Legs gripped tightly around Clyde’s sleek body, my heels
down and my hands lightly touching his silky neck, we cantered over the vibrant
green rolling hills and through meadows. The soft breeze fell across my face
and my hair flowing behind as a sense of peace fell over me. I watched Clyde’s
ears as they were pinned forward, he was looking at the freedom ahead, no boundaries,
no fences. His large muscular body
boldly moving forward in rhythm, while listening to his hooves hit the ground …
feeling my heart beat with every stride. Feeling Clyde underneath me we
galloped as I patted his soft coat. As the next second I was standing, watching
him. Breathtakingly beautiful, but suddenly I stood baffled on how I got off of
him. I didn’t fall nor did he stop and now he was trotting off. I jolted up
from my bed and thought for a moment, it was so real and so green.
The next morning walking into the barn, there wasn’t a
nicker nor did I hear a whinny as I spoke to him I noticed he wasn’t moving
in his stall. Sucking air, I dropped the feed bucket and ran. I don’t remember breathing;
I don’t remember opening his stall door but I could hear and feel my heart
break as I stared, screamed for help. Moments felt like hours, I cried, I
howled as I stood seeing Clyde lay still on his stall floor. My four legged
best friend, gone. In a dream so vivid, so real and colorful, my precious Clyde
said goodbye.
Glancing out the kitchen window his big bold white face
staring back at me, his ears forward I could tell he is happy I’ve noticed him.
Dropping what I was doing, I go to the refrigerator and grab a bag of bite size
carrots (salad carrots) and start my way out the door. Greeted with a soft
whinny he moves his way along the fence closing the gap between the two of us.
His eyes never wavered from mine, his ears forward and he is eager for my
attention, carrots or not. These are memories never to be forgotten.
IBM Color of Money in the show ring but his nick name
simply, Clyde. A tall beautiful bay with three white socks and a big white
blaze, his size would frighten people who didn’t know horses but once they were
introduced everyone fell in love with gentle Clyde. Quicker than a blink of an
eye a child ran under his belly, Clyde didn’t flinch. Clyde was an all-around
Quarter horse winning trophies show after show. He even placed top ten at the
World’s Championship show. Coming from a different bread of horse myself, Clyde
at a very young age had to teach me how to show western, western riding,
jumping, quarter horse driving, halter, showmanship and we even had some fun in
team penning and reigning classes. We learned quickly together and completely
fell in love.
My son Brody was learning how to lope/canter Clyde and he
rolled off his back. Clyde, startled, turned and looked at Brody then looked at
me, simply wondering what the heck had happened. Spending months we work
together, so Brody could show at the next show in the showmanship class, Clyde
was perfect for Brody. After I took Clyde in my class and he made a fool of me.
Signaling Clyde to square his feet he moved his foot too far forward and then
too far back, and then he turned his head and looked at me with his ears
forward, and I swear he said, “What? This isn’t what you want?” Oh Clyde!
It was about 3:00am at a horse show and friends of mine
needed an extra horse in a Team Penning class so they drug me out of bed and
talked me into it. I woke Clyde up and saddled him, took him in the arena … the
first sight of the herd of cows and he spun around trying to leave the ring. I
laughed so hard, I almost fell off. Convincing Clyde to get close to the cows
and cut the cow we needed out of the herd was a challenge because he towered
over the cows. We managed and we ended up in second place beating the team who
asked us to “fill” the class. Obviously, Clyde overcame his fear of cows.
Black Beauty, the real movie star, came to stay at our barn.
One late night at dinner Black Beauty’s trainer and Clyde’s trainer made a bet.
I wasn’t there to witness this bet or the training but the next thing I knew
was that Black Beauty’s trainer had trained Clyde to bow. That became Clyde’s
signature pose after he would win a big class. After I retired Clyde from
showing, because of the birth of my third son, Clyde visited schools and we
hosted parties that Clyde gave “pony” rides and he always took a bow thanking
the kids for his treats, carrots obviously!
Retirement years after the visits to schools and from
parties, the trail rides, and the bareback rides, Clyde spent his days in the
pasture and nights in his 12x24 double wide stall. Horse retirement living like
royalty, Clyde receives a bag of baby carrots every day and Kentucky grown hay.
If he was across the field and he heard my voice he galloped full speed to me.
If I had baby carrots in my pocket he would nudge me until I dug them out.
Anyone should know never feed a horse treats with your fingers, but Clyde made
it an exception to the rule, because he lipped his carrots out of your fingers,
so he wouldn’t bite fingers. I tested this using my own fingers, and my conclusion
was correct. Clyde flapped his lips until the carrot freed from my fingers then
he pulled away and chewed.
What is it about a girl and her horse? Is it love at first sight or is it the whole fall off and get back up life lessons you learn while being around them? Is it the soft nicker when they hear your voice or is it the wind in your hair and the bond you feel as they stride underneath you as you move as one unit. Could it be the unconditional love and friendship or because they are such good listeners and you can hug them all day long if needed. The beauty is when they hug back wrapping their neck and head around your back like Clyde did mine. I believe it’s the untold, the unexplained and all of the above.
Every morning entering the barn I would say, “Good morning
Clyde!” and he would answer back with a nicker. I could hear him walk to the
far end of his stall and pee. Every morning I would say, “Really Clyde, you
couldn’t wait to go outside?” He then greeted me at the stall door, eager for
attention. Years ago I had taught him to, basically put his halter on himself.
If you simply hold it open in front of him, he will duck his head into it and
then leave his head low for you to fasten it. Even if the nose piece was not
wide enough he would bump his nose around until it was wide enough to wiggle it
in. He followed me around like a horse in a showmanship class or a dog heeling,
so there wasn’t much “leading” to do out to the pasture.
My dear Clyde, how I love you! Heaven gained a big beautiful
angel horse and I will miss you more than anyone could imagine. One day I will
ride you across those brilliant green rolling hills again but for now, you will
always and forever be in my heart and in my dreams.
