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Overview
This ancient coat type associated with hardy and versatile
horses is being developed into several North American Breeds
from Curly horses going back to those found in wild mustang
herds of North America. Until recently the small numbers
necessitated this being done as a coat breed in order to
obtain enough breeding quality individuals, and now that
there is an established breeding base, with the desire to
recreate a breed type exemplifying the best characteristics
of the original horses yet versatile for use in all the
popular modern disciplines. There is considerable discussion
among the breeders as to what that will ultimately look
like, however there are many qualities that are consistent,
regardless of the other breeds in the horse's background.
These are the attributes that endear the breed to its growing
number of enthusiasts and guarantee it a place in the future.
Being hypoallergenic is one of the many peculiarities that
make it irreplaceable to the allergic horse enthusiast.
Coat
As the breed name suggests, this is the most recognizable
feature of this breed. There are many variations on the
theme, but it is claimed that all Curly horses have oval
bodied coat fibres that are really a form of wool rather
than hair. Ongoing research will determine if this is true.
It may be this trait which makes them hypoallergenic. In
the minimum expression, there are curls visible in their
ears and on their fetlocks year round, and hardly visible
curling on their bodies in the winter. The maximum expression
seems to be tightly curled on the body in the winter with
very short body hair in the summer - often with bald thwack
patches where the bald tail bone hits the rump. The horse
in the illustration is part way in between. He goes quite
short in the summer, and is demonstrating average waving
as his winter coat begins to grow. Others have soft, tight
'brillo pad' curls that remain in summer in a somewhat looser
format. Some of these attributes are somewhat similar to
what is seen in camels and buffalo.
Mane and Tail
The mane and tail of the Curly Horse ranges from essentially
nonexistent to full and flowing year round. Some horses
will grow a mane and tail in winter, only to lose it again
in the summer. Others never have anything to notice. 'Digger'
had none in the summer and is growing a bit for the winter.
 Head
The Curly horse often has relatively small nostrils and
gentle eyes that are set wider apart for a broader field
of vision. Their mouth may be somewhat smaller than that
of many other breeds. Some owners have reported that their
horses are happy to put their whole heads under water to
retrieve something they want which may have been what led
to them being called 'moose horses.'
Disposition
The eyes say it all. This is a calm, intelligent horse that
is easily handled and trained. They are very personable
and can be quite imaginative, which is not always a bonus.
'Digger' is a mature stallion being pictured on his way
to the pasture with two of his mares. They are not tolerant
of abuse, preferring to see themselves as partners, not
slaves. They do not use flight for protection, but rather
freeze, and if pushed, will kick. When caught up in wire,
for example, they tend to lay motionless and calm as soon
as they realize they are in trouble and do not struggle
while people untangle them. These traits led to their easy
breaking when caught in the wild, even some mature ones,
as they were often reported to be more relaxed and easier
to handle than horses used for years after only a few days.
Body Type
As this 'breed' has been developed from a wide variety of
breeds common to North America, from ponies through Western,
English and Gaited saddle horses and into various draft
breeds, there are many body types. Regardless of type, they
tend to be compact, solid boned and strong and often have
only five vertebrae in the lumbar region.
Feet
The feet tend to be rounder than most breeds, relatively
small, often black and very hard.
Genetics
The curly gene comes in at least two types, dominant and
recessive and possibly a third which is incompletely dominant.
None of these can be distinguished for sure by looking at
the horse. The gene preferred by breeders is the dominant
one. In some lines it appears that both homozygous dominant
or recessives can demonstrate more extreme expression -
tighter curls in winter, less hair in summer and seasonally
balding mane and tail which may indicate that what has been
believed to be dominant is actually an incomplete dominant.
This is not an absolute rule, however, as some homozygous
dominant horses have a full mane and tail year round. Some
horses known to be heterozygous have shown extreme expression.
There is much yet to be learned about the genetics of the
curly horse.
