Horse
Pronunciation:
bash-keer kur-lee
Breed Description:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse is one of those ancient breeds that evolved many centuries ago. Described as being both docile and intelligent, Bashkir Curlies enjoy human contact and so make excellent riding horses.
A principle feature of the Bashkir Curly is its soft, curly coat that gets exceptionally thick in winter, enabling it to live outdoors even in temperatures that plummet below zero. Its mane and tail are also exceptionally thick, and its head is huge in proportion to its relatively small body – although modern-day breeders have scaled down the head size with selective breeding.
Bashkir Curlies are found in the full range of horse colors, and sometimes throw Appaloosa blankets or Pinto patterns and coloring. The most common colors though are chestnut and bay. They have good strong legs and backs, with a powerful shoulder and a wide chest. Their hooves are hard and they don't need to be shod.
Temperament:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse has a calm and gentle nature and they are known to be very intelligent and kind. They are easy to train and ride, and are always very reliable.
Height:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse is generally small and stocky standing around 14 hands or 56 inches at the withers. The smallest recorded Curly is 13.3 hands (55 inches) and the largest 16 hands (64 inches).
Weight:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse can weigh anything from 800 to 1200 pounds, depending largely on its height.
Health Problems:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse has no known health problems and they are generally tough and hardy. Interestingly, they are hypoallergenic, which means that people who are normally allergic to animals because of their hair, are not allergic to the Bashkir Curly.
Living Conditions:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse is one of the most hardy breeds in the world, and they can survive under very harsh conditions during the winter season.
Exercise:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse often runs wild and so gets plenty of exercise. Those kept for showing require as much exercise as any other type of breed horse.
Life Expectancy:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse can well beyond 20 years.
Grooming:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse has thick ringlet-type curls running through its coat during winter time. During the summer months it will shed its curly coat and will have a wavy and smoother coat instead. Its mane and tail remain wavy or curly all year round, although the mane and sometimes the tail will shed during summer. The Bashkir Curly needs, and loves to be groomed regularly to keep the coat soft and healthy. Most people prefer not to comb the mane which splits naturally on either side of the neck.
Origin:
The Bashkir Curly breed of horse is thought to have originally evolved in Bashkiria (hence its name), an area in the southern foothills of the Ural Mountains of Russia. The Bashkir people had their own language and culture and were largely nomads who bred these unusual curly-coated horses for riding, as draft horses, and also for milk and meat.
It is not clear how the Curlies originally got to the United States, however it is known the Bashkir-type horses were ridden by American Indians in the Northwest. Some say that they ran wild as long ago as the early 19th century. However the American Bashkir Curly Registry only opened in 1971, and the Canadian Curly Horse Association was formed for than two decades later, in 1993. In 2005 it was reported that there were a mere 4,000 of the breed worldwide.
