Curly horses, Would you??

My OH is more in-love with me than I am with them

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curly1

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I am a breeder in Surrey with 2 chldren suffering with athsma.

I have stumbled across a breed of horse called the american curly that is hypo allergenic and has a curly coat which is incredibly soft. These horses have superb temperaments are very friendly and are extremely easy to care for.

I am considering importing a stallion for breeding and would appreciate any opinions on the following questions for market research purposes. I need to find out if there would be a market for these horses and if so wether that market would be more likely for horses or small childrens ponies

They do everything a normal horse/pony can do but people with allergies can ride them. They live on fresh air and have fantastic feet that generally dont need shoes.

Not all curlies have curly coats, some are smooth coated and they are ideal kids ponies or fun rides for adults.

For pics please see the american registry site www.abcregistry.org

They sell for around £2500 - £4000 depending on pedigree and all the normal factors in pricing riding horses. The stud fee for the stallion would be around £300
Horses range from 14.2 - 15.3hh
Ponies range from 11 - 12.2hh

Many thanks for you answers
 
I'm would if it ticked all the boxes. I think there probably is a market if it is truly hypoallergenic - look at all the dog breeding that now happens for this very reason. My mum is terribly allergic to horses and for people like her it could make a huge difference.

Good luck if you do persue this!
 
http://www.abcregistry.org/

The above is the registry website for the American registry, Britian dont have one yet.
These horses are reall easy to deal with, generally quiet to ride without being slugs and just want to please. they do everything a normal horse would do but with the bonus of an amazing temperament, and people with allergies can ride and handle them. Plus they are extremely easy to care for, theyre feet generally are only trimmed 3 times a year and they stay well rounded on fresh air.

Of course there are always exeptions to the rule
 
We looked at the Bashkir a few years ago as my hubby is allergic to horses. They appear to be very nice horses but we really did not like the look of the coat and thought everyone would think it had Cushings. I suppose it is just that it is different.
I know a few people who love riding but simply cannot go near horses, so think there may be a market. Not for us though.
 
I like the look of them, not sure about the idea of them possibly losing their manes and tails in the summer tho...

However I'm sure there would be a market for them if they were available here, and not necessarily just for allergic people, if they live up to all the claims.
 
I think what helps with regards to the cushings theory is that they mane and tail are curly too as well as the eyelashes and insides of ears. I think any knowledgable person would realise they didnt have cushings, also there are smooth coated curlies as well. you wouldnt know they were curlies at all.
 
I think they look like equine poodles! From the description they sound like nice horses so if I was buying a horse and it ticked all the boxes I wouldn't be put off by it's appearance, I would probably like having something a bit different. I think they could take off in the way Labradoodles have which have become very popular in recent years, not only with people with allergies but also because they look a bit different.
Would breeding a normal coated horse with a curly stallion produce a coat which could be tolerated by people with allergies or would it just be the luck of the draw? I've just heard that it's a myth that all Labradoodles are hypo allergenic, some aren't.
It would be nice to see more of these horses around, I think they're fascinating!
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Ooooooooooooooh they look fab!
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I like the look of the the really curly ones!
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The waves in the coat look like the ones my Devon Rex cat has (but thicker).

I bet they feel amazing!?

I am sure there would be a huge market for them, but perhaps not straight away.

I think you would also need to check out what happens to the coat of outcrossing.
 
I'm not sure about the market, probs one of those things you'd have to throw yourself into and see what happens. It could get boring hearing "has your horse got cushings?" constantantly but i suppose theres always clipping. Well trained, safe horses will always be in demand regarless so if the coat is just marketed as a bonus it wouldn't be hard to sell them on.
 
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I've just heard that it's a myth that all Labradoodles are hypo allergenic, some aren't!

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Yeap, that is true. They have to be bred the right way around. I think it is mum lab and poodle dad, or they don't get the curly coat. (don't quote me that I have got it the right way)! lol
 
i agree with Ezme, if they have good temperaments and are hardy etc they will be in demand anyway. i love the look of the coat personally, and if i was allergic/had allergic children, for example, i'd be first in the queue.
 
The smooth coated horses are ultra soft to the touch.

Several are cross bred to lighter breeds like thoroughbreds or quarter horses to produce something more refined.

You arent garuanteed the hypo allergenic bit with a cross but the percentage is very high. I am putting my TB mare to a dun and white curly this year for a 2009 foal which will be available for sale at weaning or I may sell the mare in foal I havent decided yet.

I also have foaling cams on my website where people can watch the foalings. My TB mare in foal to a showjumping stallion is on cam at night at the moment shes due in 3-4 weeks.

