Please note: Many MYTHS are circulating online about these horses being bred to be hairless. In all cases of known hairless horses known to us, they occured sponaneously and to their owner's surprise. No one has tried to breed for, or breed, hairless horses.

 

 

This hairless palomino foal was sent in by a visitor.

"I saw that you wanted more info on hairless horses, I don't know where
this is, it was just sent to me by my sister (we're a big horse family)
>These are pictures of a foal born on July 12, 2005."

> Hairless Akhal-Teke Foal

A Hairless Akhal-teke foal that was ill from birth, was well cared for, but later died. . Photos from the page http://www.akhalt-service.ru/h5.php?id=462
Hairless foals are not that rare in the Akhal-teke breed according to the studfarm manager.

The manager of the studfarm emailed us with a statement (please note English is not his first language so it's a little hard to read):

In Akhal-teke breed such horses are born. In Akhal-teke horses small growth of hair was always cultivated. At the best individuals very rare and thin wool. Very rare mane, a rare tail, absence of brushes on pastern. In the summer on sun at AT through a wool appears the leather. During centuries Turkmens cultivated these attributes at AT horses. They considered, that the horse transfers heat to a short wool better. In 20 century all other selectors cultivate this attribute as it is one of characteristics AT horses. As against Garry the majority naked AT foals had no close relatives in an origin. Inbreeding 3-4 it is not considered dangerous, but it is maximal inbreeding at the analysis naked AT foals. In our studfarm it is the second case of a birth such foals. The first colt was palomino and is given birth in 2002 in the winter. It has lived month and has died. He had big problems with a leather. She bursted, from cracks blood and an ichor flew. Also very bad stomach was.

Filly from a photo was born in March, and has died at the end of September. It did not have any such problems as at previous foal. It had normal leather, normal legs. But it had very strange lateral teeth. They grew sideways from a jaw. First all was good. Problems have then begun. At it sharply began growth of hair on legs. Before death of a leg were in such hair, as at a donkey. At it deformation of hoofs began, its back pastern have started to sag. And all time of its life at it was a diarrhea. We pricked to it vitamins, immune stimulators, processed a leather. But its diarrhea did not stop also she began to weaken. At us hot summer, but she all the same was ill. The terrible expirations from a nose, cough. In dream she strongly snored. We understood, that such foal seldom lives, but we tried to help it. Unfortunately, illness has amplified and the pneumonia began. And she has died.

In August we have sold her. Has arrived the man which very much wants to breeding purposefully such horses. He has bought her. We have given it and our mare, that foal dews to more healthy. Already the mare has returned to us. I constantly went to it, and helped it. He has one more such AT filly, which one and a half year. She constantly goes in woolen and knitted body cloths. She lives in his house in a separate room with heating. It too has problem with hoofs and a constant diarrhea. But she while lives. Mumia and its mother he has placed in a separate room. Our mare has been very much surprised, but she good mother. Therefore has gone to the house for the man and her foal. I have already written, that foal was ill and have died. Sometimes are strong a wind at hot weather. I think, that the Mumia (or Mummy) was ill from a wind, and we could not help to recover to it, in fact an organism of her was very weak.

I have told after this to the man that is nonsense to breeding such horses. But it counts it good idea, and is not going to listen to anybody.

I send you 2 photos AT horse with a rare mane. It is very much appreciated in AT breed. It is considered an ideal. At this horse the mane is not cut. She from a birth such rare.

> Harry The Hairless Horse
Today's only known living, healthy hairless horse.

Harry the Hairless Horse. View a Q&A with his owner here.