Metabolic Idiosyncrasies
In addition to the visible differences of the Curly horse
to other breeds, there the calm temperament seems to pass
with the curly gene. However that does not mean they will
tolerate abuse, because they will rebel if mistreated. Other
traits have been claimed to the Curly horse, however they
may more reflect the early choices of mates than actual
Curly characteristics as the were most frequently bred by
ranchers wanting working cow horses - small, nimble, intelligent,
strong with high endurance and calm. Horses between 14 and
15.2 hands best fit this need, along with strong bone and
compact, but sturdy build. The dense bone and short back
is also found among Arabs and Spanish Mustangs - common
progenitors of the Curly Horse. One thing we do know is
that their blood chemistries, RBC counts and T4 levels are
similar to matched straight breed horses with the normally
expected random variation. More results from ongoing research
will help address the other myths so we can separate facts
from non representative information.
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The First Curlies
There are no proven theories on the history of how this
breed popped up in the American Mustang herds, but there
is a great deal of circumstantial evidence that dates back
around 2,000 years. There have been pictures of horse herds
in China in the 2nd century AD depicting curly horses along
with horses of many other styles and colours. How far before
that they were valued, we have no definitive record. Apparently
the Mongols rode curly horses, considering them of very
high value due to their hardiness and steadfast personality.
Those of high rank were most likely to be found on a Curly.
When one thinks about it, the characteristics of the Curly
exactly suit it to the environment in Mongolia, a harsh,
high altitude, plains type environment with rocks, ice,
dramatic daily temperature variations, and little forage.
Survival Value of Curly Traits in the Mongolian
Environment
There would be few predators, with the climate being the
big equalizer. Those animals who burned little excess energy
being flighty would have the best chance to survive their
greatest threats to life - either hyper or hypo thermia
depending on the time of day and year. Being co-operative
with other species (including man) allowed the horse to
share natural aptitudes for the increased survival of all.
Wide vision is of little use in forested environs, but is
of great value in the open spaces of plains, steppes and
deserts. Small nostrils would more easily be closed to storms
- ice, snow or sand. A coat that would adequately shield
the animal from the bitter, windy winters would need a full,
balding shed in the summer to prevent excessive matting.
This is seen in many species from extreme climates, such
as buffalo, camels, yaks, wisent, musk ox and in ice age
animals such as the mammoth. Buffalo and camels in particular
share the soft, thick curling coat of the Curly horse in
winter, with the bald look in the summer. Also to increase
winter heat preservation, a stocky body with an extra fat
cover for winter is more efficient than a svelte streamlined
physique. The hard hooves and dense bone would help the
horse get around on the uneven, rocky and icy terrain without
excessive leg fractures and hoof deterioration. The high
number of red blood cells that mammals of many species develop
when living in high altitudes, in conjunction with the increased
respiratory and heart rate allow the horse to achieve maximum
oxygenation of the muscles, in high altitudes and under
exertion. With little forage available, the small, sensitive
mouth would more effectively pick off whatever was available
to eat. The number of RBCs develop in response to the environment
and remain similar to straight coated horses at lower altitudes
as well.
Emigration to Russia and surrounding nations
These were the tough horses the Mongols rode into war both
to the North and the West. When battles were lost, horses
would also be lost. Trading may also have occurred. Through
the territory of the old Soviet Union, there were many breeds
of horses sporting a curly coat including the Lokai and
Bashkir Curly.
Potential of emigration to North America
via the Bering Strait
At the time the American Bashkir Curly was named, The
Bashkir Curly was the only breed that had been identified
as curly and it was assumed that the breed had somehow migrated
to North America, although there is no record of that happening,
nor any genetic similarity to horses from the Bashkira region.
