It is true that horses are known for being able to sleep standing up but, like all equidae, they also sleep sitting or lying on their side, especially on fresh and clean straw, in which they love to roll.
The reasons why equidae are able to sleep standing up are mainly two, anatomical and neurological : As regards the first aspect, horses, having four legs, maintain their balance with less effort than horses bipeds. In addition, through special ligaments that lock the joints in a certain position, horses are able to lock their legs, further reducing the muscular effort required by standing. This position is therefore comfortable and easy to maintain. Discover now all our trips, tours, holidays and horse trekking. When they lie down, they cannot remain in this position for a long time, because they are too heavy and the mass of the viscera compresses the diaphragm, causing breathing difficulties.
From a neurological point of view, however, the horse is able to maintain control of the four limbs even when sleeping, a skill which, in the wild, allows them to always be ready to flee. Furthermore, the horse never reaches a state of deep sleep, thus never completely losing muscle tone and only entering REM sleep, therefore light.
Fantasia designates the different forms of equestrian events that had origins from the Berbers and dating back to the Numidian knights, still visible today in different regions of North Africa. All forms of Fantasia are grouped and have as their basic subject the Berber or the Arab-Berber horse, which ridden by knights, perform an exercise […]
Savor the silence, enjoy the peace of a snowy landscape, with only the muffled sound of your horse’s hooves accompanying you. For those wishing to spend an ecological and different winter holiday, the Trentino Alto Adige region offers valid alternatives to replace skis with horseshoes, even if only for a day. Wonderful rides in the […]
Premio Turismo responsabile Italiano 2011
