Curly has a special place in the hearts of her owners.
A 27-year-old Bashkir Curly, Appaloosa horse, Kayla Bendickson purchased him in 2015 to use as her high school rodeo horse. She said he was great at roping, goat tying, pole bending and barrel racing.
B次元官网网址淚 won a lot of events on him, and won my first buckle with him,B次元官网网址� said Kayla, a Grade 12 student at Lake City Secondary School in Williams Lake.
B次元官网网址淏ut I started noticing down at a barrel race in 100 Mile House he ran me into a barrel the first day, then the second day he ran me into two barrels B次元官网网址� both on his right side.B次元官网网址�
Kayla and her mom, Twyla, took Curly to see a veterinarian in 2016 where it was confirmed their suspicion that Curly was, in fact, going blind.
Despite advice to retire Curly, Kayla continued to barrel race with him.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檇 been doing it his whole life, and he knew what he was supposed to do,B次元官网网址� Kayla said.
After taking a spill on a different horse, and being knocked unconscious, receiving a concussion and subsequent seizure, Kayla said it was Curly who helped nurse her back to health and give her the confidence to compete again.
B次元官网网址淗e did so much for me,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗e really boosted my confidence back up. IB次元官网网址檇 been out for six weeks but he helped me out a lot. I just got on him and started riding a lot again, and then I was able to ride a faster horse from there. IB次元官网网址檓 just really grateful for having him.B次元官网网址�
Twyla said it was amazing to watch the bond shared between the two while Kayla was recovering from her concussion.
B次元官网网址淚f she was off balance he would scoop her up, things like that. They just both love each other.B次元官网网址�
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Later, in 2017, when Twyla was competing at the Stampede Warm Up Barrel Racing event in Williams Lake, her horse came up lame.
B次元官网网址淚 needed a horse,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淜ayla said: B次元官网网址榃hy not take Curly?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
That was in June 0f 2017.
B次元官网网址淚 just thought heB次元官网网址檚 done it his whole life, heB次元官网网址檚 27, why not?B次元官网网址� Twyla said.
Twyla went on to successfully barrel race Curly that weekend.
B次元官网网址淚t was just a really cool feeling to know he could do it,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淭o see he could do it, and to know that he trusts you that much to race was amazing. A lot of people, before this, were telling us to put him down, but we couldnB次元官网网址檛 do that. HeB次元官网网址檚 healthy, and he took care of Kayla when she had her concussion, so he deserves a good life.B次元官网网址�
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Curly still lives happily at Kayla and TwylaB次元官网网址檚 home in Miocene, east of Williams Lake, alongside his best pal, Fritz B次元官网网址� another horse the family owns B次元官网网址� and doesnB次元官网网址檛 have much of a hard time getting around the property.
B次元官网网址淗e doesnB次元官网网址檛 really run into anything,B次元官网网址� Kayla said.
B次元官网网址淗e uses his whiskers to feel around before he gets to a fence or around a tree. We put his hay in the same spot. We have a feeder with big hay bales around it, and heB次元官网网址檚 been in the same field since we got him, so he knows where to go.B次元官网网址�
Twyla said Curly still gets out on regular trail rides, and is just an amazing horse to have around.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 just a really cool guy,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淛ust to see his willingness to adapt, and how he still runs out in the field, is pretty incredible.B次元官网网址�
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