Melinda and David Martino have been raising Curly Horses at Rocky Ridge Farm since 1992.

The American Bashkir Curly horses who thrive there are unique in the horse world. They have beautiful curly coats and ringlet manes in the wintertime, and they are HYPO-ALLERGENIC. So that means if you have respiratory problems or break out with hives when you’re around other horses, you are likely to be unaffected or less affected by the Curly Horse.

Where they come from is still a mystery, but their curly hair is a dominant genetic factor visible even at birth. They were first found in the American West in the wild herds of Nevada and Wyoming. They can still be found there today and are often brought in by the Bureau of Land Management when they round up extra horses from the rangelands.

The modern Curly Horse was originally bred for ranch work, but you can find them today doing anything a straight haired horse will do. The Curly Horses of Rocky Ridge are adept at dressage, cross-country and stadium jumping. They are solid trail horses and excellent mounts for all ages. The average height is 14.1hh to16hh. The most common color is sorrel, but they come in all colors including some with pinto and appaloosa markings.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact Mel at melscurlyhorses@aol.com.

The difference between

the summer coat (left, taken Sept/06)

and the winter coat (right, taken Jan/06)

of the same horse.