feel absolutely safe and not for a long time.
Also, horses don't sleep for long stretches of time, and they only sleep about 4 hours out of 24.
2007-01-07 00:14:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes horses do sleep standing up and on occasion will lay down but usually they stand and sleep
2007-01-07 03:24:00 · answer #3 · answered by kvn_klng 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yeah, like everyone else said, horses can sleep standing or laying down. I just wanted to add one thing: I was watching animal cops on TV and there was this horse that got stuck in a lake when it was really cold outside. They finally got him out, but his legs were numb so he was forced to lay down.
They were frantically trying to get the horse to stand up, and they said that the way he was laying the blood would stop flowing through his leg and he might lose it. So I guess it depends on how a horse lays and they can't stay laying for long periods of time. I guess...Lol
2007-01-07 00:29:15 · answer #4 · answered by Beena W 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Yes it is true that the horses do sleep standing but they are not allways standing as they do roll in the ground to get the mites off them & they do have a rest by laying on the ground during the day ,but not of a night as if they are down they cant get away from any preditors etc.
2007-01-07 00:12:29 · answer #5 · answered by AussieQueer 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Yes! They can. I have many horses and they REALLY do sleep standing-up.
Horses have a locking system is there knees to allow them to do this.
2007-01-07 01:57:15 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Actually, horses can sleep standing up AND they can sleep laying down...
Its cows that have the reputation for sleeping standing up, thus, you can go tow tipping by knocking a sleeping cow down a hill...
2007-01-07 00:07:58 · answer #7 · answered by purelce 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes they do-most prey animals sleep standing up
2007-01-07 10:02:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
well heres a solution go to a barn and be very quite and see... they generally sleep standing well i don't watch horses sleep so i could be wrong but they also sleep lyling down... simple you both win!!!!!!!!!!1
2007-01-07 07:37:39 · answer #9 · answered by noonoo 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes and no.OK the yes part is they do take short little cat naps if you will,but are still aware of whats going on around them,and the no part is for a real sleep they do lie down.I'm a trainer,and owner of well over 30 yrs.good question.
2007-01-07 02:44:16 · answer #10 · answered by onlymine 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Actually horses exert more energy sitting down than standing up, concluding that most of the time, horses sleep while standing up.
2007-01-07 00:10:35 · answer #11 · answered by tintanboi 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