Why do horses need REM Sleep and how can I improve my horses sleep?
As a horse owner, you want to ensure that your equine companion is healthy, happy, and well-rested. However, did you know that horses need to lie down to enter REM sleep, which is essential for their overall well-being? If you're looking for a way to give your horse the best possible sleep, then it's time to switch to HERDD pine pellet bedding pellets.
What is REM Sleep?
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is a crucial stage of sleep that is characterised by rapid eye movements, muscle relaxation, and dreaming. It is essential for horses, just as it is for humans and many other animals.
Why is it important?
During REM sleep, horses experience a range of physiological and neurological changes that help to support their overall health and well-being. For example, REM sleep is believed to play a role in memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and learning. It is also thought to be important for maintaining healthy brain function and supporting the immune system.
Horses typically enter REM sleep in short bursts of around 10-20 minutes, with longer periods of deep sleep in between. During REM sleep, horses may twitch, move their legs, and make vocalisations as they dream. These movements help to prevent muscle stiffness and maintain overall muscle tone.
So how can we ensure our horses get the best sleep?
It's important to provide horses with a comfortable and safe environment to rest, as lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can lead to a variety of health issues as well as have adverse effects on performance and ability or willingness to work.
Horses need between 2 to 4 hours of deep sleep per day, in addition to several periods of standing sleep using a "stay apparatus" in their legs to keep them stable and balanced. The amount of sleep they require can vary depending on factors such as their age, health, and environment. But they need to lay down to enter REM sleep.
How does HERDD Pine Pellet Bedding help?
This is where HERDD Bedding comes in. These pine pellets are specially designed to provide horses with a comfortable and safe environment to rest. The pellets are made from high-quality pine wood, which is a naturally absorbent material that helps to keep the stall clean and dry. They are also dust-free, which is essential for horses with respiratory issues.
What makes HERDD Bedding unique is its ability to give your horse the right balance of softness, firmness, and security underfoot to help them get the best sleep possible when stabled. The pellets are compressed into small, uniform shapes that when expanded provide a supportive surface for your horse to lie down on. They are also easy to clean, which means that you can spend more time enjoying your horse and less time cleaning the stall.
By using HERDD Bedding, you can rest assured that your horse is getting the best possible sleep. This means that they will be happier, healthier, and more willing to work. So, give your horse the gift of a good night's sleep with HERDD Bedding.
So you want to try it for yourself?
Try it today by picking up a sample bag in store and see the difference it can make in your horse's well-being.