Fresh off of Mikki’s post yesterday about riding with fireflies, the August 2008 issue of Equus magazine arrived in the mail yesterday with an interesting article about horse night vision. In “When night falls” on page 17, Christine Barakat explains that horses are capable of seeing just as well in moonlight as they can during the day, allowing them to explore and play all night long. And while we usually assume they sleep at night, horses don’t always sleep when it’s dark like we do. Although Ms. Barakat offers no source for her information, it’s an interesting suggestion. I’ve heard our horses galloping at night and they have large eyes so I guess it makes sense. Even so, I don’t know how much riding I want to do at night. I’m the driver and I can’t see very well in the dark.
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While this may be true, why then do horses seem more nervous and cautious at night, especially when walking on trails and terrain they’re not familiar with?
I can see why horses would gallop and play in their own paddocks at night. They feel comfortable and are familiar with it.
I realize that horses don’t sleep all night long because they tend to be ‘nappers’ and take short naps 24/7. But my own horse seems more relaxed and calm at night while in her stall or paddock, and I often spy on her and will find her standing, head low asleep. Or laying down, which I rarely see during the day.
Interesting article.
Could they be more nervous because many predators are nocturnal animals? Just an idea.
I’ve heard they only sleep in cat naps, and then only for about four hours.
Very interesting article. At our stables they set out the black horses at night so they’ll stay black and won’t get bleached out by the sun. No reports of anyone stumbling into the trough.
yet.
I am not surprised horses don’t sleep at night like we do, because they are prey animals. Think about how lions hunt at night in Africa. So prey animals have to be alert all the time, even at night. But I’ve also heard that dogs have better night visions than humans do.