Sleep deprivation in horses

If you ever find yourself frustrated by a horse that is inconsistent, difficult or struggles to learn, it might be suffering from sleep deprivation and is causing it to suffer anxiety and performance issues. Sleep deprivation can be caused from a reluctance for the horse to lay down and experience what is known REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This can be caused by pain conditions or emotional discomfort where the horse does not feel safe enough to lay down.