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.

91裸聊视频淚 won a lot of events on him, and won my first buckle with him,91裸聊视频� said Kayla, a Grade 12 student at Lake City Secondary School in Williams Lake.

91裸聊视频淏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 91裸聊视频� both on his right side.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檇 been doing it his whole life, and he knew what he was supposed to do,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淗e did so much for me,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淗e really boosted my confidence back up. I91裸聊视频檇 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. I91裸聊视频檓 just really grateful for having him.91裸聊视频�

Twyla said it was amazing to watch the bond shared between the two while Kayla was recovering from her concussion.

91裸聊视频淚f she was off balance he would scoop her up, things like that. They just both love each other.91裸聊视频�

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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.

91裸聊视频淚 needed a horse,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淜ayla said: 91裸聊视频榃hy not take Curly?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

That was in June 0f 2017.

91裸聊视频淚 just thought he91裸聊视频檚 done it his whole life, he91裸聊视频檚 27, why not?91裸聊视频� Twyla said.

Twyla went on to successfully barrel race Curly that weekend.

91裸聊视频淚t was just a really cool feeling to know he could do it,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淭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 couldn91裸聊视频檛 do that. He91裸聊视频檚 healthy, and he took care of Kayla when she had her concussion, so he deserves a good life.91裸聊视频�

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Curly still lives happily at Kayla and Twyla91裸聊视频檚 home in Miocene, east of Williams Lake, alongside his best pal, Fritz 91裸聊视频� another horse the family owns 91裸聊视频� and doesn91裸聊视频檛 have much of a hard time getting around the property.

91裸聊视频淗e doesn91裸聊视频檛 really run into anything,91裸聊视频� Kayla said.

91裸聊视频淗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 he91裸聊视频檚 been in the same field since we got him, so he knows where to go.91裸聊视频�

Twyla said Curly still gets out on regular trail rides, and is just an amazing horse to have around.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 just a really cool guy,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淛ust to see his willingness to adapt, and how he still runs out in the field, is pretty incredible.91裸聊视频�

sports@wltribune.com
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