5 Answers

Horses are pretty heavy to lay down for a long period of time, also there slow and cumbersome in getting up, If they had to get up quickly to get away from something they just couldn't do it.

13 years ago. Rating: 2
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JDB got this most right.

It is true that horses CAN sleep standing up, but to really sleep deeply a horse actually does need to lay down.

In the wild, horses are prey animals. Horses sleep standing up because if a predator was to attack a herd of horses, the horses would lose precious escape time scrambling to their feet. A horse off it's feet is more vulnerable to attack. A horse's legs can lock in place, enabling them to fall asleep without falling over.

But horses do lay down on their sides to sleep for periods of time, usually at night. In horse herds, even domesticated herds, one horse almost always remains standing while the others lay down and sleep, and this position is alternated through the night.

13 years ago. Rating: 1
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There are no beds any big enough for a horse?

13 years ago. Rating: 1
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cause their afraid of night "mares"

13 years ago. Rating: 0
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horses have big lungs and rib cages; if down to long they will actually smother to death. -stormie-

13 years ago. Rating: 0
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