Affectionate, engaged…and most of all grateful~Clyde is “a real ham with a kind heart!” according to Red Bucket Equine Rescue Volunteer Andrea Velarde.

If Red Bucket employed a ranch “Greeter,” the position would have already been filled. Meet Clyde, who “loves being in the front of the Ranch so that he can greet everyone first!” says Red Bucket volunteer Andrea Velarde. “He’s a big ham who lives next to Finbar and Mr. Rogers. All you have to do is call his name and he’s right there poking his head out to say hello and ask for a treat!” His eyes are bright and alert as he soaks in the scenery around him. He is very engaged and social, always present in the moment. Tracy Keiser, another volunteer at Red Bucket says,”Clyde is the first horse by the front gate and is the one I initially see and talk to every time I arrive at the Ranch. He is first to get treats from me, as I always call out to him and am sure to give him a special carrot or apple before greeting the other horses!”

Clyde is considered a “gentle soul who loves being the Big Guy on Campus with the overnight herd,” says another Red Bucket leadership team member Michelle Mendez. “When you bring him home in the morning, he always gives a quiet little whinny to the rest of the horses as if to say ‘I’ll miss you guys’ and he holds his head up high when walking toward his daytime paddock.”

Tracey puts it this way, “Clyde is a very big boy with an even bigger personality. I perceive him as simply wanting to have lots of attention paid to him and wanting to be involved in anything that is going on.” Tracy adds, “Clyde likes to take the dominant position in the herd, especially at dinner time! He has a lot of energy and a desire for attention. He is always very excited to have his name called and comes quickly to the turn-out fence or the stall door to see who might be there wanting to pet him, or of course, bring him a treat!”

So how did Clyde, a beautiful and well trained warm blood with a huge personality to match his stature come to be at Red Bucket? A remarkable concurrence of events took place about one year ago. Red Bucket received an email from an owner who was desperately trying to place his horse named Clyde. The Ranch at the time was filled to capacity with a waiting list. In the meantime, Susan Peirce received a call from a colleague to ask if there was any room on the Ranch for the horse of a friend who had terminal cancer who was out of time and out of money. If the horse could not be placed within 24 hours, the owner would have no choice but to send Clyde to Auction. This realization set the wheels in motion to figure out how to make room for Clyde at the Ranch and how to get him here.

Clyde is a wonderful horse of sound mind and heart, though with his ringbone he is no longer able to be ridden and he is now considered retired. Linda Rose, a volunteer with Red Bucket says, “Clyde is the perfect example of a horse that has served his masters well, worked hard, and then found himself in terrible danger instead of looking forward to a gentle, loving retirement. Just when Clyde should have been dreaming of a warm bed and sunny turnout, his owner became seriously ill and was not able to care for him. There is such a tremendous need in this country for a way to responsibly retire thousands of horses just like Clyde.” Linda calls Clyde, “kind and gentle, so appreciative of a soft word and a thorough grooming. We all just adore him, and are privileged to give him the love and attention he deserves and has earned.”

Tracey says, “I believe Clyde needs someone who will take quite a bit of time with him and just enjoy who he is. He would be well served by a dedicated human companion. If I could adopt him, I would in a minute. He is a joy to interact with and has such a fun and pleasant disposition. I will continue to do all I can to ensure he has a happy experience every day I am with him at the Ranch.”

Clyde will always have a safe place here at the Red Bucket, but our hope is for someone to love and adore him for himself. The third part of our mission is about finding forever homes for our horses. Clyde is here waiting for that special person who will appreciate his sound mind and heart, his gentle disposition and love of people and other horses, and his wonderful companionship abilities. Perhaps you are his perfect match!

Written by: Johanna Downs