You Have a What? The Horse with the Permanent Wave - The American Bashkir Curly Horse

The American Bashkir Curly Horse is a hardy breed with a wide variety of curly coat types that range from a crushed velvet effect to a perfect Marcel wave; or from extremely tight ringlets to long spiral curls; or to no apparent curl at all. The latter coat type is called a Smooth-Coated Curly and may or may not produce Curly horses themselves. The breed's name was inspired from a photo of a curly coated Bashkir horse from Russia that was printed in the 1938 March issue of the Nature magazine entitled "The Evolution of the Horses".

In this unique breed, there are dominant and recessive curly genes and either of these makes it possible to get curly-coated foals to show up in normally straight-coated breeds - from pony to draft horse. Oddly, the curly coated foals, whether from the dominant or the recessive version of gene, all seem to carry most of the same basic traits and many of these traits do not fit the norm for other breeds. Some Missouri Foxtrotters carry a dominant Curly gene through the lineage of *Curly Jim and the breed also carries the recessive curly gene. Percherons also carry the recessive gene. The American Bashkir Curly transmits this curly characteristic to its offspring about fifty percent of the time even when mated to horses without the curly coat. A horse that is homozygous for the dominant version of the curly gene does not appear to have any undesirable effects.

But where these genes originated is a mystery. What is known is that curly horses have been depicted in art and statuary in early China as far back as 161 AD and there has been evidence of their presence in South America and Europe. The earliest recorded Curly Horses in North America were with Native Americans during the Winter Count of 1801-1802.  The Sioux had stolen some Curly horses from the Crow which placed these tribes at the Standing Rock Cheyenne River Reservation at the mouth of the Grand River. A significant location of Curly Horses today has been traced to Indian Reservations in the Dakotas and many Curlies have been acquired from the wild American Mustang herds. They have been domesticated, bred and raised by ranchers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

One theory for how curly horses ended up roaming with the mustangs is that Russian Bashkir Curly horses came with Russian colonists during the 1700’s, but research that included consultations with Russian scientists, the Moscow Zoo and the Soviet Union's Ministry of Agriculture has determined that there were no curly haired horses from the Bashkir region and no proof of the gene originating in Russian Bashkir horses. Another theory is that ancestors of the Curly Horse crossed the land bridge during the last Ice Age, but there is no fossil evidence to support that until reintroduction of horses to this hemisphere by the Spanish. Yet another theory is that the gene came from the Lokai horses of the Tajikistan region of Russia which sometimes display the curly coat, but there was no mention of importation of horses in ships' logs when the Russian settlers arrived in North America. Several other theories have failed to be proven or simply remain untested.

Blood typing on 200 Curly horses in the Serology Lab at University of California-Davis could not confirm the Bashkir Curly as a genetically distinct breed. Instead, the typing showed that many breeds have been used, particularly Quarter Horses and Morgan Horses. The rare and unusual variants that did emerge from the testing are found only in those breeds that are based on feral herds with no single common blood marker being found.

Fortunately, more is known about the modern American Bashkir Curly Horse which dates back to 1898, when Peter Damele and his father were out riding in the remote Peter Hanson Mountains in the high country of Central Nevada near Austin.  Peter remembered seeing 3 horses with tight curly ringlets over their entire bodies and it intrigued them both. From that day forward, there were always curly-coated horses on the Damele range and many of the Bashkir Curly Horses in the U.S. can be traced back to that Damele herd.

The American Bashkir Curly Registry (ABCR) was established in 1971 when the founders discovered that many of them, through ignorance, were being slaughtered. In January 2000, the registry was closed and only the offspring of two ABC registered Curly Horses can be registered. Currently there are less than 4,000 registered Curly Horses living in the world. When the ABCR founders began the process of establishing breeding traits for the association by asking U.S. owners to list the characteristics unique to the Bashkir Curly, several interesting features of the breed emerged when the data was compiled.

American Bashkir Curly Horses stand 13.3 hands to 16 hands, but average 15 hands and their average weight is 800 to 1200 pounds. Due to the many breeds involved in outcrossing, the breed comes in all colors including Appaloosa and Pinto and has many different physical conformations. It is expected that this cross-breed influence will continue for the next 5 to 10 generations of Curly-­to-Curly breeding until a uniform type is finally established.  However, these offspring will all be registered as long as they meet ABCR criteria.

