Curly Horses are, as the name implies, horses with a curly coat. They are also referred to as American Bashkir Curly Horses or North American Curly Horses. It is the only horse breed with a hypoallergenic coat, which makes this horse ideal for people with allergies to horses.
Origin
Curly Horses were spotted in the state of Nevada in the United States of America in 1898. A number of curly-haired horses were seen by the Damele family in a herd of wild mustangs and were captured. After this the family started breeding with these animals. It was later discovered that the horses had long been known in America, namely by the Indians. Some Native American tribes have kept Curly Horses at least since the early 1800s. The horses were used by the Indians to hunt buffalo and were therefore also called ?? buffalo ponies ?? mentioned. How the horses came to America is unclear. For a long time it was thought that the horse descended from the Bashkir, a Russian horse breed. This does not appear to be the case. There is also evidence that the horses came to America during the last Ice Age or that the Spanish imported horses with the curly hair gene. No evidence has been found for either presumption.
Appearance
Because the horses have been crossed a lot with other breeds, a wide variety of external characteristics can be found in the breed. The horses have a height between 1.45 and 1.60 meters and are sturdy build. Curly Horses’ hooves are almost perfectly round and very strong. They have small to medium sized ears with curls in them. The horses’ eyelashes are also curled. Before Curly Horses are included in the official studbook, the American Bashkir Curly Registry, their DNA is first tested. For example, it is checked whether they are hypoallergenic.
The coat
Curly Horses have a very special coat. The coat is not only curly, but also hypoallergenic. This means that people who are allergic to horses at Curly Horses have a much less severe allergic reaction. Sometimes they do not even suffer from their allergy, this depends on the severity of the allergy and the coat of the horse. How it is that Curly Horses are hypoallergenic is not yet known. This probably has to do with the fact that Curlies have less and different types of proteins in their skin than other horses. The skin flakes, which often cause the allergic reaction, are therefore also different. It is known that the coat of a Curly Horse has more the texture of a sheepskin than a horse’s fur. Curly horses are also softer than most other horses. They can come in any color. While you would expect all Curlies to have a curly coat, this is not the case. So-called Smooth-Coated Curlies are born regularly. Although these horses do not have a curly coat, they are hypoallergenic. How strongly the coat is curled can vary per horse. In summer, most Curlies only have a slightly wavy coat, it is too short to really curl. A number of curly horses lose their tails and manes in the summer. In the winter, these will simply grow again. In winter the curly horses have a much stronger curly coat, varying from waves to small corkscrew curls. The coat of the horses insulates very well, so the horses can survive at very low temperatures.
Character
Curly Horses are ideal family horses. In America they say for good reason: Gentle enough for a child, tough enough for a man. In other words: Friendly enough for a child, good enough for a man. The horses are calm and very people oriented. They are not easily startled. The horses can be used in all disciplines of the sport. They are most successful with dressage, western and endurance.
Gaited Curly Horses
Normally horses have three gaits: the walk, the trot and the canter. However, some horse breeds have a fourth or even fifth gait, these horses are called gaited horses. Because Curly Horses have been crossed with many other breeds, including gaited horses, there are Curlies that have an extra gait. Not all horses of the breed have this, only one in ten Curlies has an extra gait. Which gait this is depends on the ancestors of the horse. For example, they can show the Foxtrot or the Running walk. The Curly Jim Gaited Curly Line is a bloodline that descends from Curly Jim. Curly Jim descended from a Missouri Foxtrotting Horse and could foxtrot himself. The horse has produced many foxtrotting Curlies.