Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Sleep Crashing

Learn all about Equus • Dually Halter • Shy Boy Mustang • Jumping Horses
• Story of a Horse Whisperer • Riding Horsemanship • Dressage Horses • Willing Partners
• Horse Training • Round Pen Lessons • Performance Horses • Join-Up

Watch Monty's horse training videos to learn how he demonstrates communication through horse training techniques that the amateur and professional alike consider to be the trainable skills of a horse whisperer yet Monty calls it horse gentling.
Monty's horse training techniques are non violent with intelligent natural horsemanship. In addition to video instructions, Monty has written many books related to natural horsemanship. Monty trains safe horses for nervous riders called Willing Partners. Monty trains world class race horses for sale.
“I am very proud to be a part of Her Majesty’s horse training and her passion for their welfare. I believe she is the leading monarch for the advocacy of horses in the world. She is a thought leader in this field. Her Majesty's horses are trained using the Dually Halter, making a difference in the training of sensitive animals by giving the horse the choice to partner in the training.” ~ Monty
“I communicate with a horse in what I call the Language of Equus; a silent language of gestures that is discernible, predictable and effective. Now you can learn from my videos, audio and notes to help you understand the horse as I do. This language is really quite simple, but simplicity becomes its greatest strength.” ~ Monty
Monty Roberts is a renowned horse trainer known as the man who listens to horses and the original horse whisperer. Monty's horse training instructions are accepted worldwide.
Monty has helped thousands of people globally through his Monty Roberts Online Videos to learn how to Join-Up with horses, training young horses, spooky horses, horses that bite. His mustang , Shy Boy , is his most famous horse.
Join-Up methods help horse and trainer to establish a bond of communication and trust. “You must somehow understand that we as horsemen can do very little to teach the horse. What we can do is to create an environment in which he can learn.” ~ Monty
Monty says, “We hear that ‘actions speak louder than words,’ but generally we do not live by it too successfully.” Now Monty has taught thousands of people worldwide how to build trust in animals through our actions and body language.
Monty’s principles really amount to common sense and immense patience. He believes that children and horses have the same behavioral patterns. They are both naturally “flight” animals. "If you frighten them and resort to confrontation, you’ll lose their trust." ~ Monty
"Simple one-on-one reassurances and praise reap long term dividends that can all be undone with the quick slamming of a book on a desk or shouting back." ~ Monty Roberts
"No one of us was born with the right to say 'You must or I'll hurt you' to any other living thing, animal or human". ~ Monty Roberts
"My life's goal is to leave the world a better place than I found it, for horses and for people too". ~ Monty Roberts

← back

Horse Behavior and Training

Sleep Crashing

By:

Laura

Date:

2010-Nov-15 at 12:48AM

I've had a 15yr old gelding QH for 3yrs. His herdmate is a 10yr old gelding. He was a cutting horse from Florida. He does not lay down to sleep. He naps standing up. Because he doesn't reach that REM sleep that horses get laying down, he gets exhausted. While naping standing or if I hold him still for 15mins on occasion, he will weave and just about fall down on one knee, then he forces himself up. He will do this while I'm in the saddle too. Stalling at night makes no difference. I have borrowed other horses and donkies to find a compatable herdmate. He has always been an alfa horse and always on guard. We are in a Civil War Cavalry Unit. He will not lay down with the herd on the picket line for the 2 days.
I have had every test on him and a nuclear scan and I massage him regularly. There is nothing physically wrong with him. He will lay down for 30 seconds after a roll.
He is a confident, incrediably well trained, bombproof horse. Cannons, smoke, gunfire, sabers.. no problem. What can I do next?

Equus Student 2010-Nov-18 at 11:46AM

I can see why you are worsried; it sounds like your horse is exhausting himself. You mentioned that you tried stalling him at night. I'm not too familar with American terming, is a stall a small stable where the horse can only stand in one position? That's what it means where i live but please correct me if I'm wrong.
If a stall is what i think it is, maybe you could try stabling him in a really spacious stable where he has plently of room to turn about, roll and lie down and put down a really thick tempting bed.
Hope this helps.

Laura 2010-Nov-20 at 10:33PM

He is in a 12ftx 12ft stall next to my other horse from 9pm- 6am. Plenty of room. Its just a two stall barn. I have soft music to help tune out the wildlife, and even a nite lite. Last nite I put "TravelEase" in his water. Apparently he detected it and refused to drink. I will definately put down more bedding. Thank you.

julie m. 2010-Nov-21 at 05:00PM

Laura,

I know the horses in my barn don't settle totally down until it's pitch black and quiet. I am unsure if your music and nightlight are the right items. I would end off on those if it were me. Sounds like his stall is more than sufficient for a lie down. Does he have a run where he could plop down for a bit? Or a pasture where you can turn him out overnight?

What I would check, which you haven't mentioned, is a vitamin/mineral deficiency. If something is off there, I would imagine it could cause insomnia. I know that is the case with human bodies (lack of B vites does this). Have you had his food tested?

And lastly, if none of the suggestions on the forum help, I would ask Monty. He has that lifetime of experience to draw upon and seems to really love the out-of-the-ordinary questions like yours.

Good luck!