Many Curlies with white legs have black hooves that are unusually tough and hard and almost perfectly round in shape and many Curlies are not shod. They also have stout roundbone cannons; straight legs that also move straight and flat knees. They have a noticeably short back of five lumbar vertebrae and a round rump without a crease or dimple. They seem to have an exceptionally high concentration of red blood cells.

The foals are born with thick, crinkly coats, curls inside their ears and long up-curled eyelashes. They are born with an unusually affectionate disposition and insist on being friendly. They delight in human companionship and love to be talked to. When excited or at play, the foals trot with their tails absolutely straight in the air.

The American Bashkir Curly coat is considered hypo-allergenic to people who are allergic to horses, but the reason why is still under study. It may be because the Curly Horse's hair is different or that the proteins in their skin are different. It has been proven that flat hair is curly, yet the Bashkir Curly's hairs are round. They are also barbed or feathered underneath a microscope and can be spun and woven into yarn. The hair is more closely related to mohair, than to horsehair.

One especially odd feature of the breed is the fact that they can completely shed out the mane and tail hair each summer, along with their body coat and their summer coat is wavy or fairly straight on their bodies, with the distinctive and more pronounced curly winter coat returning in late fall. They have a double mane which splits down the middle leaving curly ringlets hanging on both sides of the neck. Oddly, the ears do not totally shed out in the summer.

Many traits have been found that links them to primitive horses, such as some have no ergots and others have small soft chestnuts. They have wide-set eyes that have a slant that is characteristic of the Oriental breeds and that gives them a wider range of peripheral vision. These eyes also give them a sleepy expression that is deceiving since they are very alert.

American Bashkir Curly Horses do not run away when frightened, but are naturally curious and prefer to face the unknown. If they sense danger, they prefer to kick rather than run and will not tolerate abuse. They also tend to freeze when in a tight spot, so they seldom get themselves hurt, even if caught in a barbed wire fence.

The American Bashkir Curly Horse is a no-nonsense versatile breed that has an uncanny ability to do everything asked of it. It is usually highly intelligent, learns quickly and has a remarkable memory for both good and bad experiences. The breed is actively used in most equine disciplines from western riding and rodeo, to jumping, dressage and driving, and they are wonderful with children due to their gentle nature.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Icelandic - Is it a Pony or is it a Horse?

Known by many names such as Islenzki Hesturinn, Icelandic Toelter Horse, Iceland Tölter, and its own country's name, Islandpferde, the Icelandic Horse has lived in Iceland since the Nordic pioneers arrived in 865 A.D. and it has been purebred since the 10th century. Since the horse is sacred in Norse mythology, this horse is the only breed in Iceland because of an ancient Viking law disallowing any other horses into the country, and that law is still upheld today. Once an Icelandic Horse has been taken out of Iceland it can never return. Additionally, only unused horse equipment may be brought into the country. This is to prevent an outbreak of equine disease which could decimate the population on the tiny island. Diseases are almost unknown among Icelandic horses that may not be able to fend off something new. But it is this isolation which has led to the breed's purity. Outside Iceland, the genetic purity of the horses is carefully maintained through national registries in each country to track the breed according to strict regulations of the Icelandic government.

Comparisons between the Icelandic horse at the time of the settlement of Iceland, and the ancient Norwegian and German horses show them to have similar bone structures, and it is possible that there was a separate species of horse, Equus scandianavicus, found in those areas. These Scandinavian horses were later crossed with other European breeds, but not in Iceland, and so the breed remained pure on the island. During the time that the Vikings took the horses to Iceland, the easy gaits were common throughout horse breeds in Europe, but the Icelandic Horse genotype is very different from other European horse populations, so theories of them having Shetland blood, Highland or Eriskay blood are not likely to be true.

The Icelandic is classified as a horse, not as a pony. This is because it is the only equine in Iceland and there is not a word for "pony" in the language, therefore it's called a horse. But of the 27 characteristics that apply to all pony breeds, all of them apply to Icelandic Horses. So, if someone calls it an Icelandic Pony, they are biologically correct.

In the early 1900's the Icelandic horse was used extensively for transportation and as a work horse to clear fields and herd livestock. The first breed societies for the Icelandic Horse were formed in 1904 with the first registry being formed in 1923. Then in the early 20th century, automobiles came to Iceland and because the horses were considered obsolete, much of the breed was slaughtered en masse until the 1940's and 1950's. Fortunately, rescue organizations worked to protect the Icelandic breed and exported many horses to new homes outside of the country while establishing legal protections for the equines within Iceland. Forty years ago, there were no Icelandic Horses in continental Europe, but now there are 100,000. Only about 3,000 are in the United States but it is a growing breed with more being imported all the time. Around 80,000 Icelandic horses remain in Iceland.