It still remains a possibility. Some North American Natives
in the early 1800's described the Curly horse as the horse
that came before the horse. It was described as always having
been very rare. The Natives often referred to the Curly
horse as the 'Buffalo' horse. Whether this is because the
horse ran with the buffalo for the mutual benefit of both
species, because its coat resembled a buffalo's coat, because
they were good buffalo hunting horses, or for all of these
reasons is not fully known.
Emigration to the Middle East
In the wars to the west, among the Mongol's enemies were
the Arabs and Turks. The Lokai, a curly horse that appears
to share many physical characteristics with the North American
Curly Horse has a history of several hundred years, and
are native to the area north of Afghanistan, thus between
Mongolia and the Middle East. It is difficult to accurately
trace the history, but there is evidence that Arabs, Barbs
and Turkish horses may have had curly haired horses in past
centuries, and may, in fact, have highly valued them. With
their hardiness and steadfastness in war, the Curly may
often have been the choice for the Chieftains and may have
been held in high esteem. Given that the Arab and the Barocque
horses share many attributes with the Curly, the potential
of those early horses the Spanish imported providing the
early Curly influence is quite likely. The fact that there
is a history of curly horses in South America deriving from
those Spanish horses adds more credence to that theory.
Survival value of Curly Characteristics
in the Desert
The Arab also has wide set eyes, small nostrils, short backs
with only 5 lumbar vertebrae, dense round bone and hard
hooves, all of which are of equal benefit on the desert
as in Mongolia. The chunky body was not needed as Arabian
horses did not face the extreme cold the Mongolian horses
did. The camel type coat would have benefited the horse
as much as it did the camel in withstanding the diurnal
extremes of temperature experienced in desert conditions.
The Arab is also noted historically as a personable, intelligent,
co-operative horse that is very hardy and has high stamina.
Arab Influence on Many Breeds
The Arab is far and away the top breed known for endurance
riding and is both eye catching and effective in most light
horse disciplines. It crosses well with almost any breed,
and is the basis for a wide variety of relatively new breeds.
Among its offshoots is the Spanish Barb, which is the foundation
of many breeds in its own right. As far as can be determined,
the Arab Curlies had both the recessive and dominant genes
in their gene pool. The dominant gene was easy to procreate
when it was desired because only one gene was needed to
produce the curly coat. That attribute also made it the
easiest to eliminate because carriers were clearly visible
and could be avoided in a breeding program. Since the curly
coat is not always as attractive as the sleeker straight
coat, there may be some association between two curly genes
and lack of mane and tail, and the winter curls and dreadlocks
type mane could be hard to groom, breeders in the more temperate
climate choose to avoid introducing the dominant curly gene
into their breeds.
Hidden Recessive Curly Gene Transfer
Although horses with a history of curly were avoided, the
recessive gene can hide for many generations and has frequently
popped up in many of these new breeds as chance has led
to two carriers being bred together. Breeds where this is
known to have happened include the Percheron, Quarter Horse
and the Missouri Foxtrotter. There are also dominant genes
in the MFT. There were some in the Quarter Horse as well,
but they were denied registration in the QH registry, so
the dominant gene has been eliminated.
Transfer to various breeds through the
Spanish Barb
The Spanish Barb and the Turk probably shared both the dominant
and recessive gene pool with the Arab. As the settlers of
the new world recognized the harshness of the climate, Curlies
may well have been given preferential consideration to send
across the ocean. The Barb was the progenitor of many North
and South American breeds. Some, such as the Paso Fino,
have Curly coats show up not infrequently. The wild mustang
owes most of its heritage to the Barb and Turk.
Questions on genetic 'correctness'
This is where the question becomes interesting. How much
of the Curly gene in the wild herds goes back to the Barb,
and how much, if any, goes back to possible migrations across
the Bering Strait of the original Mongolian type horse?
The answer is of some importance, because in the re-creation
of the breed, the breeders would like to know what to shoot
for. Did the recessive curly coat seen in Quarter Horses
come from the Barb and/or the Mongolian influence in the
Mustang or the Arab influence from cross breeding or a combination?
