Curly horses have a certain gene which causes their hair to curl. In addition to curls in their coat, they may have curls in any or all other hair (such as the tail, mane, or even eyelashes). The growing popularity of this group of horses is due to:

1) Hypoallergenic. Curly horses appear to be unique in that people who suffer from horse allergies generally have a reduced reaction to curly horses or no reaction at all.

2) Appearance. The curls or waves in the coat of these horses gives them a unique appearance, which many people find attractive.

3) Feel. The soft feel of the coats make petting these horses especially enjoyable for both children and adults.

4) Behavior. These horses are known for being unusually calm and sensible, characteristics apparently bred into their bloodlines.

The curly hair genes are relatively rare, as the vast majority of horses have straight hair. However, the genes can be found in many different types of horses, from miniatures to standards to drafts, of any build and any color.

The type of curl varies from horse to horse. It can be large and heavy, or small, or even fine pin curls, or waves instead of curls. Sometimes the coat is straight as in a common horse, in which case the horse is identified as a curly horse only by the fact that its parents were curlies and that it displays the other characteristics (e.g. hypoallergenic).

As the above shows, there is a great deal of diversity in curlies (size, color, build, curl characteristics). This diversity is partly due to the fact that the curly genes are naturally occurring and there has not been a long term breeding program to develop a uniform set of characteristics against a breed standard. In fact, an official breed standard has not yet been agreed. Consequently, one should feel free to choose a curly horse which one finds attractive without worrying greatly as to whether the horse fits a certain standard.

When choosing a curly, also keep in mind that the extent of the curl changes with age and also with season (it is most pronounced in winter). In summer, the hair is not only less curled, but is also shorter and thinner; in some cases the manes and tail hair are extremely short. If appearance is very important, before making your final decision you should see what the horse looks like (even if just from photos) in both winter and summer. You should also check the bloodline which the horse is from as an indication of how the coat will change as it ages (the nature of the changes vary from bloodline to bloodline).

The hypoallergenic quality of curlies varies from horse to horse, and the benefits vary from person to person. Consequently, while one can say that most people have reduced or no allergic reactions to curly horses, this is not true of all people or all curlies. Therefore, before buying one in the hope that one will not have an allergic reaction, one should in fact test the specific person to the specific horse to confirm this. Take appropriate medical advice on how to test safely, if you have extreme allergies.

Other names for the curly horse include: North American Curly Horses, American Bashkir Curlies, and Bashkir Curlies. There are also a number of named bloodlines, each with their individual characteristics.

This Curly Horse article was written by Duber Stewart, owner of Horses for Sale

Posted under Allergies