I found out my daughter was allergic to horses when she was 18 months old and thought she would never be able to
ride with me. I had to keep her completely away from my horses and the hay to avoid an allergic reaction and an
asthma attack.
When she was 9, I heard about "Curlies" for the first time and went on a quest to find her a horse. My search took
me to Canada where I purchased a bred minimal curly mare. When we decided we wanted a gelding for her, we went
back to the breeder and purchased an 11 month old "smooth coat" curly gelding (Major). I was not sure if he would be
hypoallergenic like the original mare and her very curly filly. Of course, there was an immediate bond between Major
and my daughter so I was praying that she would not react to him.
He was too young to ride, so her contact that first year was brushing and playing with him. There were some days
that she came in and needed her inhaler or had developed a rash after being around him, but not always. I found this
to be curious and withheld judgment on him being hypoallergenic because she certainly did not have the severe type
of reaction she had when exposed to my "regular" horses.
The following year he began training where she had more close contact with him. It was while he was in training that I
noticed she was not reacting to him at all. Now after nearly 3 years of riding Major, I have concluded that it was not
him at all that was causing the occasional break out or asthma episode, it was the hay, and during the summertime,
the dust! What a relief that was because their bond is so strong, I never could have separated them!
I was asked if she was more "allergic" to Major as a smooth coat curly, than my other curly mare. There doesn't
appear to be any difference, but she does not handle my mare much. I can always tell though when she has touched
(or kissed) my quarter horse mare as the tell-tale "rash" appears instantly!
We feel very fortunate and blessed to have this amazing "smooth coat" curly, and I am grateful I did not pass him up
because of my uncertainty about him being hypoallergenic. You really can't tell unless you've been around them. She
now rides with me all the time and we have a lot of fun.
Thanks for the opportunity!
Let me know when the website is up.
Kellie
(Washington) (click on the picture to make it bigger)
ride with me. I had to keep her completely away from my horses and the hay to avoid an allergic reaction and an
asthma attack.
When she was 9, I heard about "Curlies" for the first time and went on a quest to find her a horse. My search took
me to Canada where I purchased a bred minimal curly mare. When we decided we wanted a gelding for her, we went
back to the breeder and purchased an 11 month old "smooth coat" curly gelding (Major). I was not sure if he would be
hypoallergenic like the original mare and her very curly filly. Of course, there was an immediate bond between Major
and my daughter so I was praying that she would not react to him.
He was too young to ride, so her contact that first year was brushing and playing with him. There were some days
that she came in and needed her inhaler or had developed a rash after being around him, but not always. I found this
to be curious and withheld judgment on him being hypoallergenic because she certainly did not have the severe type
of reaction she had when exposed to my "regular" horses.
The following year he began training where she had more close contact with him. It was while he was in training that I
noticed she was not reacting to him at all. Now after nearly 3 years of riding Major, I have concluded that it was not
him at all that was causing the occasional break out or asthma episode, it was the hay, and during the summertime,
the dust! What a relief that was because their bond is so strong, I never could have separated them!
I was asked if she was more "allergic" to Major as a smooth coat curly, than my other curly mare. There doesn't
appear to be any difference, but she does not handle my mare much. I can always tell though when she has touched
(or kissed) my quarter horse mare as the tell-tale "rash" appears instantly!
We feel very fortunate and blessed to have this amazing "smooth coat" curly, and I am grateful I did not pass him up
because of my uncertainty about him being hypoallergenic. You really can't tell unless you've been around them. She
now rides with me all the time and we have a lot of fun.
Thanks for the opportunity!
Let me know when the website is up.
Kellie
(Washington) (click on the picture to make it bigger)
Testimonials
On this page are the stories of people who have
found that the Smooth Coated Curlys are
hypoallergenic for them. To see more go here.
Send in your story darci@smoothcoatcurlys.com
On this page are the stories of people who have
found that the Smooth Coated Curlys are
hypoallergenic for them. To see more go here.
Send in your story darci@smoothcoatcurlys.com
 | |  | |  | |  |
 | |  | |  |
Smooth coated Curlies are jewels in the sand. I have heard multiple accounts of people telling me that they react
less to smooth coats than curly coats! I, being severely allergic to horses, can testify to this. Throughout my
experience with Curlies, I have come in contact with quite a few smooth coated Curlies.
