There are three registries that recognize the Curly Horse.
 
The ABCR
accepting only curly to curly bred horses
within their registry.

The ICHO
registering all horses displaying
 curly characteristics
where one parent is a registered curly.

The CSI
"dedicated to the training,
recognition, promotion and improvement
of
Curly Sport Horses."

Curlies display a powerful hindquarters,
a noticeably short back indicating five lumbar vertebrae,
a deep rounder barrel than most other breeds,
with a deep chest and an underline
and belly that cut high into the flank.
 
Breed standards prefer a medium size head with a well-defined jaw and throatlatch.

Eyes should be wide set with a slant and display a soft, calm appearance.
The slant adds not only a greater range of vision to the rear
but gives Curlies a deceptively
"sleepy" look.
Their eyelashes generally curl up.

Their ears are short to medium in length with curls inside,
that do not totally shed out in the summer.

Curlies display heavy boned legs.
Their legs are described as having a stout round bone cannon,
that is short as compared to the forearm.
They have chestnuts and some have ergots;
it is said that those who do not are linked to the prehistoric horse.

Both their fore and hindquarters should be supple yet well muscled,
allowing for an easy, smooth travel of movement.

Curly hooves are thick walled, tough, dense,
almost perfectly round
and
should be proportionate to the size of the horse.

Curlies come from miniature size
(being bred by Ellen Bancroft of Bancroft Curlies in Washington state)
to 16H;
the ABCR recognizing sizes from 13.3 to 16H,
with some exceptions.

Then there is that hypoallergenic coat of curls,
which can be as varied the colors curlies come in.
Body hair is fine and soft and can be either in long ringlets,
a marcel wave (a soft deep wave in the coat),
crushed velvet (a dense, soft pile of curls) to none!

A kinky mane is preferred, wavy is acceptable.
In fact some Curlies will partially to completely shed their mane in the summer months.
Those who completely shed are referred to as extreme curlies.

Tails, like manes can be from ringlets to waves,
expect a partial shed at the tail head in summer
and
 up to fully shed by the extremes.

Fetlocks are expected to show curls as well.

The Curly horse is suited to a wide variety of disciplines
and
are proving their value in all arenas of competition.
They are well suited to endurance
and
 other highly athletic competition
due to not only their general conformation
and
ease of trainability,
but their unique characteristic of
quick pulse and respiration recovery.

WITH ALL THIS TO LOOK FORWARD TO,
 ISN'T IT TIME TO CONSIDER ADDING A CURLY TO YOUR BARN?!?!

Contact us at

ourbigsky@yahoo.com

to see what we have available.