March 21, 2025: Bonus Buzz - Do Horses Sleep Standing Up?

It’s true—horses can sleep standing up, but there’s more to it!

Horses get about 3–5 hours of total sleep a day, mostly in short naps. Thanks to a special system in their legs called the stay apparatus, they can rest while standing without falling over. This is perfect for animals that need to stay alert in the wild.

But for deep REM sleep—the kind where dreams happen—horses must lie down. This only lasts about 30–90 minutes per day, and they usually won’t do it unless they feel completely safe and relaxed. That’s why a calm, comfy environment is so important.

Too little REM sleep can even lead to sleep deprivation—yes, horses can get cranky and tired just like us!

Fun facts:

Horses can sleep with one side of their brain while the other stays alert!

Foals nap lying down much more—up to 12 hours a day!

Horses in herds often take turns lying down, so someone is always “on watch.”

Bee’s Sleep Habits: She’ll doze standing up next to Sinjari, but when she feels safe, she’ll stretch out flat and snooze hard—sometimes with a twitchy leg or a big sigh that says, “I’m dreaming of carrots.”

So yes, horses sleep standing up... but only part of the time. Now you know!

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Bee catching some Zzzz’s.