Stupid question - I know! But was just wondering .. Also, if you know any additional cool facts about horses, I would love to hear them!!: D
Horses can lock their stifle which makes it impossible for them to fall. Your question wasn't HOW do they stand up, but HOW do they not get tired. They don't get tired because they were made to stand up for the majority of the day. Horses are prey animals. That means that they have to be able to move - and fast - in order to get away from pursuing predators. If a horse is laying down and they need to get up and run because a cougar is after them, it takes them a while to get up. However , if they're already standing up, they just run! Horses do however need deep sleep (REM) which they can only get laying down. So, in a herd, most horses will be down sleeping while one or two are standing up, either partially asleep or awake. This is so because the ones standing up can "stand guard" over the ones laying down. They are the ones that will alert the others that danger is near.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com So, horses were made to sleep standing up. They just simply don't get tired.
And no it's not a stupid question!
Other cool facts:
Horses can't vomit.
The Shetland pony is the strongest horse in relation to its size.
The highest ever jump was a little over 8 feet.
The oldest horse lived to be 62 years old, while the normal age is in the 20s.
Not only does China have the most people, but it also has the most horses.
The Quarter Horse is named so because it was bred to run a quarter mile.
It is believed by some that Secretariat had a genetic mutation which allowed him to run faster than thought possible. They believe unless this mutation happens again, no horse will ever be able to match his speed.
A horse's heart weighs 10 pounds.
If you are allergic to horses but want to ride, get a Curly horse. Their coats are hypoallergenic.
Hippopotamus means "water horse."
Hippology is the study of horses.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to email thehorsesource2@yahoo.com I'll be happy to answer! If you are uncomfortable with emailing, message me through Y! A
A horse is designed to stand for long periods of time as part of the fight or flight mechanism. They lock their legs when they are resting. A horse will unlock his pasterns behind to rest. The sight of a horse with a very bend fetlock behind is an alarming sight to the uninitiated but is actually the sign of a relaxed horse.
They will only lie down to sleep if they feel totally happy and relaxed in their surroundings but they can get up and gallop off pretty quickly if disturbed.
A horse cannot vomit if he or she swallows something disagreeable which is why poisoning and colic are such serious situations. They do not need tit bits or changes of diet and in fact sudden changes are seriously bad for horses.
Horses have incredibly sensitive sense of smell and will not drink water if it smells different or off.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com They can go without food for several days though they may colic but leave a horse without water for even a day and they are seriously ill.
They can lock their legs to sleep. When a horse is comfortable with their surroundings they'll sleep laying down. All of my horses sleep flat on their sides at night. It's fun to go out to the barn at two am and listen to them snore XD. Two of them will sleep out in the pasture (on their sides) on sunny days. They take turns, one stands 'guard' while the other sleeps. Then they switch. I thought something was wrong the first few times I saw Joe sleeping so I ran out there only to have him lift his head, blink at me, put his head back down and nibble grass. Dork.
Cool facts:
1) Secretariat's heart weighed 22 pounds (average is 8.5 lbs). The large heart gene is carried on the dam's side. So if your horse goes back to Secretariat, you want it to be on the dam's side not the stud's.
2) Sham, another race horse had an 18 pound heart.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
3) Secretariat still holds the record at the Belmont race track for winning by 31 lengths and I think still holds the fastest time record.
4) Horses can remember human friends for up to 10 years without having seen them at all in that time. They will remember former herd members/friends for longer.
This is because they are built this way. In the wild they need to be on the look out at all times so they really do need to stand for long! my pony however, sleeps lieing down! don't know why lolz. the vet says he is just lazy at times lol. he is a little darling .
a cool fact is: the oldest horse currently is 72 and he lives in spain. that is pritty amaxing because horses are only exspected to live for around 25/30 years at most!!! x
Well, they are prey animals, so they are constantly on the look-out! It is natural for them to stand for long periods of time. However, if they want REM sleep, they have to lay down.
