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

The severity of these symptoms varies from person to person, ranging from a slight itch to a serious asthma attack. People with asthma should be careful when they first come into contact with horses as there have been a number of cases of fatal asthma reactions. In particular, asthmatic children coming into contact with horses for the first time should be carefully monitored to see if they have an adverse reaction and their medication should be available to hand in case that they do.

The most common cause of horse allergies is horse dander (bits of hair and skin which flake off, like dandruff). Other common causes include horse mites, urine and even horse salvia.

One can easily have an allergic reaction without touching or being close to a horse. If one enters a barn or other enclosed area which has been recently used to hold horses, one can have a reaction to allergic agents which remain even though no horses are present at the time. Likewise, if one has a friend or family member who rides, it is quite possible to have a reaction when coming into contact with their riding clothes, tack or even their hair as allergic agents can easily be rubbed into these.

Horse allergies can be easily treated, using the same methods as for other allergies. These include medication, desensitizing treatment or simple avoidance.

If you want to ride horses but find that allergies are making this difficult (or less enjoyable), another approach is to try riding a 'curly horse' breed. Many people who are allergic to other breeds of horses find that they have little or no reaction with these breeds.

Finally, you could try medical testing or trial-and-error to determine which aspect of the horse you are allergic to and then simply take care to avoid this aspect. For example, if allergic to urine, rather than go into the stable to get your horse, have it brought out to you. As another example, if allergic to horse mites, have your horse and its box treated against mites, which should greatl

The article Allergy to Horses was written by Doug Stewart, as part of his series on Horse Care.