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The exact origins of the Bashkir Curly are unknown, but they're believed to have descended from the Lokai horse, bred in the Tadjik region of Russia between and Afghanistan, in the area of the Khyber Pass. Curlies are a very ancient breed, they have been depicted in Chinese art as early as 161AD. They have been in North America for at least 200 years. No one really knows how they got there though.
The modern day history of American Bashkir Curly dates to 1898, when young Peter Damele (Duh-mel'ly) and his father were riding the Peter Hanson mountain range in the remote high country of Central Nevada, near Austin. Peter, who passed away in 1981 at age 90, could vividly recall the strange sight they saw of three horses with tight curly ringlets over their entire bodies. It was intriguing to both father and son as to where these horses had come from and just why they were there, questions that as you can see are still not answered. However, from that day to this, there have always been curly-coated horses on the Damele range, and Peter's son, Benny Damele, continued to breed them for his ranch work. Many of the Bashkir Curly in the U.S. can be traced to the Damele herd.
What makes the Bashkir Curly unique among other breeds of horses and ponies is their distinct curly coat. The coat can be made up of tight ringlets to a perfect marble wave to a crushed velvet effect. One especially odd feature of the breed is the fact that they can completely shed out the mane hair (and sometimes even the tail hair) each summer, to grow back during the winter. Even though the mane hair is usually extremely fine and soft, it is quite kinky, and this ability to shed the mane is perhaps nature's way of coping with the corkscrew curls, as it would become quite impossible to manage if it became matted through years of growth. Too, their body coat sheds out in the summer and they become wavy or fairly straight on their body, with their distinctive winter coat returning in late fall.
Curlies can come in all common horse colors. These include Appaloosa and Pinto patterns. Physically they are of medium size, somewhat resembling the early day Morgan in conformation, and a number of traits have been found in this unique breed that links them to primitive horses. Many individuals have been found without ergots. Some have small, soft chestnuts. Their eyes have the wide set eyes characteristic of Oriental breeds. This is said to give them a wider range of vision. They are described as having tough, black hoofs are almost perfectly round in shape; an exceptionally high concentration of red blood cells; stout round-bone cannon; straight legs that also move straight; flat knees; strong hocks; short back which indicates five lumbar vertebrae; round rump without crease or dimple; powerful rounded shoulders; V'd chest and round barrel. The foals arrive with thick, crinkly coats, curls inside their ears and curly eyelashes. Bashkirs are able to do every disipline, from Jumping to Barrel Racing.
Bashkirs also have a wonderful personality. They learn very quickly, and are very intelligent horses. Bashkirs don't spook, they will turn and face the thing that scared them. Curlies love everybody, and some people say that if they are taken wild from a herd, they are calmer than trained horses.
Bashkir Curlies are very easy horses to take care of. They have extremely hard hooves, so they don't need to ever be shod (even in competition). Bashkirs are hardy, and giving them grain can make them colic or die, they can live off of grass hay and regular grass. They should not be given grain at all. Curlies can withstand almost anything, and *do not* need *any* vaccinations. It may seem strange, but Curlies are almost never sick. They have the possibility of having a severe reaction to the shot, contracting the disease they're being vaccinated for (if they get vaccinated), and/or dying. The only thing (as in food/vet/farrier) you need to do for your Curly is trim their feet once in a while, buy them hay, and give them general check-ups without shots.