"There is no fundamental difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness and misery." ~ Charles Darwin
Too much laying down or too little laying down to rest are both not so good. But how much is too much...or too little 'rest' for your horse/s? Observation and knowing your horse helps to answer both questions.
First of all, healthy adult horses don't rest laying down much, compared to us humans, although it is all a part of normal sleep patterns and perfectly normal. Horses need to lay down to sleep deeply. If you have what you think is a healthy, mature horse who seems to be laying down or laying flat out a lot, then check it out. But learn your horse's sleep patterns first. Young horses who are still growing and older horses who might be a bit stiff and sore will spend more time resting laying down/flat out on their sides than others. And that's okay. Older, stiffer horses, however, may actually spend less time lying down, and that's not so good. Pain relief and/or bodywork might help.
As SonoVet Equine Sports Therapies notes from studies done; "Horses can not enter the REM (rapid eye movement) phase without lying down to sleep. This is due to the muscle tension being reduced to an absolute minimum during REM – this is the difference between a nap (which horses can easily do standing up) and deep sleep with REM phases.
Although horses are able to sleep whilst standing, in order recover and relax physically and mentally they have to lie down every now and then. Healthy horses (should) sleep about 3-5 hours each night of which about 1-3 hours are spent lying down."
Horses paddocked on their own are often 'activated'/alert more of the time and they will actually sleep/rest laying down less. Even if they appear relaxed, single horses don't feel as safe, so they won't give up their feet as much. Again, normal behaviour for that situation. Sometimes when a paddock mate is introduced and the horses get on well, suddenly one of them will lay down and appear to rest a lot, for days. This is a good thing because they feel safe. Someone is watching over them. They are just catching up on their sleep! Remember, horses need to lay down to relax and the result of not getting proper rest and sleep can be stumbling, lack of balance or concentration, health issues, etc. Just as it is with humans.
In wild or stormy weather (like we experience here every winter), often the next day or when the stormy weather passes, you will see a number of horses laying down resting. Again, this is because during heavy rains and wind, even if they have shelter, horses remain 'activated' and alert more of the time because it's a survival thing. They are keeping an eye out or constantly moving to more sheltered parts of the paddock or to shelter if they prefer that. Once it's over, they need to rest for a day or two to recover.
Make sure they have access to decent grazing that is not water-logged and mushy, after bad weather. Make sure hay hasn't gone mouldy or slick. Good dry hay will be much appreciated I'm sure. Floods are a whole separate issue and flood-damaged pasture should be avoided if possible, due to the possibility of foreign chemicals or rubbish having been carried into your horse's area. Too much sand or mud on flooded feed can also cause colic.
If you have a horse that is laying down more in wet or cold weather, there could be several reasons apart from the usual illnesses/colic/etc...consider that the horse is simply tired from enduring bad weather and does need to rest. Consider that the horse may be an older animal who is arthritic or has joint soreness. This is made worse by the cold/wind chill, so laying down is more comfortable and probably warmer. Consider that the horse may be cold and simply getting warmer by being lower to the ground, out of the wind. (Consider a shelter if they don't have one and might use one.) Consider that the horse may have slipped or fallen in the paddock with it being wet and slippery, and may be harbouring a soft tissue injury you cannot see. Consider that in wet areas, horses' hooves grow faster. If their hooves/heels are too long or high, it can compromise their stance or movement and again, make them sore, so they lay down more often. (Laminitis can also cause this but may cause them to maintain an unnatural stance standing and they won't move about as much, which can be just as detrimental.)
ALWAYS check your horses as soon as possible after windy or wet weather. A close up check. Wind can fling sticks about and eye injuries can occur. Always check under rugs. Damp or humidity can cause fungal sores. Legs should be checked. Damaged rugs can also cause chills if they get too wet underneath. If the horse has been stabled, make sure they haven't been frightened by thunder or rain and kicked out. We once had to help out with a big horse who had been stabled alone during a storm and had effectively destroyed the solid wooden stall he was in, kicking repeatedly until one wall came down. The building was a mess and the poor horse was a mess. Horses, like humans, can easily be traumatised by inclement weather if you don't take precautions like regular checks and providing them with company, or allowing them room to run without injuring themselves.
Sadly, sometimes lightning can cause flash blindness. Horses panic and run, blind, into trees, killing or seriously injuring themselves. This happens every year around the world but honestly, there is little that can be done to prevent this sort of freak accident. Even stabling when there's lightning can result in the above mentioned stall damage and horse injury. You can only do the best you can do.
Some horses - like ours - do not seek or even want shelter during storms. They prefer to be out in the paddock where they can see. They simply find (in our undulating terrain), the most sheltered open hollow they can, turn their butts to the weather, and wait it out.
But summing up...horses need to move. It is vital for their gut function and circulation. Horses also need to sleep and rest, but laying down for more than a few hours at a time can compromise their health. If your horse is 'resting' more than this, or not resting/sleeping enough, and you don't have an easy explanation (like an older or younger or tired/recovering horse/change of environment/illness/soreness/stress, etc.), maybe look a bit closer and see what you can find. Or get a vet check done. Or find a good bodyworker. Because your horse's health is important, and if you are a rider, it is also your health and safety you are ensuring.
All photos (c) KA Waddington
