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American Bashkir Curly |
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American Bashkir Curly |
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Discovered in 1898 by a young Peter Damele and his father, three curly head of Mustang horses ranged in the remote high country of central Nevada, near Austin. They had tight curly ringlets over their entire bodies. During the 1930s there had been a harsh winter which had turned into a grueling and lethal winter for the wild horse herds. While surveying the mountains, the Damele's realized just how hardy these horses were, for amazingly they fared that harsh winter best. The family believed these horses to be an exceptionally hardy breed and brought them to their ranch to begin raising them. When Peter passed away in 1981 at age 90, his son Benny inherited the family's love for the curly-coated horses, continuing to breed them for ranch work and offering a few for sale. Many of the Curlies in the U.S. can be traced to this herd.
There is speculation as to the origin of these horses or how they arrived on this continent. The Russians may have brought them when they settled Alaska and the Western coast, but perhaps the Mongols (long linked to the Navajo) may have brought them via the Bering Strait over the ice in the 1300s. Both the Mongols and the Navajo Indians in the old times called their curly horses by the same name - hedatsa. If this theory is correct, that would put the Curlies in America before the Spanish horses, and they are possibly the oldest breed of modern times in the United States. These horses would have been able to withstand the rigors of the winters better than the other breeds. Due to this fact and since most of them were found in the wild in the Northwest, some feel that they may not be related to the Spanish horses which came in through the Southwest.
This is most certainly an ancient breed, and curly-coated horses have been depicted in early Chinese art and statuary. Many closely related sister breed developed along the old Silk Road, which was the caravan route for exchange of goods between China and Persia. Many curly-coated individuals popped up in the Oriental breeds, and they have also been reported in Europe in the early 1800s. It is believed by some that the gene responsible for the curly coat was spread from the Orient, through North Africa and carried by the Barb population to arrive in the United States through the Spanish horses.
There are references that South American curly-coated horses date back to 1739, occurring in Brazil and Argentina, appearing in the Criollos and baguales (South American mustangs). It was noted that they all had a mane and tail which were also curly and much shorter than those of common horses. The curly-coated horses perpetuated themselves, creating a race of hybrids and passing along their characteristics. Breeders disliked these characteristics by gelding and eliminating as many as they could. Even then, curly-coated foals would be born out of common parents.
Curly-coated horses were the favored mounts of the Sioux and Crow Indians, and drawings were found in caves of the Plains Indians depicting the curly horses. Sioux Chief Red Cloud drew pictures of the braves and their horses to describe the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and among them were clearly defined figures of curly-coated horses. A curly-coated horse was exhibited by P.T. Barnum in the late 1840s. Curlies have been featured in Western Horseman (letters from readers in the 1940s), and in Ripley's Believe-it-or-Not (in a letter from a Colorado man about a "fur-covered" horse). The horsemen of 50 years ago came across these horses frequently, many recalling their shaggy and unkempt appearance.
Curlies have been raised for generations in the Ural Mountains of Russia by the Bashkiri people. The Lokai breed of Russia, known to have individuals with appaloosa markings, also produce offspring with curly coats. These ponies are thought to descend from the Tarpan (a primitive influence for freedom of action) and Przewalski's Horse (providing a dominant gene for stamina). These horses were bred by the Bashkiri people for centuries and are used for both riding and driving. They are ruggedly built horses able to pull the large Russian sleighs, Troikas, for more than 75 miles a day over snow. They were also used to make clothing, and for meat and milk.
Bashkir, or Bashkirshy pony, mares are often kept in milking herds in their native country, and have been known to produce 3 to 6 gallons of milk a day. This is highly prized milk, and as well as standard uses of milk, cream and butter, it is also made into a delicious cheese. The milk may also may be fermented into kumiss, which is used as an intoxicating drink and for medicinal purposes. Older animals are used for meat, and the hide is used to make clothing. The long, curly hairs can be spun into cloth. The Bashkiri don't even waste the bones.