My favorite, Amazing Grace, was a beautiful bay curly with a smooth coat. Not only was Gracie the prettiest mare on
the property, she was the most unique. Anyone could ride Gracie, from first time riders to cowboys to dressage
queens. The thing I found amazing about her was she knew if you could ride. I know this sounds strange, and it is hard
to explain. But, when I got on this horse’s back and I did not ride exactly right, she started to resist. If her rider rode
with a light hand, correct seat and soft aids, Gracie went beautifully. If you didn’t, all hell would break loose. I
remember watching one of my mom’s students try to ride a circle with Gracie. Gracie knew that this girl was not riding
properly and decided to side step down the center line as she was going around the circle. It took the student half an
hour to go around that circle and boy did her riding look good!
The amazing thing about Gracie is that she never resisted for a beginner. My older brother Steven and I went on a
trail ride a couple of years ago, I on *Cuervo, he on Gracie. Gracie was a push button! I couldn’t believe it. She went
exactly where he wanted to go, Steven switching from two hands to one, Gracie obediently switching from walk to trot,
trot to halt. Like I said, she was a unique horse.
Throughout my time with Gracie, from dressage shows to the trail, I never once reacted to her. I remember one time
before a show trying desperately for hours to get her beautiful Arab-like mane to look acceptable for a show. I stood
on a stool for hours running my bare hands over and over through her mane with shampoo, conditioner, frizz control
and combs. Boy did it look good when I was done!...and boy did I not. Dirt and dandruff was all over me; my arms,
legs, face and hair were covered. And not one little itty bitty reaction did I have.
Gracie was lost in November, 2007. I cannot tell you how much I will miss this
horse. She really was an Amazing Grace.
written by Anastasia in BC, Canada
(Click on the picture to make larger)
less to smooth coats than curly coats! I, being severely allergic to horses, can testify to this. Throughout my
experience with Curlies, I have come in contact with quite a few smooth coated Curlies.
My favorite, Amazing Grace, was a beautiful bay curly with a smooth coat. Not only was Gracie the prettiest mare on
the property, she was the most unique. Anyone could ride Gracie, from first time riders to cowboys to dressage
queens. The thing I found amazing about her was she knew if you could ride. I know this sounds strange, and it is hard
to explain. But, when I got on this horse’s back and I did not ride exactly right, she started to resist. If her rider rode
with a light hand, correct seat and soft aids, Gracie went beautifully. If you didn’t, all hell would break loose. I
remember watching one of my mom’s students try to ride a circle with Gracie. Gracie knew that this girl was not riding
properly and decided to side step down the center line as she was going around the circle. It took the student half an
hour to go around that circle and boy did her riding look good!
The amazing thing about Gracie is that she never resisted for a beginner. My older brother Steven and I went on a
trail ride a couple of years ago, I on *Cuervo, he on Gracie. Gracie was a push button! I couldn’t believe it. She went
exactly where he wanted to go, Steven switching from two hands to one, Gracie obediently switching from walk to trot,
trot to halt. Like I said, she was a unique horse.
Throughout my time with Gracie, from dressage shows to the trail, I never once reacted to her. I remember one time
before a show trying desperately for hours to get her beautiful Arab-like mane to look acceptable for a show. I stood
on a stool for hours running my bare hands over and over through her mane with shampoo, conditioner, frizz control
and combs. Boy did it look good when I was done!...and boy did I not. Dirt and dandruff was all over me; my arms,
legs, face and hair were covered. And not one little itty bitty reaction did I have.
Gracie was lost in November, 2007. I cannot tell you how much I will miss this
horse. She really was an Amazing Grace.
written by Anastasia in BC, Canada
(Click on the picture to make larger)
My name is Susan and I am living my dream. I have been allergic to horses since I turned 13, riding occasionally with
much suffering right into my adult years. Everything changed when I discovered the curly horse!
Ruby is my 9 year old ICHO registered curly mare and I have had her since she was 3. Ruby is a BLM mustang from
Nevada. I have pictures of her when she was about 4 months old and she shows a “bunny fuzzy” type of coat.
