The Bashkir Curly

One of the most unique breeds of horses in the world is the Bashkir Curly. Their trademark thick winter coat with its curly hair and corkscrew mane and tail makes them stand out among equines. Their calm and gentle dispositions make them excellent family horses.

The origins of the Bashkir Curly is not completely clear, although they have been honoured in Chinese art and statues as far back as 161 A.D. It is believed that they are descended from the Lokai horse, which was bred in the Tadjik region between Russia and Afganistan. Some theories have them entering North America via the land bridge (which used to link us to Asia), along with primitive man. Some think they arrived by boat with Russian settlers. At any rate, Curly horses were the cause of some documented horse theft between the Crow tribes and the Sioux in the Dakotas in the early 1800s. Even P.T. Barnum, the famous showman, refers to having a “curly coated horse” in his circus in Cincinnati in 1848. Drawings made by Chief Red Cloud of the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1881 suggest that Curly horses took part in the battle.

In the early 1900s, the Damale family of Nevada saw curly-coated horses in the wild herds near their ranch in Eureka. They captured a sorrel Curly and broke him to ride. In 1932, the herds suffered through one of the worst winters ever, and the Damales noticed in the spring during the roundup of what stock they had left that there were several Curlies in the group. Their hardiness made them the foundation of the Damale’s ranch horses. The Damale’s formed the American Bashkir Horse Registry in 1971.

Bashkir Curly horses started to filter into Canada back in the 1920s, either as part of wild herds, or imported by ranchers and breeders such as Skjonsberg family of Bentley, Alberta. The Canadian Curly Horse Association was formed in 1995.

Curly horses stand between 14-15 hands, and have a rugged build, often compared to that of the old-style Morgan. They come in all coat colours – bay, chestnut, dun, pinto, palomino. Their wooly coat allows them to withstand harsh cold, although they shed it, along with their manes and sometimes their tails, in the summer. Their soft, curly winter hair can even be spun or woven into garments!

One of the greatest advantages of owning a Curly horse is that they appear to be hypoallergenic – that is, someone who is normally allergic to horses will not be allergic to this breed. As far as having fun with your Curly, they excel in most English and Western events, and make wonderful pleasure horses.

For more information about the Bashkir Curly, contact:

(In Canada)

The Canadian Curly Horse Association

R.R.#1, Bowden, Alberta T0M 0K0

(In the U.S.)

The American Bashkir Curly Registry

Box 246, Ely, Nevada 89301