By Dr Duncan Houston
The American Bashkir Curly horse is easy to recognise by its waves, ringlets, or dense winter curls. Choosing one takes more than liking the coat: you need to know how the individual horse behaves, what care it needs, and which breed claims have reliable evidence.
If you are considering a Curly because you have a horse allergy, take particular care. A curly coat does not guarantee that contact will be safe. For an existing owner, understanding your horse's normal seasonal coat pattern also helps you spot a new health problem.
Quick Answer
The American Bashkir Curly is a North American horse breed with an inherited curly coat that varies between individuals and seasons. Curlies can suit a range of riding and driving roles, but training, soundness, and temperament must be assessed individually. They need ordinary preventive equine care, and they should not be regarded as reliably hypoallergenic.
Where did the American Bashkir Curly come from?
The breed developed in North America, with the Damele family among the ranchers associated with preserving curly-coated horses. Its deeper origins remain uncertain. The word “Bashkir” should not be taken as proof that these horses descend from Russia's Bashkir breed; that proposed connection is not established. The American Bashkir Curly Registry's history and breed information discusses this uncertainty and the different families involved.
The American Bashkir Curly Horse Registry, founded in 1971, supports registration and preservation of the breed's genetic diversity. Registration records help establish identity and ancestry, but they do not certify a horse's health or suitability for a particular rider.
What does a Curly horse look like?
The ABCR breed standard describes a medium-sized horse, averaging about 15 hands, with a relatively short back and substantial bone. Individual size and build vary, so measure the horse and assess saddle fit rather than relying on a breed average.
Coats range from soft waves to tight curls, and Curlies occur in many colours. Curls may be noticeable in the mane, tail, fetlocks, ear hair, and eyelashes. The body coat often becomes much less curly in summer, and some horses shed part or all of their mane or tail hair. A previous owner's photographs across the seasons can be useful when establishing what is normal for that individual.
What do we know about Curly horse genetics?
There is more than one genetic route to a curly coat. Research has identified variants in KRT25 and SP6. The University of Sydney's genetic catalogue describes KRT25-associated curliness and the interaction between KRT25 and SP6. In the genetic study of these coat types, KRT25-associated coats also showed reduced hair, called hypotrichosis, whereas the SP6 variant alone produced curliness without that hair loss.
These findings do not mean every Curly will become bald or develop a systemic illness. Nor can a photograph reliably establish a horse's genotype. Before breeding, discuss the pedigree, hair pattern, health history, and appropriate genetic testing with your veterinarian. Coat testing is not a substitute for evaluating soundness or other inherited risks relevant to the family.
Are American Bashkir Curly horses hypoallergenic?
Do not buy or handle a Curly on the assumption that it cannot trigger horse allergy. A study measuring allergens in horse hair and airborne grooming dust did not find lower allergen levels in Curlies. Allergen levels also varied substantially between individual horses.
A later clinical study of people with horse allergy reported reduced reactions with repeated Curly contact in its participants, but allergic events still occurred. This does not establish universal safety or justify trying to treat your allergy by repeated exposure yourself.
If you have horse allergy or asthma, consult your own doctor or allergist before arranging contact. Follow their exposure and medication advice. One comfortable visit does not guarantee that future riding, grooming, or stable work will be safe.
Are Curlies suitable for beginners?
Curlies have a reputation for a gentle disposition, but a breed reputation cannot predict an individual horse's reactions. An inexperienced youngster, a frightened horse, or a horse in pain can be unsafe regardless of breed.
For a beginner, look for a horse with a demonstrated record in the intended job and have an experienced instructor assess the partnership. Watch ordinary handling, catching, grooming, mounting, and riding. Therapy work, trail riding, driving, and competition each require their own training and assessment.
If behaviour changes, consider discomfort, saddle fit, confusion, fear, and management before labelling the horse stubborn. Reduce the task's difficulty and get appropriate veterinary or training help. Lessons or a supported lease can be useful ways to build experience before ownership.
Which changes need attention?
| What you notice | What it may mean | Action and timing |
|---|---|---|
| Familiar seasonal shedding, comfortable skin, and normal behaviour | This can be the horse's usual coat cycle. | Continue routine checks and compare with photographs from previous seasons. |
| New bald patches, repeated rubbing, crusts, or sore skin | Rubbing, irritation, parasites, or infection may be involved. | Arrange veterinary advice promptly instead of assuming it is normal Curly shedding. |
| An older horse sheds differently from previous years and loses muscle or drinks more | An endocrine disorder such as PPID needs consideration. | Book a veterinary examination soon; do not wait another season. |
| The horse gains excessive condition or develops a thick, fatty crest | The ration may exceed its needs; metabolic risk needs assessment. | Review feeding and arrange a veterinary assessment before simply increasing exercise. |
| A formerly cooperative horse resists saddling, mounting, or work | Pain, tack problems, fear, or a training mismatch may explain the change. | Pause the difficult activity and investigate before asking for more effort. |
A Curly can develop the same age-related conditions as another horse. Its inherited curls do not rule out pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, or PPID. UC Davis explains that delayed shedding, muscle loss, increased thirst, and laminitis can accompany PPID. Diagnosis uses the history, examination, and appropriate testing, not coat appearance alone.
