Horses don’t actually sleep standing up, but they doze a lot in that position. Try that without falling over! But a horse can easily due to something you don’t have.
But how can a horse snooze while standing? Horses have a unique anatomical mechanism in their hind legs called the stay apparatus. This allows a horse’s knee cap to pop out of place and lock the hind limb in a standing position. Although it sounds painful, in horses, it’s no problem at all. When dozing while standing, this stay apparatus will lock in place in only one hind leg; the other hind limb will be relaxed. Often, the horse appears to be leaning on one hip. The Spruce Pets
When a horse is in that position, we say it’s hip shot.
Sometimes, though, you just have to take a rest, even in the middle of the corral.
The three hours or so of deep sleep a horse needs may come in small amounts during the night. As a prey animal, a horse can’t afford to be deeply asleep too long but evidently this one felt safe enough to relax! 🙂
Hmmmm. For some reason I’m starting to feel as though I need a nap. And by the way, welcome to September!!
This, that and the other thing 
Now there’s a fascinating fact to add to my Tuesday! I shall have to throw it into the conversation to impress my lovely horsey friend next time I see her 🙂 🙂
I found it interesting too.
It’s always fun to see horses this relaxed.
janet
Handsome and creative friends you have there. 🙂
When they lie down, they look so dead. 🙂
Yes, and then I’d always wonder if they could get back up. 🙂
An interesting fact that I did not know about horses. Yes, I just got up, but this makes me want to take a nap. Ha September 1 popped on my computer scene to remind me – another month has appeared. There is no schedule during this pandemic and time just drifts away.
Time is definitely different right now, especially for me. Most of my “schedule” is doing things for my parents, such as groceries. Garbage pickup is one of the only things on the schedule I can think of. 🙂
Glad you are helping your parents. As for old me and my husband we are off to Wal Mart for our early morning every 2nd week grocery run. My daughter is busy taking care of her mother-in-law.
Thanks for the information. I never knew that. I needed a stay apparatus to keep my head up in staff meetings.
That would have been handy, Dan.
Hi Janet: how are you doing? Sorry I haven’t been by for awhile. I have been taking a bit of a break from blogging. Hoping to relaunch it maybe next year with more content. Life is good here. My kids start a hybrid school soon which will be different as we have all pretty much been in the house together every day for the past seven months! Hope you are enjoying Arizona.
Thank you for teaching me something new today, on the first day of our spring season, Janet!
Happy spring! Our seasons in many are more like the southern hemisphere I think than the rest of the country. Fall will be a cooler time, a time when gardens can be planted without drying up. Winter will be cooler still but quite nice most of the time and then spring will be like fall in that it leads into the least desirable season (although I enjoyed winter with cold and snow.) Very different.
I’m sure by now you are itching to start planting your new garden, Janet?
Yes, even though it will be a small garden. Our house has two small raised beds, so I want to plant some herbs and veggies. But it will be at least a month yet until it’s cool enough.
Counting the days!
Yes indeed.
I have rarely seen a horse lying down. I always thought maybe that meant they were sick or giving birth. Learning is growing!
I didn’t realize that they didn’t actually have meaningful sleep while standing. Wish I could get by with 3 hours of good sleep! 🙂
janet
I so enjoyed seeing the horses here, Janet, and learning about their ability to lock in place and rest. Your description was wonderful, I liked the wording matched to the photos. By the time I got down to the last photo, I had to smile. That guy was so adorably relaxed.
I didn’t know about the locking in place either, Jet. When horses lie down, they almost look as if they’re dead, but now I’ll know they’re having real sleep. 🙂 Wouldn’t it be useful to only need 3-4 hours of good sleep?
Those are lovely horses. I’ve wondered how they can stand up and doze and not fall down! Thanks for sharing that information.
It was new to me, too, Deborah. I thought they mostly slept standing up.
I didn’t know this about the sleep habits of horses. I adore that horse in the last photo. Somehow he is the perfect example of how I’ve felt this whole year.
🙂 I wish I could go to sleep like that, but that would be more like my husband. Where has the year gone? I certainly didn’t sleep through it, as it’s been quite eventful for us with the move added onto everything else, but here it is already September. Yikes!
That was so interesting Janet!
I found out something new while writing it, so that was even more fun. 😉
That is great!
That is vey interesting! Thanks Janet! Love those horse pics!
My pleasure, Resa. Hope your week’s going well so far. How’s the taking-a-break going?
… busy! Lol! Really busy!
But you are taking a break from gowns right now, right?
Yes! I’m drawing. So much fun! Thank you!
Good! Enjoy!
Those horses are definitely putting me in the mind to nap! Happy September!
Same to you, JT. The year has flown by despite being at home most of the time. How does that work?
Lovely photos and interesting information Janet. I’m with Dan on the stay apparatus thing!!
It would be useful, wouldn’t it? 😊😴
This was a really interesting read, Janet. Horses are among my favourite animals, just after donkeys. Do they change legs that they lock the following night or is it always the same leg that is locked. Having knee cartilage problem I’m compelled to inquire.
I’m not positive, having never observed them overnight, but they can switch hips, although maybe each horse has a favorite hip to cock, just as we tend to favor one side or another. Glad you enjoyed the post. 🙂
We live near a lot of horse farms, so we get to see lots of random horse behavior. My boys get a kick out of seeing them. I have thought one was sick when laying down before.
A horse that’s lying down could be sick but more likely just sleeping. Horses have a lot of random behavior to enjoy. 🙂
janet
thanks for the info – nice to know about hip shot – and horses are such beautiful animals –
and thanks for the welcome to September – it feels like it snuck in
I always wondered about horses sleeping and napping. Thanks for the info.
My pleasure, Geri. I didn’t know it either. Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment as well.
janet