Curly Haired Fox Trotters - Horse breeds, horse breeding and types of horse.   
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Curly Haired Fox Trotters
Missouri Fox Trotters for Folks Allergic to Horses
Curly Haired Fox Trotters
19 yr old stallion, Walker's Curly T


Yes, it is true. There are curly haired, registered Missouri Fox Trot horses which are hypoallergenic for people allergic to horses. I know, because we're Curly Fox Trotter breeders, and I've seen, with my own eyes, many allergy sufferers able to touch, groom, and ride our horses with no allergic reaction.

Genetically there are 2 different kinds of curly coat Missouri Fox Trotter horses. One kind is curly because of a recessive curly gene, the other because of a dominant Curly gene.



Curly Fow Trotters
6 yr old mare Sassy Princess
Recessive Curlies

Many of you have seen or heard about curly haired Fox Trotter foals born, usually as quite a surprise for the breeder, when both parents have normal, straight hair. In year's past, it was thought (unfortunately) that curly hair was a sign of sickness or inbreeding. This is not the case. There is a recessive gene for curly coat carried in some Fox Trotter bloodlines - actually, it is present in some of the BEST Fox Trotter bloodlines.
Genes work in pairs, one gene comes from each parent. A recessive gene does not cause curly coat when a horse only has one. So a horse can be a "carrier" of the recessive curl gene and you cannot tell by looking at the horse. When two "carrier" horses are bred to each other, there is a possibility that each will contribute the recessive curl gene to the foal. If the foal gets the curl gene from each parent - you have a curly haired foal out of two normal haired parents Curly Fox Trotters
Mare Meghan and filly DCC Lady Victory


When bred, these horse do not have curly haired foals, unless they are bred to a horse also carrying the recessive curly gene. Recessive curly Fox Trotters often have an extremely curly body coatin the winter. In the summer, they usually shed their mane and tail hair and keep a textured body coat.


Curly Fox Trotters
mare, Meghan
Dominant Curlies
There is another kind of Curly Fox Trotter, which is cause by a different gene and are unrelated to the recessive curly coated Fox Trotters. These horses are curly because of a dominant gene.

A horse from dominant curly gene breeding will look curly coated even if they get a curly gene from only one parent. These horses will have an unbroken line of curly coated horses going back through their pedigree.


These horses can produce curly foals, even when bred to (normal) straight haired horses. Dominant gene Curly Fox Trotters have a winter body coat that can range from wavy to very curly. In the summer they shed to a shiny smooth or slightly wavy body coat and keep a long, full mane and tail year round

Curly Fox Trotters
filly DCC Strawberry Ice in summer
Curly Fox Trotters
Filly DCC Strawberry Ice in winter

Dominant Curly Fox Trotters trace back to the 1950's and 60's, when a gaited Curly stallion named Curly Jim produced a handful of gaited, curly haired, daughters. Some of these Curly Jim daughters were bred to Fox Trotter stallions, and their offspring registered with the MFTHBA.

Our Curly Fox Trotters

The horses we raise on our farm are all dominant gened Curlies and all can be traced back to Curly Jim through an unbroken line of curly haired horses. The Curlies were crossed with excellent Fox Trotter bloodlines so our horses also carry the bloodlines of Mr President, Danney Joe W, Walker's Merry Lad, and Rex's Golden Touch. They are well conformed, good looking horses with wonderful temperaments, and natural fox trotting ability.
Curly Fox Trotters
week-old filly DCC Red Hot QT


There are now a handful of breeders specializing in Curly Fox Trotters. There are even two that have been exported to Norway! We have found huge demand for horses of this type. Our foals generally sell long before theyare weaned. There are many would-be horse owners out there, kept from their dream of owning a horse because they are allergic to horse hair. To them, the hypoallergenic Curly is a dream come true. Add to that, with wonderful fox trot gait and you have the perfect horse.

Another group interested in our Curly Fox Trotters are fans of the "Bashkir" or American Curly Horse. The comfort of riding a fox trotting horse makes this type of Curly very appealing, especially to those with bad backs, injuries, or those who are just getting a bit older. Our horses combine the best of both worlds. Curly horse lovers still enjoy owning a rare and unique horse, and since the horses also have MFTHBA papers, they have much broader breeding choices - there are many more Missouri Fox Trotters to breed with than Curly horses. And with Fox Trotter clubs in many states, they can take advantage of those social and showing opportunities as well.

Curly Fox Trotters If you know an allergic horse lover, tell them they need suffer no more. They can have it all - a beautiful Missouri Fox Trotting Horse to take them down the trail without sneezing, watery eyes, or rash!

By
Wendy SauersSmith
Deserter Creek Curlies Farm
www.DCCurlies.web.com


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