How should you care for a Curly horse?
Feed the individual horse
Base the ration on suitable forage, clean water, and balanced nutrients. Choose additional feed according to actual weight, body condition, workload, age, and health. Some Curlies maintain weight easily, but others need more dietary support. Neither grain nor supplements are automatically necessary because of the breed.
Feel beneath the winter coat when checking body condition. A thick coat can hide weight loss as well as excess fat. Make feed changes gradually and ask your veterinarian to investigate unexplained changes in weight or appetite.
Groom for comfortable skin
Use gentle grooming to remove dirt and loose hair, and separate tangles without pulling hard on the mane or tail. Part dense hair to inspect the skin, particularly beneath tack and blankets. Check and pick out hooves daily, and arrange farrier visits according to growth, balance, wear, and the horse's work.
Cold-weather hardiness does not remove the need for shelter. University of Minnesota winter-care guidance explains how wet or muddy coats lose insulation and why body condition, age, clipping, and acclimatisation affect protection needs. If you use a blanket, remove it daily to inspect the skin and check for sweating or rubbing.
Keep preventive care individual
Plan routine veterinary and dental examinations, with closer monitoring for growing, older, or chronically ill horses. Follow a vaccination plan appropriate to your region, travel, and exposure. The AAEP vaccination guidance distinguishes core protection from vaccines selected after an individual risk assessment.
Use a veterinarian-led parasite programme that includes faecal testing, treatment planning, and checks that dewormers remain effective. The AAEP parasite-control guidelines advise against treating every horse at fixed intervals throughout the year or blindly rotating drugs. Foals and young horses need their own plans.
Support movement and confidence
Provide safe turnout, compatible equine company, and regular movement suited to the horse's fitness. Build exercise gradually, use short training sessions with clear cues and rewards, and introduce new environments in manageable steps. Predictable routines and adequate forage time support welfare as much as grooming does.
What should you do before bringing a Curly home?
- Check the individual: review identification, registration papers, health records, and photographs of its seasonal coat.
- Match the horse to the job: have an instructor assess it for your experience and intended riding or driving.
- Arrange a veterinary purchase examination: explain your intended use so the examination and any further tests address relevant risks.
- Prepare daily care: organise forage, water, shelter, safe fencing, equine companionship, a farrier, and a local veterinarian before arrival.
- Establish a baseline: record body condition, normal coat appearance, appetite, and behaviour. Ask your veterinarian about new-arrival separation and the preventive-care plan.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Accepting “hypoallergenic” as a safety guarantee for an allergic rider.
- Assuming a gentle breed reputation makes an untrained horse suitable for a novice.
- Attributing new skin disease or delayed shedding to the curls without checking.
- Using appearance alone to judge body condition beneath a dense coat.
- Skipping routine veterinary, dental, or hoof care because the horse is described as hardy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do American Bashkir Curly horses shed their curls?
Many lose much of their curly winter body coat and look smoother in summer. Some also shed mane or tail hair. Learn the individual horse's normal pattern and investigate new itching, sores, or unexpected hair loss.
Are all Curly horses safe for people with horse allergies?
No. Reactions can still occur, and research does not establish reliable allergy safety. Ask your doctor or allergist for advice before exposure.
Do Curly horses need special feed?
There is no universal Curly-specific diet. Feed according to forage quality, body condition, age, workload, and medical needs, with professional help when the ration needs adjusting.
Does a curly coat mean a horse has Cushing's disease?
No. Inherited curliness is a breed trait. However, a Curly can also develop PPID, so changes from its usual shedding pattern and other health signs deserve assessment.
Can a beginner own an American Bashkir Curly?
A suitable, well-trained individual can work well with a beginner who has experienced support. Choose on demonstrated behaviour, health, and training rather than breed alone.
Choosing for a lasting partnership
A Curly's coat is distinctive, but the foundations of a good partnership are familiar: a suitable individual, thoughtful training, daily welfare, and preventive care. Learn what is normal for your horse and take new changes seriously without assuming that every difference is a breed problem.
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