I found this in the October/November '95 issue of Horse Power and I thought I would share it with you. So here it is:
Have you ever caught a glimspe of your horse snoozing and wondered if and what he dreams? Many horse lovers have pondered the same questions. Perhaps racehorses dream of getting their nose right out there in the front of the pack, gobbling up the turf in long, swift strides. Jumpers may dream of clearing fences effortlessly. Maybe out own backyard horses dream of us, bringing them barrels of apples and carrots and sugar cubes....
Although no one knows for certain, it is likely that horses, like people, dream during deep sleep. Besides dozing, horses experience two kinds of sleep: S-W-S (short-wave sleep) and R-E-M (rapid eye movement). Studies reveal that the difference between the two is the frequency of the brain waves.
S-W-S occurs when the horse undergoes a shallow sleep and the brain remains fairly active. During S-W-S, the horse sleeps in the standing position and can be easily awakened.
Although S-W-S is important to the horse's survival instincts, it is vital that a horse experience R-E-M (deep sleep). During this period of sleep, the eyes move rapidly back and forth beneath the eyelids. Complete rest and relaxation is gained through R-E-M, during which the horse must lie flat on its side.
Lying flat in the ground whould obviously endanger equines to wild animals, as it would require precious seconds for the horse to get to his feet and make a clean get-away.
That is why the horse was created with a "built-in" prop--- so he could sleep standing up and escape danger quickly. How is this acieved? Horses have "locking" joints and ligaments in their elbows and stifles which can prop the horse in a safe and balanced sleeping position. When the horse is alerted to danger, he can be off and running within seconds.
Although horses need only about four hours of sleep each day, some of that must be deep, refreshing R-E-M sleep. R-E-M deprived horses may become overly tired and exhausted, short-tempered, or even neurotic.
Make sure your horse has a large enough stall to allow room for it to lie down flat, whith room to spare. If the horse does not have enough space to move around or to rise from its deep-sleep position, it may become trapped against the stall walls (cast). Horses may even fear getting cast and refuse to lie down at all, depriving them of the rest they need. It is essential to give your horse dry, clean, and soft bedding to encourage R-E-M rest, even if they live outside in a run-in shed. Horses prefer this to any futon or water-bed; because, after all, a comfortable nest of straw or shavings is the coziest place for sweet dreams!
