Curly Horse Breed: There are three registries representing the Curly horse. The American Bashkir Curly Registry and the American Curly Horse Association and the International Curly Horse Organization.

"When most folks refer to curly-coated horses, they're apt to call them Bashkir Curlies. But they're not just 'Bashkirs' any more. Today the American Curly Horse Association (ACHA) and International Curly Horse Organization (ICHO), as well as the original American Bashkir Curly Registry (ABCR), register curly-coated horses and ponies. The difference? The ABCR recently closed its stud books and now registers only foals produced by two ABCR-registered parents; the ACHA and ICHO believe that further judicious outcrossing is sometimes required to produce Curlies for specific needs (sporthorses, distance horses, gaited horses, ponies, drafters and the like) so they register all good curly-coated horses and ponies irregardless of their ancestry. The ICHO even maintains a separate stud book for straight-haired individuals having at least one parent registered with any of the three groups. In fact, many of today's Curlies are double and triple registered--and some aren't 'Bashkir' at all."

More clarification from Donna Vickery, Founding President International Curly Horse Organization (CurlyHorses.org): "The use of the word bashkir is not accurate, and has been handed down for generations from a mistake made in the early 1900's by one breeder. I believe it was early 1900s ... anyway, it has caused confusion and even cross-breeding with Russian Bashkir horses with curly horses in Sweden even to this day. The Russian Bashkir is almost the opposite of a Curly horse, it is a smallish coarse horse, with a generally unpleasant disposition, and is very allergenic. For this reason, love of tradition notwithstanding, most Curly Horse breeders of today are now opting to omit the word Bashkir, to halt any further confusion for newcomers and international breeders."

Curly Horse Links

American Bashkir Curly Horse ~ BashkirCurlyLovers@egroups.com ~ CrossbredCurlies@egroups.com ~ Curls@egroups.com ~ Curly-Arabian Project ~ Curly Horses Historic Past ~ Curly Horse History ~ Curly Horse Products ~ Curly Horse Sales ~ Curly Horse Stallion Showcase ~ Historic Foundation Curly Horses ~ International Curly Horse Organization ~ Recessive Curly Haired Horses