There are two types of Curlies which developed in Russia, a smaller mountain type pony and a larger steppe type horse. The difference may have occurred due to the amount and type of feed available in their respective areas. The curly coat may grow from 4-6" long in extremely cold climates. This characteristic, along with the extra layer of fat unique to the breed, these ponies are able to withstand harsh conditions and survive on scant rations. The ponies do not roam far, even when they are on open range, and they are extremely sure-footed in rough terrain and can work at very high altitudes. With noticeably small nostrils, the intake of frigid air is limited and controlled, this also aiding them in coping with the cold. They tend to breathe a little faster than other breeds at work, but it does not affect their endurance. They can cool out rapidly, and their pulse and respiration returns to normal quickly. These ponies are predominantly chestnut colored, but they are also found in bay and light brown, and some sources also list palomino and dun.
The American Bashkir Curly Registry was established in 1971 to promote education about the breed and to prevent these horses from becoming extinct. Until then, many of these priceless horses were being slaughter in ignorance. When establishing breed traits, the list of these highly unusual traits proved them to be a true breed and not just a freak of nature, and the breed was named after the Bashkiri people of Russia who raised Curlies for centuries.
Coat. Curlies have been called "the pony with a Toni," "buffalo ponies" and "fur-covered ponies." Mane hair is usually very fine and soft, and quite kinky. In summertime, they can completely shed out the mane, and sometimes the tail hair, which grows back in winter. The body coat also sheds out in the summer, leaving them with wavy or fairly straight hair on the body. Curly coats return in late fall, and several winter coats patterns have been observed. Some of the winter coat patterns are a crushed velvet effect, a perfect marcel wave or extremely tight ringlets over the entire body. Unlike the round hairs of other horses, Curlies are said to have oval hairs. These horses also seem to be hypoallergenic. People who find themselves allergic to horses find they are not allergic to Curlies (quite similar to allergic cat lovers and the Rex cats). A dominant "curly" gene makes it possible to get curly-coated foals from curly-coated parents, but there is also a recessive gene which occasionally causes curly-coated foals out of straight-coated breeds, pony to draft. Curly-coated foals, whether they are from dominant or recessive genes, all seem to carry most of the same basic traits, many of which do not fit the norm for other breeds.
Color. Having been outcrossed with other breeds because of their scarcity, they are found in all colors including Appaloosa and Pinto patterns. Flaxen legs occur on most sorrels, which is very unusual for other breeds. The basic color of the breed in Russia is sorrel. Crosses with Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses are not allowed in the Registry.
Conformation. Curlies resemble the early day Morgan in conformation, and they are of medium size, ranging form 14 to 15 hands high. A number of traits, including the fact that many are without ergots, have been found linking them to the primitive horse. Some horses have small, soft chestnuts. Eyes have somewhat of an unusual Oriental slant to them, creating a sleepy look for these horses of proud carriage. They are very alert and not lazy, most moving at a running walk or fox trot. Hooves are black, unusually tough and almost perfectly round in shape, and the horses cannot be shown in shoes in the arena. Even Curlies with white legs will still have black hooves. There is an exceptionally high concentration of red blood cells, and Curlies have stout round-boned cannon, straight legs that also move straight, flat knees, strong hocks. They have a short back which indicates 5 lumbar vertebrae, a round rump, powerful shoulders and a round barrel. Foals are born with tick, krinkly coats and have curly eyelashes.
Disposition. Calm and extremely gentle, many have been taken off the open range as fully grown animals. Within a day or two, sometimes an hour or two, they are gentler than horses which have been handled for years. Curlies have a curious nature and prefer to face the unknown rather than run from it. They do not resort to flight when frightened, but tend to freeze in a tight spot so they seldom get themselves hurt, even if they get caught in barbed wire. Curlies delight in human companionship.
Performance Ability. They are found to be good on trails, and in either English or Western riding. They are successful in competition against other breeds in everything from barrel racing and jumping to gaited pleasure, working with cattle, and competitive and endurance trail riding. Some Curlies are gaited.
The American Curlies were once ridiculed for their curls, said to be a 'mark of ill-breeding.' Now owners of these unique horses realize that they posses descendants of a rare breed. Curlies have participated in the New Year's Rose Bowl Parade each of the past 11 (or more) years. There has also been a representative of the breed in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. It doesn't matter how these horses can to the North American continent, they have played an important role in our national heritage and history.
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© 1997-2007
NW Breyer Horse Club & Refiner of Gold Creations Equinealities in place since 1997, Section in place 2001, Updated 3/13/2007 |
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