However, she is virtually without curls now. The inside of her ears, fetlocks and coat are all smooth. In the winter
months her coat shows a slight wave on her neck and back.
As a side note, I am very interested in the research that is now being done on curly horses. I have heard that the
BLM curly horses possibly carry a dominant curly gene and yet Ruby is smooth coated.
I also own a 3 year old curly coated half Arabian mare, Babe. The very interesting thing about my experience is that
I seem to be less allergic to Ruby than I am to Babe. I have deduced that this is because the smooth silky soft coat
that Ruby owns doesn’t break my skin when I am grooming her. Whereas with Babe at certain times of the year her
coat can be very stiff and it breaks my skin and causes hives. The hives itch, but do go away after a time. I don’t get
a full blown allergy attack but I do react some to her and none to Ruby.
I recommend these horses to anyone who might have a love for horses and have not had the chance to enjoy them
without suffering. It is truly an amazing feeling to hug and groom a horse without any allergies!
much suffering right into my adult years. Everything changed when I discovered the curly horse!
Ruby is my 9 year old ICHO registered curly mare and I have had her since she was 3. Ruby is a BLM mustang from
Nevada. I have pictures of her when she was about 4 months old and she shows a “bunny fuzzy” type of coat.
However, she is virtually without curls now. The inside of her ears, fetlocks and coat are all smooth. In the winter
months her coat shows a slight wave on her neck and back.
As a side note, I am very interested in the research that is now being done on curly horses. I have heard that the
BLM curly horses possibly carry a dominant curly gene and yet Ruby is smooth coated.
I also own a 3 year old curly coated half Arabian mare, Babe. The very interesting thing about my experience is that
I seem to be less allergic to Ruby than I am to Babe. I have deduced that this is because the smooth silky soft coat
that Ruby owns doesn’t break my skin when I am grooming her. Whereas with Babe at certain times of the year her
coat can be very stiff and it breaks my skin and causes hives. The hives itch, but do go away after a time. I don’t get
a full blown allergy attack but I do react some to her and none to Ruby.
I recommend these horses to anyone who might have a love for horses and have not had the chance to enjoy them
without suffering. It is truly an amazing feeling to hug and groom a horse without any allergies!
A Dream Come True
My name is Lyndsey Dubbelde and I am from South Dakota. I have been deathly allergic to horses all my life.
At a young age my mother took me to the doctor to get tested for different types of allergies. The test revealed that
I had 98 allergies and one of them was horses. My family and I lived in the country. My mom had three horses and it
always seemed like she was bringing more home. I loved horses as much as everyone in my family. I could watch
them all day long. I was memorized by them.
Even though I was allergic to horses, I didn’t let that stop me from taking riding classes and being around them
every second of the day. The trainer always told my mom I was natural and was born to ride. Riding definitely had
its price. I had to get two allergy shots a week. I also always had a handkerchief over my face and long sleeved
shirts to avoid breaking out in hives. I could not ever groom the horses or even really touch them without suffering
the rest of the day.
Eventually, mom and the doctors said enough of the horses. My mother knew this broke my heart but was
keeping my health a priority. From being around the horses, I would get very sick and have something similar to an
asthma attack and could not breathe. The back of my throat would itch like crazy. My eyes would swell, redden, and
water. My skin would itch, get blotched, and then the hives would follow. My older sister and mom continued to
show the horses and be involved with 4-H and such while I could not. To watch everyone from a distance was even
worse.
It was only recently I became familiar with the Curly breed. Two years (21 yrs old) ago I had my mind set I was
getting a horse… allergic or not. I was going to buy a Spanish Mustang. They were so beautiful and I went to look at
them I could not stand within 10 feet. Suddenly, I realized that owning a horse was not realistic but I did not want to
give up. I began searching for products I could spray on the horses or something to improve my allergies. Up
popped, “Curlies the hypoallergenic horses.” You can imagine my surprise because I had never heard of such a
thing. The next year I spent researching and learning all I could about the breed. I had always dreamed of having a
black and white filly. After looking high and low for a year without any luck, I realized that in the Curly breed they are
rare. I opened my options and began to look for a horse.
