The unusual, curly coat of the Bashkir Curly Horse is the most obvious distinction of this interesting breed. It has, however, many other unique characteristics.
Physically, they’re easy keepers with unusual strength and endurance. An extra layer of fat allows them to better withstand cold weather. Their tough, nearly round black hooves rarely need shoes. They also have higher white and red blood cell counts than other breeds, a higher rate of respiration, a shorter back (only five vertebrae), and wide-set eyes for better rear vision. Their disposition is generally gentle and loving, with a keen intelligence and a dependable, trusting nature. They’re typically confident and will turn and face what startles them rather than spooking and running.
The coat of the Curly ranges from extremely tight curls over the entire body, to a looser wave, and even a crushed velvet effect. The winter coat is typically consists of long curls throughout the body, as long as four to six inches in extremely cold climates. Curlies have a split mane that leaves curly ringlets hanging on both sides of the neck. For summer, the long body coat is shed, leaving a lighter wavy or fairly straight body coat. Curlies also may shed the mane partially or completely, and sometimes even the tail hair is shed for summer, with thick regrowth by the following winter. Foals are as distinctive in appearance as their parents with their thick, curly coats, curls inside their ears and curly eyelashes.
Because there're just aren't that many of them here, Curlies in America have been outcrossed with other breeds. As a result, the Curly color patterns have expanded to include all common horse colors and patterns, including pinto and appaloosa. These outcrosses also have resulted in some Curly foals without the characteristic hair. These straight-haired offspring still are considered part of the Curly breed since they generally exhibit most or all of the other breed traits.
The trademark Curly hair itself is more like mohair than typical horse hair. It’s fine, soft and can be handspun into yarn or felted into hats or other items. The structure of the hair itself is oval instead of flat, and is barbed and feathered instead of smooth, which makes it more suitable for spinning into yarn
Another unique feature of the Curly
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