The Icelandic Horse has been rediscovered in its native country and is recognized as a unique family and sport horse in modern Iceland where they are now highly prized and used for recreational riding much more than for fieldwork. Despite its small size, averaging 12.2 to 14.2 hands tall, this Viking Horse is tough enough to carry a 300-pound man and can bear 1.6 times its own weight. The Icelandic Horse can be used in various activities from riding, jumping, dressage and driving. Traditional Icelandic tack (which resembles English tack) is recommended since this style fits the breed physically and allows the horse to move correctly although they are able to perform well under other types of equipment.

Although breeding for show and riding is the main objective, breeding for meat production is also occurring. Horse meat was once a very valuable product, but due to increased competition and decreased popularity much of the meat is now exported to Japan.

Icelandic Horses love to swim and this is a prime example of its gentleness and strength. It is a nice break on a hot summer day and the horse will gently carry its passenger as it swims swiftly and easily through the water with its powerful legs, through a calm lake, a river, or even an ocean. In winter, Icelandic Horses are shod with studs on their shoes. In areas where it is cold enough to ride a horse across frozen lakes, the Icelandic is able to perform all five gaits on sheer ice.

Ponying is the practice of riding one horse while leading others to exercise them or to allow the rider to switch horses when the ridden horse gets tired. The rider is usually in the center with horses being led on either side. Most breeds demand personal space and won't cooperate well with this closeness, but Icelandic horses naturally bond and travel in communities so they allow this joyful exercise.

Because Iceland has no predators, but instead has quicksand, rock slides, volcanoes, etc, the ability to assess a situation intelligently rather than run away from it appears to have been central to the horse's survival. Since they have no fear of living things, they seek strong attachments to people and are quite nurturing and affectionate.

Icelandics cannot be ridden until age 5; stop growing at age 7, and perform best when in their twenties. Broodmares often produce foals well into their late 20's. Even though they mature later, they live longer than most breeds, with 35-40 years being common. The oldest living horse, Thulla, was an Icelandic who died at age 57 when she stopped eating after her elderly owner passed away. This dramatically attests to the phenomenal bonding capabilities of the Icelandic Horse.

Some of the desirable conformation points of an Icelandic horse are a long neck and a full, thick mane, forelock and tail. Their manes and tails are so full and the hair is so coarse that it rarely tangles. The Icelandic coat is sleek in the summer and fuzzy like a teddy bear in the winter, but the abundant flowing mane and tail are kept year round. Over 42 different color patterns and combinations, including white and pinto are acceptable for the Icelandic horse, with only the Appaloosa markings missing from the mix.

Icelandic horses are five-gaited and their greatest asset is the extra surefootedness added by the horse’s ability to move its feet in any order which allows them to maneuver safely through all kinds of terrain. In addition to the Walk, Trot and Canter, the Icelandic horse has two unique gaits and is one of the few horses known to be ridden and driven in all five basic gaits. The Tölt, or single-foot, is an amazingly smooth gait where all four feet move in the same independent pattern as in the walk but with higher action and more speed; like an accelerated high stepping running walk that is smooth and flowing that some equestrians compare to racking. Tölting is often performed carrying full beer mugs without spilling a drop and is a trademark of the breed.

The Flying Pace, known variously as Skeith, skeio or skold, is a lateral gait where the front and hind legs on the same side move forward and back at the same time with such speed that there is a brief period in which all four feet are off the ground as if flying. The Icelandic Horse is the only breed that performs this gait. Like the pace of the American Standardbred, the Icelandic has been clocked at 35 miles per hour, but unlike the Standardbred, the Icelandic's gait is comfortable to sit, therefore Icelandic Horses are raced at Flying Pace under saddle, not pulling a sulky. Not every Icelandic Horse displays this gait, because it requires careful development in the horse and must not be rushed before the muscles necessary for this powerful gait are fully developed. Training by any artificial methods is strictly forbidden.

All breed standards, registrations and competition activities are strictly regulated by the Föderation Europäischer Islandpferde Freunde (FEIF or International Federation of Friends of the Icelandic Horse) that was formed in 1969 to regulate the uniformity of the Icelandic breed world-wide. Currently there are 18 member countries in the FEIF. The United States Icelandic Horse Congress (USIHC) maintains the Registry of purebred Icelandic Horses in the U.S. in accordance with FEIF rules. Other Icelandic Horse organizations within a country are allowed, but only as social or promotional entities.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.