Category: the herd

Meet the Herd Monday | Part Two | Clyde

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Barn name: Clyde
Breed: Grade/Quarter Horse type
Age: aged/unknown

Even after three years, there is so much we do not know about Clyde.  We had a new vet out this year, and she thought he was quite an elderly gentleman, even older than we had guessed.  There’s no way to know for sure, of course, though there is a bit of wisdom about him.

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Clyde at his former home on the day we first met.

Clyde and Fleet came from the same home and have been pasture buddies for quite some time. When we brought Fleet home, Clyde refused to get in the trailer. Change is not his thing. He joined us a few weeks later when his then owners graciously trailered him to our farm.  Other than the years he spent at his former home, we know very little about him.  The one story they shared was that he was running loose in the area, and they were told by a neighboring farmer that they could have him if they caught him.  That’s the extent of his history as we know it.

What we have learned is that he has an enormously kind and loving heart.  When he arrived at our house and for quite some time after, he was quite insecure and pushy.  His right eye had been physically damaged at some point, and he is completely blind on that side. Over time as his trust in us has grown, he is no longer hindered by his limited eyesight and has lost nearly all of that insecurity. While he is at the bottom of the herd hierarchy, he has forever earned a spot in our hearts as a soft and gentle boy with a huge, caring heart.  I cannot wait to see what gifts he brings to our EGCM sessions.

Visit us on Instagram @artemisequus to see more photos of Clyde and the rest of our herd.

Meet the Herd Monday | Part One | Fleet

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Barn name: Fleet
Registered Name: Fleet Hitter
Breed: Standardbred
Age: 22

Fleet joined us on the farm in July 2014, a few months after we had lost three horses to separate injuries and illness within the span of three weeks. He and his pasture buddy, Clyde, came to us from a couple who lived near my hometown. Fleet was with this family for many years after being adopted from the Midwest Horse Welfare Foundation (www.equineadoption.com), the organization he was donated to after an injury ended his racing career in 2002.

It took Fleet an extraordinary amount of time to build trust and relationships, both human and equine. This made very basic tasks (like farrier work) very challenging. As a result, we gave him the space and opportunity to simply be a horse in the herd. That was his only job. With time, he’s decided that we are pretty awesome, and he now lets Becky care for his hooves every now and then. Maybe someday he’ll extend that trust to our professional farrier so he can get a real pedicure! He’s also quite sure that there is no better time than dinner time and welcomes the occasional treat.

Fleet is an incredibly sweet and sensitive boy, and over time, he has taken a leadership role in the herd. He is very observant of his surroundings and always knows what’s going on. His keen observation and sensitive nature will be a great gift to the EGCM work here at Artemis & Equus.

Visit us on Instagram @artemisequus to see more photos of Fleet and the rest of our herd.