Room to Sleep

I've seen Smoky roll, but I've never seen him lay down to rest or sleep. Horses can doze and rest standing up, and do so for about 5-7 hours a day. However, they also need at least 30 minutes laying down to meet their need for REM sleep. Lack of space, weather, insecurity, and discomfort can limit sleep. It's been a puzzle trying to offer and figure out what he needs. Maybe he only sleeps after midnight. He's been housed in a self-care thickly bedded stall, a barn's large stall with minimal bedding, a large paddock alone, and also with Rohan. He gets down to roll just fine, and he gets bodywork/joint supplements, so I don't think it's discomfort. He's definitely the bossiest horse he's met, so he isn't being pushed out of his sleeping space. I've wondered if he doesn't feel safe, even though he's in charge. Or maybe he's in charge because he is super vigilant. I play with creating a safe space to sleep, especially when the other horses are laying down. Sometimes I actively survey the area to make sure he knows I will protect him, sometimes I try to share my intent and energy of relaxation. One recent afternoon, the sun was strong enough to warm the ground, and it seemed like every creature was enjoying a lull. I had taken Smoky into a large field and was sitting nearby him, with 2 horses he knows at the other end. I was practicing being present, occasionally assuring Smoky he was safe and inviting him to relax. The two horses across the field laid down, and one started making nickers and snorts as he was sleeping! I wanted to see how Smoky was doing without actually looking at him, so I used my phone to video him. He did finally relax and doze, then actually transitioned into REM sleep while standing and then started to collapse, abruptly waking and catching himself going backwards. I was excited to see some progress with relaxing, and had more information on how he's doing, but it's discouraging to see how tired he is, and unwilling to really sleep. Later in the afternoon he did circle like he was considering laying down, which was progress. I'm considering more ways to support him, and hope I can put the puzzle together. I often wish I only needed five hours sleep too, and then I remember my whole goal is to support his well-being. Making room for appropriate sleep and rest is pretty fundamental to my well-being. How could I support myself and my kids well-being? It almost seems easier trying to convince Smoky to relax than to get the preschooler and elementary-age kids to bed.