They have started breeding curly miniatures and curly shires in america
 
maybe
Most people I know who are allergic to horses are also have problems with the non horse hair issues that go with owning horses.
Dusty schools, hay fever, other non curly horses kept in the stable next door etc.
 
I think that too many people get hung up on the hypoallergenic bit of these horses, they are also incredibly friendly, loving horses with superb temperaments that anyone can ride. enough go to have fun at riding club but sensible enough for the weekend hacker without having to take out a mortgage to care for it.
 
I am allergice to horses so would be interesting to see if I was allergic to them or not. I have built up an immunity to my own horses in some respects but if a new horse is introduced or i go to a yard then I can react badly (asthma, eczema etc). I am also allergic to dogs but again only certain ones and I've not found a pattern yet.

I am not allergic to straw or hay and do not suffer with hayfever either. It is the actual animal hair that affects me and dust related to the animal hair.

Would be interesting to see what sort of market there would be for it although personally I am not a poodle fan (think that's just cos I don't like the look of them!) and prefer to have mongrels and wheeze!!
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I wouldn't dismiss any breed if it would do the job that I wanted it for. The main perk of the curlies is the temperament and this on its own should be enough to give it a huge market, the hypoallergenic thing is just a bonus to normal people but a huge benefit for allergic types! If you marketed the breed in the right way eg a nice, sensible amateurs horse with a non-sneezey coat, I think there would definitely be a demand for the breed. Good luck!
 
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maybe
Most people I know who are allergic to horses are also have problems with the non horse hair issues that go with owning horses.
Dusty schools, hay fever, other non curly horses kept in the stable next door etc.

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Ditto
My mum (now in her 80s
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) developed asthma when she was 16 and was tested as allergic to horses and cats. However, it is not so much the hair, but all the dust that is associated with them. Curly-coated or not, they will still get dusty, roll, eat hay that needs to be shaken up, be in dusty stables etc.
I would also want to know if curly-coated horses had any specific health issues as they are not native to this country. My Icelandic, for instance, was bred in Iceland and developed sweetitch after being imported here - he has now got Cushings and is hyper sensitive as his immune system is compromised.
 
I don't think you should ever go into breeding horses and expect to make a profit - particularly when standing a stallion. Take a look at the breeding forum! They do sound very nice horses and there may well be a niche market but it would be something to do for the love of it and any profit would be a bonus.

I would be very warey of advertising it as a horse that only needs its feet trimmed 3 times a year though!!!!!!!!
 
Hollycat

I agree you shouldnt breed horses for profit, although if they make a huge loss then people cant afford to do it. However I am doing the responsible in undertaking market research to see wether there is a market and what concerns are raised regarding the breed.

I wouldnt advertise it as only needing its fet done 3 times a year but was merely trying to show that these horse are different and generally they have very hard wearing feet, as well as the fact that they appear to have a minimal flight instinct and prefer to stand still than run. They are not the same as standard horses although are capable of performing the same job.

WIth regard to the question asked about health issues. They are native to north america and have been imported all over to places like norway, sweden, france, germany and the UK and so far no one has highlighted any breed specific health issues.

Thankyou everyone for your feedback. I really appreciate it. It helps to know what peoples concerns are before I engage in a breeding project.

Keep the comments coming.
 
I didn't mean to be fasicious re the foot comment, its just the last thing you want to encourage is an inexperienced buyer believing they only need call a farrier occassionally. My own barefoot horse sometimes needs trimmed every 3 weeks as he has healthy feet that grow quickly. If he was trimmed every 4 months he would be in a very sorry way.

To my eye they are very attractive horses. I am into warmblood sportshorses so they would not be for me, but if I was looking for a nice all rounder then I would find their curly coat attractive. It would be a niche market - but look at the minis. Their popularity has exploded over the last few years. When I was a kid there was no such thing, now they are everywhere. If you got the marketing right then who could tell re their popularity?

If you haven't already, your best bet would be to talk to colourthyme stud who currently stand a curly coated stallion. At least you may get an idea of how much interest there has been in him both at stud and for his foals in the last few years and whether demand is increasing. When you mentioned curly coated horses I thought of him as I remember looking at the colourthyme website before and thinking they were attractive horses. Good luck whatever you do
 
I would love a curly pony about 14h but they are so rare in this country that the prices were crazy or they were yearlings or babies which I did not want as I wanted something that was already backed.

I have a NF pony but if I could have had a curly version of him I would have loved it. Maybe when I have to retire him (he's only 5) so hopefully not for ages then there will be more curlies around at reasonable prices and I could have one!
 
Does anyone know how I can keep this thread on the first page of the forum. its dissapearing fast and the poll has another 3 days to run?
 
If I was allergic to horses then I would, otherwise no - sorry I think they look weird!

It would be a horse for me as I'm too tall for ponies.
 
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