Any information related to horses arouses genuine interest in a person. This is due, firstly, to the history of people’s use of these animals. Yes, these include wars, agricultural work, and entertainment. Secondly, their beauty, grace and place in occult symbolism. Thirdly, the power of charm of representatives of the Equidae (horse) family in some cases exceeds that of women.
A popular question regarding horses is their state during sleep. Rarely has anyone seen these animals lying down. The expression “the horse has fallen” is associated with ignorance of the behavior of horses. Therefore, the literaryly gifted public may believe that animals lie down only when they feel very bad. And the lack of understanding of how one can live without sleep gives rise to a secondary myth about the fact that these equids do not lie down at all. What should I do? And which of this is true?
Nap on legs
Anyone who had the opportunity to observe the graceful animals at least a little could see a standing horse in a sleeping state.
The animal's eyelids were closed, the lower back was arched, and the legs were steadily positioned parallel to each other. The head and tail are relaxed, as are the ears. The question naturally arises: do horses really sleep like that? In fact, in such a state the horse is dozing, that is, the brain and muscles do not completely relax and are ready for action at any moment. This behavior has developed at the genetic level since the times when wild herds were constantly threatened by predators.
Animal sleep
frogs
Like snails, frogs hibernate for a long time - this is their main sleep strategy. Frogs that hibernate in the summer are found primarily in Africa and South America. In dry times, they burrow into the soil and, using several layers of skin, form a kind of cocoon, leaving only their nose open for breathing.
When the rains start again, they get rid of the cocoon and come to the surface. Some aquatic frogs overwinter underwater on muddy bottoms and are partially buried in the mud. They don't do it all the way like turtles do because they need oxygen and if they burrow all the way they can suffocate.
Terrestrial frogs, such as the tree frog and American toad, overwinter by burrowing into frozen soil or hiding in cracks in logs or rocks.
My interest in animals will probably never fade. This topic has always been and is popular and beloved by many. But it’s a paradox: the more a person learns about the habits and life of animals, the more questions he has. For example, what animals sleep standing up?
How do wild horses sleep?
Horses in nature, in principle, like zebras, prefer to sleep standing up. The ability to sleep in this position is simply vital for them, since at any moment of danger the herd can break loose. The horses in the herd sleep soundly, but only in turns. At this time, the rest of the animals are just dozing. But domestic horses sleep on the ground, as there is no danger.
How do giraffes sleep: standing or on the ground?
The most common myth is that giraffes sleep standing up. And this is the most common misconception. There is an opinion that if a giraffe lies down, it will never be able to get up again because of its long neck. So, I would like to say right away that this is not so. Giraffes, by the way, sleep lying down, and they bend their necks so that their heads can be rested on their hind legs. They prepare for sleep like this: first they fall on their knees, then on their chest, and then on their stomach. An interesting fact is that giraffes spend about twenty seconds on the entire laying down process, but they sleep for only two hours.
How do elephants sleep?
It may seem strange to you, but elephants sleep standing up, but baby elephants sleep lying on their sides. It is very interesting to see when a small elephant lies on the ground, and elephants stand closely around him, protecting him from danger. To maintain balance while sleeping, old elephants place their tusks on tree branches. By the way, scientists are still arguing why elephants sleep standing up. The first claim that they have an instinct of self-preservation in case of danger. The latter say that their instinct to sleep standing up was left over from distant relatives - mammoths, who would simply freeze in cold conditions if they slept lying on the ground. Be that as it may, and no matter how much scientists argue, the fact remains that elephants sleep standing up.
Dream in the world of birds
Many birds sleep standing. For example, birds that live in water: flamingos and herons. For these birds, restful sleep is only possible when the muscles in the leg are tense, which helps them maintain balance. At the same time, birds can periodically press one leg, then the other. This way they give off less of their body heat. And penguins sleep standing up. In severe frosts, they gather in a dense flock and sleep huddled close to each other. And in this case, the instinct of self-preservation operates.
You can see for yourself that in the animal world there are not many representatives who prefer to sleep standing up. And if they do it, then, as a rule, only for very good reasons.
Horse dreams
Sometimes horse breeders pay attention to the fact that their pets hardly sleep in the stall, lying down. This can be seen at a stud farm, when you quietly walk between the stalls or stalls. There the stallions stand with their eyes closed, their ears and eyelashes twitching slightly. This way they relax and doze off. If the stall is dry and spacious so that you can lie down and get up freely, then the animal will feel comfortable.
Horses dream, just like people. If you look at an animal lying down and sleeping, its eyes can move up and down quite strongly. Sometimes the horses even move their legs as if they were running. This is unnoticeable, of course, when we see horses sleeping not in real life, but in photographs, but when you come into contact with these creatures in person, such details immediately attract attention. One can only guess what kind of dreams horses have.