The dominant gene is currently considered more 'true type'
than the recessive, but is it? There is a story that a rancher
imported some curly horses from the Lokai region in the
late 1800's to turn in with the mustangs, so there may be
some direct influence of the Lokai in the BLM Curlies. No
definitive proof has been found for that
Value of the Curly to the Natives of North
America
However the Curly arrived in North America, it was highly
valued by the Natives and was the chosen horse for Medicine
Men and Chieftains for the same reason the high ranking
Arabs and Mongolians valued their Curlies. In fact it was
considered sacred by some tribes and bred in isolation.
It is believed that the Natives have retained some herds
and are breeding them in areas well hidden from the White
Man. Both rock drawings and word of mouth history supports
this.
Destruction of Curly Horses by White Man
Unfortunately White Man didn't appreciate the finer qualities
of the Curly horse, believing their curly hair and relatively
calm disposition were signs of liver disease. This led to
their preferential slaughter. It wasn't until a few ranchers,
Benny Damele in the lead, recognized the increased vigour
of these horses and made an effort to preserve the few who
were left.
Resurrection of interest in the Curly by
White Settlers
The Dameles first saw Curlies in the 1800's and were intrigued
by them. In the 1900's they captured some and trained them.
The added value of Curly vigour quickly changed them from
novelty status to highly prized during two extreme winters
when the Curlies survived under conditions which killed
most of the other stock. Benny Damele then decided to develop
the breed by purposely breeding for Curlies, starting with
the only colt who had survived the severe winter, Copper
D. The other Curlies that had survived were geldings. Perhaps
recognizing some of the similarities to the Arab, and wanting
to increase the genetic base with quality genetics, they
used an Arab stallion, Nevada Red, and a Morgan, Ruby Red
King, to expand their stock horse Curly herds. The American
Bashkir Curly Registry was established around 1973.
Development of the Curly Breed in North
America
With the interest in the Curly increasing, BLM horses that
were curly became in demand. Their new owners discovered
that within only a few days of their capture these horses
were often more calm and trustworthy than horses worked
for years. A large number, if not all, of today's registered
Curly horses have BLM horses in their backgrounds. Other
methods used to increase the genetic pool included cross
breeding to just about anything. Naturally occurring Curlies
from any breed were originally included in the stud book,
although they are no longer. Since Curlies in other breeds
are all believed to be recessive, and the dominant gene
is the one more sought after, using those bloodlines is
now frowned upon.
Current position of the Curly in North
America
By 1998 there were approximately 2500 horses that had been
registered in the permanent stud book, and a further 350
in the half bred stud book. 2000 is the last year foals
may be registered as half bred so they may be bred up. As
of 2001 all foals having only one ABC registered parent
will be considered cross bred Curlies and will have to be
registered in an alternative studbook to the ABC. Currently
the ACHA offers these horses an alternative. Should a new
influx of bloodlines be required for the health of the breed
in the future, specific individuals may be chosen from that
group to enhance the breed, however the current intent is
that they never be eligible for inclusion in the ABC studbook.
As with the part Arab registry, the ACHA will remain a registry
to track quality individuals, recognizing the pre potency
of Curly traits in crosses with any other type of horse.In
2000 another registry sprouted, the International Curly
Horse Organization (ICHO) with the goal of researching the
facts of this many faceted horse, developing several breeds
of North American Curly Horse appropriate for a wide variety
of disciplines and, as the International suggests, supporting
the development of Curly horses overseas. The breed evolution
will be done using the widely used genetic standard of progressive
generational steps that involves some level of inspection
or evaluation for inclusion. ICHO is also open to all curlies,
and straight offspring of dominant curlies in an open studbook.
Future of the Curly Horse
The Curly's hypoallergenic characteristic, the calm, trainability
of their personality, their natural vigour, and their versatility
for just about any discipline should assure this coat type
a continuously growing niche in the horse industry.
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