A very rare breed of horse, with less than 4000 registered worldwide,
I am often asked "What is a Curly Horse?" Curlies, as they are affectionately called, are a breed of horse who have
a curly winter coat. Some individuals retain a little curl in the summer. Almost all of today's Curlies can
trace their ancestry back to horses the Crow and Sioux Indians had as early as the 1700's (and probably much earlier).
These Native Americans considered the Curly Horse to be sacred, and referred to them as "buffalo ponies" due to the resemblance
of their curly winter coats to the coat of the American Bison (buffalo) coats. For more information on the early
Native American history of these horses, click here
Today, there are Curly Horse breeders and owners across the United States
and Canada, and Curlies have also been exported to several European countries. There are
still a few wild Curlies in the feral horse herds of the northern and western U.S.
There are two main registries,
Altho' the curly winter coat is certainly what first catches the eye
about these horses, it is their intelligent, curious, calm dispositions that win over the hearts of their owners.
They are very versatile, and there are Curlies who are pony-sized, draft-sized, stock horse type, sport horse type and gaited
saddle horse type. They come in every horse color. Curlies can be found competing in almost every discipline,
from endurance and trails to hunter/jumper and dressage. An added bonus is that most Curlies are hypoallergenic,
allowing horse lovers with allergies to finally enjoy owning and riding a horse.