But when a horse is alone in a stable, it feels discomfort from loneliness. It is enough for him to be in the fresh air or in a herd in a pasture surrounded by other horses. This will help improve your animal's sleep.
Elephants are social animals
It has long been noted that elephants are animals that take care of their fellows or pack, in more scientific terms - social animals. Most often, the division into packs of elephants is determined by gender, between adult individuals. The cubs walk with the female elephants until they grow up, then division occurs again.
A flock means a lot to elephants; one might say that for them it is their whole life. Despite the fact that elephants are the largest mammals, individually they are easy prey for various predators and poachers. Due to their impressive size, they are very clumsy, and young individuals are even more unable to fight back in an emergency.
Since ancient times, elephants have been used by humans, not only for hunting for valuable tusks, but also as assistants, circus performers, etc. Due to the rarity of these animals and increased hunting, elephants are listed and carefully protected.
The position in which elephants sleep most often depends on how old they are. Thus, the cubs, who are completely immature and are still learning everything, usually sleep on their sides, while adults sleep in a standing position, gathered in a tight ring around the babies so that nothing threatens them at night. Only after making sure that the whole flock is safe do they fall asleep, like a big and friendly family.
However, elephants never sleep all at once; they always leave sentries (depending on the size of the pack, usually one or two elephants) who monitor the perimeter and can wake everyone up at the slightest danger. To prevent enemies from sneaking up unnoticed in the dark, elephants usually prefer to sleep during the day.
When sleeping, old elephants hug a tree to better maintain their balance or sleep on their sides like young ones. Why exactly standing still remains a mystery to scientists. Most explain this by the desire to avoid various influences from the soil, overheating during the day or cooling at night. There is an opinion that this position is convenient in case of a sudden attack, since the elephant is still a clumsy animal and a slow rise, if something happens, can kill it, and in a standing position, it is always ready to fight back. Some believe that this feature of sleep in elephants comes from their possible ancestors – mammoths. They slept standing up so as not to get cold at night, at high negative temperatures in their habitats. Even the existing fur could not save them from hypothermia.
A brain function such as sleep is inherent not only to Homo sapiens, but also to many animals and birds. As practice shows, the structure of sleep, as well as its physiology, in birds and animals does not differ too much from this state in humans, but can vary depending on the species characteristics of a living creature.
Safety first
Let's figure out why horses sleep standing up. The reason for this vertical nap is the need to maintain safety. The animal does not see protection in enclosures and other protective measures taken by humans. Instinct tells him that at the first danger he must quickly take off and run, hiding, for example, from predators. And in the real world, in the wild, they can appear at any moment.
It is also worth noting that horses are herd animals. It is when they are close to their relatives that they can completely relax. Therefore, they are not always able to sleep in a fenced stall. If there are other individuals nearby , then the animal may well lie down on the ground and fall asleep. Thus, a division of labor occurs in the herd. While some horses are awake, others are sleeping at this time. Then the shift changes.
And the animal can emerge from such a slumber almost instantly. If the horse had slept horizontally, it would have taken some time to get up and wake up completely - and these seconds could have been fatal. This is why it is more profitable for horses to sleep standing up most of the time.
Small Animal Sleep
Small animals usually sleep very lightly and for longer periods of time than large ones. This happens for several reasons: the presence of constant danger around, short life expectancy and fast metabolism. Many of them, by the way, prefer to nap during the day. Among them, for example, are badgers, owls, bats and others.
Marmots have the longest sleep among rodents. They spend almost 70% of their life sleeping, and this can last from 4.5 to 9 months, depending on the weather conditions where they live. Only the dormouse, which is awake only 2-3 hours a day, can compete with the marmot.
Foxes always carefully prepare for sleep, choosing a hole and spinning in it for a long time, and then curling up into a ball and wrapping their tail around themselves. Foxes in pairs always sleep next to each other, gathering in one ball. 7-8 hours are enough for them to sleep.
Squirrels sleep 15 hours a day, taking breaks to eat or take care of animals. But moles - for 2-3 hours several times a day. Dogs also sleep more than others, because they do not have to worry about searching for food.
Birds often sleep, but their sleep is always light, and their eyes are constantly open. Pisces do not sleep at all - they rest, being motionless. There is no deep sleep phase, since after a certain period of time they must jump out of the water to get air. For 5-6 hours, they alternately rest the right and left halves of the brain - this process replaces sleep for them.
Video on the topic
Elephants are one of the largest and smartest animals on the planet. The weight of some individuals reaches 5-7 tons, height 4 m. A massive body, a fairly large head, a powerful trunk, thick legs - the elephant gives the impression of a fat, clumsy animal. However, these animals can move surprisingly quickly and silently. But elephants sleep little, only 2-3 hours a day, and in a rather peculiar way.