Finally, I found my horse or so I thought. Her name was Frost. I had the owner send me the hair so I could test
it. I rubbed the hair on my arm and I got hives. I don’t know why; I just know it happened. Frost was a ABC
registered Curly. I also tested other regular Curlies and had the same outcome. After learning about the smooth
coated Curlies and how people have had even less of a reaction to the SC curly than they have had to the curly
coat Curlies. I decided to test a couple of more horses before giving up. Next, I tested Fanci who was actually Frost’
s full sister but at the time I did not know. I rubbed it on my arm and no hives!!! I continued to do this for the next
three days and the results never changed. I could not believe it. The owner, Lydia Ewer, did not clean the sample
but sent a dirty one! In her words, Fanci and I were meant for each other. I am so thankful to Lydia for working with
me to get my first Curly!
I now own Fanci and spoil her to death. When she arrived on the trailer, I almost wanted to hold my breath. I
had a horrible fear in the back of my mind that I would be allergic. Well, I spent all day with her in the pasture along
with the next 3 days. My mom even asked if I was going to camp out! I love Fanci to death and I never thought I
would own a horse I can burry my head into. It is truly a dream come true!
My name is Lyndsey Dubbelde and I am from South Dakota. I have been deathly allergic to horses all my life.
At a young age my mother took me to the doctor to get tested for different types of allergies. The test revealed that
I had 98 allergies and one of them was horses. My family and I lived in the country. My mom had three horses and it
always seemed like she was bringing more home. I loved horses as much as everyone in my family. I could watch
them all day long. I was memorized by them.
Even though I was allergic to horses, I didn’t let that stop me from taking riding classes and being around them
every second of the day. The trainer always told my mom I was natural and was born to ride. Riding definitely had
its price. I had to get two allergy shots a week. I also always had a handkerchief over my face and long sleeved
shirts to avoid breaking out in hives. I could not ever groom the horses or even really touch them without suffering
the rest of the day.
Eventually, mom and the doctors said enough of the horses. My mother knew this broke my heart but was
keeping my health a priority. From being around the horses, I would get very sick and have something similar to an
asthma attack and could not breathe. The back of my throat would itch like crazy. My eyes would swell, redden, and
water. My skin would itch, get blotched, and then the hives would follow. My older sister and mom continued to
show the horses and be involved with 4-H and such while I could not. To watch everyone from a distance was even
worse.
It was only recently I became familiar with the Curly breed. Two years (21 yrs old) ago I had my mind set I was
getting a horse… allergic or not. I was going to buy a Spanish Mustang. They were so beautiful and I went to look at
them I could not stand within 10 feet. Suddenly, I realized that owning a horse was not realistic but I did not want to
give up. I began searching for products I could spray on the horses or something to improve my allergies. Up
popped, “Curlies the hypoallergenic horses.” You can imagine my surprise because I had never heard of such a
thing. The next year I spent researching and learning all I could about the breed. I had always dreamed of having a
black and white filly. After looking high and low for a year without any luck, I realized that in the Curly breed they are
rare. I opened my options and began to look for a horse.
Finally, I found my horse or so I thought. Her name was Frost. I had the owner send me the hair so I could test
it. I rubbed the hair on my arm and I got hives. I don’t know why; I just know it happened. Frost was a ABC
registered Curly. I also tested other regular Curlies and had the same outcome. After learning about the smooth
coated Curlies and how people have had even less of a reaction to the SC curly than they have had to the curly
coat Curlies. I decided to test a couple of more horses before giving up. Next, I tested Fanci who was actually Frost’
s full sister but at the time I did not know. I rubbed it on my arm and no hives!!! I continued to do this for the next
three days and the results never changed. I could not believe it. The owner, Lydia Ewer, did not clean the sample
but sent a dirty one! In her words, Fanci and I were meant for each other. I am so thankful to Lydia for working with
me to get my first Curly!
I now own Fanci and spoil her to death. When she arrived on the trailer, I almost wanted to hold my breath. I
had a horrible fear in the back of my mind that I would be allergic. Well, I spent all day with her in the pasture along
with the next 3 days. My mom even asked if I was going to camp out! I love Fanci to death and I never thought I
would own a horse I can burry my head into. It is truly a dream come true!
