Horse named Sugar goes viral for pretending to be asleep when she doesn’t want to work

The animal has become an unlikely symbol amongst those seeking an alternative to hustle culture

The horse was heralded as ‘a thought leader’ (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A horse named Sugar has gone viral for pretending to be asleep when she doesn’t want to work.

In a post shared to Twitter, the animal can be seen lying down in the grass in the sun, apparently at ease with life.

“Meet Sugar, she doesn't like to be ridden,” the caption reads. “If Sugar is approached with a saddle she lies down and pretends to be asleep. Sugar refuses to open her eyes until the riders leave.”

Sugar’s behaviour has led to her being heralded as an icon for workers, with the post being liked almost 400,000 times and counting.

“Sugar said ‘I do not dream of labor’ and I respect her so f***ing much,” wrote one user, while another said, “Sugar knows the value of passive resistance”.

“I mean, a horse, AN EQUINE, somehow understands feigning sleep to get out of undesirable labor? Understands non-violent resistance?? Excellent non-compliance, Comrade Sugar. Remain ungovernable,” wrote another.

Others praised Sugar for her sense of self-respect: “Know your worth queen,” one person wrote, while another simply declared her as “a thought leader”.

Some users linked Sugar’s apparent reticence to work to sexual labour, with one person writing, “Him: Bae, its your turn. Me:...”, while another joked that Sugar was “not the first female to pretend to sleep when a ride [is] on offer”.

One user questioned the authenticity of the post, linking to a stock picture of a horse resembling Sugar and writing, “Wild how you can write a little bit of fanfiction about a stock photo and become the number one trending topic.”

Many people seemed happy to overlook this, however. “The story just hits right. We all can relate to telling people to f*** off via peaceful resistance,” responded one user, while another said, “Well, to be fair, lazy horse will always be a mood,” with a third writing, “I'm not on Twitter for facts.”

Authentic or not, Sugar’s apparent lethargy has evidently resonated with social media users.

Kim Kardashian sparked controversy earlier this year after advising women who want to succeed in business to “get your f***ing ass up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days.”

Despite this, many Gen Z and millennial workers are questioning the very foundation of work itself, with over half stating they would rather be unemployed than unhappy in a job according to a major study of more than 35,000 workers.

Flexible working and workplaces that align with person values have also been cited as important factors when applying for a job.

In such a climate, a horse named Sugar has become an unlikely symbol of shifting cultural norms when it comes to work.