Out to pasture
In the wild, you can see herds of horses sleeping with their limbs tucked under them, right in the pasture. It is interesting that the horses take turns guarding while the others are resting. The “duty” mare or stallion lowers itself onto the grass, bending its legs at the joints.
The head is slightly lowered.
The animal seems to be sleeping, but the sleep is not deep, but superficial. The horse reacts to sounds and notices the slightest changes in the environment. When he discovers danger, he will inform the others.
Remember, when free-ranging, ungulates gather in herds and their behavior resembles wild horses. While walking or being in the stall, we see a picture: the stallion lowers his head, bends his neck, relaxes his ears; these exercises help to relax and doze off. Such a short rest helps to quickly restore the strength necessary for life.
If a horse owner wants his animals to at least sometimes rest lying down, he must provide them with peace (absence of external stimuli), a safe (not earthen) underlying surface and the presence of relatives who will “relax” the horse, giving him the opportunity to feel real protection.
From a scientific point of view
Horse sleep is divided into 2 phases: fast and deep. The recovery process during the day in a horse occurs in different positions. Horses fall into deep sleep only when the muscles of the neck and head are relaxed, which becomes possible in a lying position. Speaking about how horses sleep, from a scientific point of view, there are 3 types of animal sleep:
- Half asleep. The horse is in a standing position. In this state, the animal spends the greatest part of its rest, while consciousness does not turn off completely. Annoying insects are brushed away with their tail, and the horse opens its eyes at any suspicious sound.
- Nap. All limbs of the horse are tucked in and located under the body. The horse sleeps with its head on the ground or with its head raised. This type of sleep is also considered superficial. The animal's condition is characterized by muscle relaxation, attention is not dulled. The horse continues to react to irritating environmental factors. You may notice twitching of the ears. In case of alarm, the horse quickly emerges from its dormant state. The animal extends its forelimbs and quickly rises.
- Deep dream. This is a full sound sleep. The horse relaxes completely only when he feels completely safe. At the same time, the animal lies on its side and stretches its limbs. The front legs are sometimes bent.
During the REM sleep phase, the horse’s brain activity does not stop, the muscles are in a state of readiness for action. Unlike domesticated horses, wild animals often sleep on their feet, picking up any sounds during sleep with their acute hearing. The animal recognizes high-frequency sound waves that human hearing cannot detect. For this reason, it is not recommended to approach the horse from behind; in this state, the animal may perceive the movement as danger and strike with its hind hooves.
The ability to sleep on your feet has developed at the genetic level, because wild herds have always had to deal with predators. This explains why horses sleep standing up in the wild.
Domesticated individuals often feel out of danger, allowing themselves to fall into deep sleep in a pasture or stable without fear. Features of the biorhythm allow the animal to constantly restore strength during sleep, sleep standing or lying down if possible. The time of day doesn't matter much.
Horses sleep in their free time, day or night. Pet owners report different behavior at night.
Why does a horse sleep standing up?
On the one hand, this is a typical body position for horses during sleep, but in this way they rather doze off, but do not sleep soundly. Why is this happening? Everything is very simple. When a horse is in an upright position, due to its unique stifle structure, it distributes its entire mass over its four legs and has virtually no sense of where it is standing.
The condition when the horse has a slightly arched back, a slightly lowered head, a tail towards the floor and a slightly drooping lower lip indicates that the horse is in a state of half-asleep.
Animals sleeping standing
In a standing position, in horses and zebras, the weight of the entire body is distributed over four limbs, and the bones and ligaments are naturally locked. As a result, the animal can easily provide itself with complete relaxation even in a standing position. However, the opinion that horses and zebras sleep exclusively in this state is erroneous. The animal, in a standing position, only dozes and rests for some time, and for a full sleep it lies down for about two or three hours a day.
The same habits were preserved in domesticated ungulates, including cows and horses. However, having regained their strength, standing for a short nap, cows and horses still lie down for their main rest. True, the sleep of such animals is not very long, which is due to the peculiarities of the digestive system, as well as the need to assimilate a significant amount of food of plant origin.
Elephants also have a similar adaptation of their limbs, which are capable of dozing for a short time. As a rule, an elephant only needs a couple of hours of daytime to rest while standing. Young animals and female elephants most often sleep with their sides leaning against a fallen tree or other fairly tall and strong object. Morphological features do not allow elephants to lie down, in the literal sense of the word. From the “lying on its side” position, the animal is no longer able to get up on its own.
Company and comfort are the key to a restful sleep
Many horse owners note that they have never seen their horses sleep lying down. This is often due to the fact that the animal does not feel safe and comfortable in the stable or stall. It is important to understand that horses are herd animals, so they feel calmer when surrounded by their relatives or other animals. Therefore, most often you can see horses sleeping in a common pasture. However, not only company, but also comfort affects the rest of horses. It is important that the stable is warm, bright, away from noise, the stalls are clean and dry, with good ventilation.
