Horses Hoofs

[val-south]

I have noticed that when horses are standing still, they keep one hoof on its point. Is this because horses lock their leg joints so that they can sleep standing up and the bent hoof is to unlock the joints?

[Kathyan]

I always thought they did this to be ready to kick out if something attacked them from the back. I could be wrong though!

[woofgang]

Its to rest one leg, just like birds standing on one leg when the roost.

[FredPuli43]

Watch and you'll see them change leg, just keeping one relaxed with the weight off it. ( You'll know if he's threatening to kick you; he'll raise one leg slightly and turn the 'sole' of the hoof towards you, as a warning, first)

[wildwood]

It is no different from us 'crossing' our legs when sitting.

[sheribee]

It is to rest one leg, they will change legs periodically.
Horses have evolved in such a way that in effect they are walking on their middle fingers/toes.

[rsvp]

Horses are able to sleep standing up cos they have a locking system which allows them to do this - it's a survival thingie - much quicker to speed off when a predator tries to eat if you are already up on four legs rather than snuggled up on the floor. They do sleep lying down when they feel secure - in a herd or in a stable etc. Occasionally they suffer from a condition called a luxated patella which means the knee joint slips out of place and the hind leg gets displaced and often stuck in a backward fixed position. Years ago this condition was cured by (surgically) nicking the tendon which holds the joint in place - it did mean that the horse couldn't sleep standing up and so required an extra deep be to sleep in! A horse's patella is equivilant to our knee joint and for the non-horsey, it's the big joint where the back let joins the body.

[rsvp]

sorry ->>> let joins the body>>>> should read 'back leg joins the body'