American Bashkir Curly Horses May Be More Allergenic than Most Breeds

Some horsemen believe American Bashkir Curly Horses induce fewer allergic reactions in humans than other breeds of horses. Not so, according to a group of German veterinary researchers* who reported that Curly Horses had significantly higher levels of allergens than the majority of the 32 different horse breeds tested.

“Allergies to horses affects 3-7% of the human population, and that number appears to be rising,” shared Laura Petroski-Rose, B.V.M.S., a veterinarian for Kentucky Equine Research.

She added, “Allergies to horses can induce rhinitis and asthma, and riders are often instructed by their physicians to simply avoid contact with horses.”

To determine whether Curly Horses are indeed hypoallergenic and therefore better options for owners with allergies to horses, 224 hair samples from 32 horses of various breeds were collected during routine grooming. Those samples were analyzed for three different respiratory allergens currently included on the “official list of allergens.” Those included Equ c 1, Equi c 4, and a novel test for “horse dander.”

Key findings of the study included:

• Curly Horses had significantly high concentrations of all three tested allergens;
• Tinker Horses, Icelandics, and Shetland Ponies had between 7 and 25 times lower levels of hair allergens compared to Curly Horses;
• High variations in allergen levels between individual horses were identified; and
• Stallions had higher hair allergen levels than mares and geldings.

“This study suggests Curly Horses are no less allergenic than any other breed, and no evidence was generated to explain any potential reason that this breed could be considered hypoallergenic,” summarized Petroski-Rose.

Regardless of breed or their allergy-inducing potential, all horses benefit from a shiny, healthy coat. Kentucky Equine Research offers Bio-Bloom PS (Bio-Bloom HF in Australia), a nutritional supplement containing biotin, zinc, iodine, as well as a variety of additional nutrients, including amino acids and fatty acids to support the production of a soft, shiny coat and healthy mane and tail.

*Zahradnik, E., B. Janssen-Weets, I. Sander, et al. 2018. Lower allergen levels in hypoallergenic Curly Horses? A comparison among breeds by measurements of horse allergens in hair and air samples. PLoS One. 13(12):e0207871.