The Horse | Understanding Equine Sleep Deprivation

The Horse | Understanding Equine Sleep Deprivation

Dellaire and Ruckebusch, estimates that in a day horses fulfill approximately:

• Two hours of diffuse drowsiness (during which the horse stands with full weight on both front legs and one rear leg while the other rear leg is cocked, or "primed," to kick if necessary);
• Three hours of slow wave sleep (at which point the horse is either lying down in lateral  or sternal recumbency [lying flat on his side or lying on his chest, respectively]); and
• Less than one hour of paradoxical sleep (during which the horse is commonly positioned on the ground, but the body is upright with head tucked to a side--normally toward the stifle). This allows for better respiration than being on a side.

(Read more.)

I think Moose may have a sleep disorder. This basically says horses lay down to sleep fours hours a day. Huh? Moose gets more like 8-10. Maybe he needs it for his beauty sleep. He is really cute.

He even sleeps during class

Moose Tracks....HARDCORE Logo Contest!

As Moose Tracks is tackling  Rolex Beginner Novice this year he clearly needs his own logo (for his fans dontcha know).

The husband suggested a rip-off  spin-off of the Frank Turner Hardcore logo as pinto ponies are most definitely hardcore.

Husband Suggestion 1: "The Classic"

Get it ? Moose Tracks HardCore?

Husband Suggestion 2: "Whips and Chains"

My creation: "Yams"

(Yams would be the now favorite food of the Moose ...in fact it was all he would eat when sick last month)

Do they look like orange turds? hmmm

What say you?

Photo Essay -Moose Tracks

Moose is on vacation post mystery virus from H E Double Hockey Sticks.

Other thank thanking the interwebz for pulling for him and reporting he is back to his Moosey self I have nothing really to blog about...so indulge me in looking at photos.

smiling poneh -first event camp

Dressaging

Moose says NO dressaging!

Benches are for jumping

hmm -Peter you may not want to sit there

Woman from Snowy River & her Pony

I DRINK the water hazard. Drink it ALL!

I LAY DOWN in the water hazard

oh Fine. I'll jump in the water hazard

At shows I learned to RUN not drink the water

That made the yam-provider happy. See.

I like to nap

The yam-provider may nap with me. But NO picture taking allowed!

I jump cute (yam-providers like this)

I am Moose Tracks!

Just got the call -he is coming home!

Go Moosey, it's your birthday, We gonna party like it's your birthday. 

Sick Boy

It started on Sunday.

I went out to the barn Sunday morning in my PJs, bleary-eyed yet ready to do morning chores.

Moose mouthed his feed, let it dribble out and then turned away. 

Let me stop here –Moose is a P I G. If it is not nailed down, he will eat it. If the nails can be pried loose by pony lips then it is not nailed down. And he will eat it.

What is a savvy horse person to do?

Check gut sounds, color & capillary refill, take a temperature & respiration, check for injury or swelling? Did I do any of these things? Nooooo. I sprinted for the house to retrieve my phone. 

The call went something like this:

Me : HELP ME!

Doc: What’s going on?

Me: Moose is dying! DYING! 

Doc: So what’s going on?

Me: He looked at me funny. I think he might have colic. or Foundering. OMG he is going to die!

Doc: Did you take his temp? with the underlying  Did you actually look at him?

Me:  No.  Do you know where my thermometer is? Shit! What is a thermometer? Hold on.  I’ll do that and call you back.

Ring ring.

Me: He is DYING! 104.6!

Doc : OK…asked a few questions about color, gut sounds, etc (none of which I could answer). 

Me:  waaaaaaaaaaaaaah! HELP ME!

Doc:  Ok. Do you want to give some banamine and call me back in a few hours? 

What will make you most comfortable (Note-what will make me -not Moose comfortable...yup, I was pretty hysterical)

Me: I am most comfortable with taking him to a hospital and having at least 10 experts look at him immediately. Do you think Dean Richardson is available?

Doc: I am on my way.

(Huge shout out to Dr. Miller / Prairie River Equine for wading through my hysteria)

My poor boy

Moose was properly evaluated and given banamine with instructions for me to monitor temperature and silly things like color, gut sounds, etc.

Throughout the day and night, his temperature ping ponged. More banamine was given, tasty treats soaked in water offered (all to no avail).

And I think I gained 5lbs (at least).

8:00 

Temp 103. So I ate a cinnamon roll.

10:00 

Temp 104. I ate two cinnamon rolls.

12:00 

Temp was down. I called everyone I knew. “Hi! Moose is 98.7!!!!! “  um yeah….

2:00 

Temp 105 so I ate a pizza. A whole one.

You get the idea.

So Sunday the decision was made to take him to hospital so he could get intensive care and I could stop with the eating already.

Please keep him in your thoughts-he is getting many gold stars for being a model patient. I love my kind, generous boy. He always makes me so proud. Even when sick.

Getting Fluids

Fancy Ice Boots!

My Moose