The American Bashkir Curly horse derives its name from a belief that it is descended from a rugged breed of Mongol horse from the Bashkiri region of Russia, and also for its soft, thick, curly winter coat.
Curlies are typically of medium size, although they also come in pony and draft sizes.
They have unusually hard hooves. Most Curlies never need shoes, even when ridden on rocky ground. The curly coat sheds out in the summer becoming wavy or straight. There is also evidence of their existence in Russia, South America, and Europe. A mystery still surrounds the arrival, or origin of the Curly horse in the United States.