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) Temperament. These horses are reputed to be particularly calm, sensible and intelligent. As such they are especially suited to children and for therapy.

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.

Before buying a curly, keep in mind that the coat curl changes with season (curl is greater in winter) and age. The degree of change depends on the individual horse and its bloodline, with some horses remaining curly all year round and others having straight hair in summer. Curly horses also tend to have shorter and thinner hair in manes and tail (somewhat like the Appaloosa breed), although the extent of this also varies greatly depending on horse and bloodline. Therefore, it is useful before choosing a horse to see it in both winter and summer (ask the seller for photos). It is also useful to look at other horses of the same bloodline but different ages to see the expected changes as the horse ages.

If you are choosing a curly because these horses are hypoallergenic, be aware that the extent of this quality varies from horse to horse and that the benefit varies from person to person. Consequently, any combination of horse and person may exhibit no allergy, a reduced allergy, or the usual horse allergy. Therefore, one should test the person with the horse to determine the extent of the benefit. If one has extreme allergic reactions, take medical advice on how to do this test safely.

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.

Duber Stewart writes on Horse Care and has a special interest in Curly Horses as an emerging breed.

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