CLYDE'S STORY

On July 5, 2007, we lost a wonderful and kind horse.  In the 6 months prior, Clyde had been losing weight, and despite every effort to put weight back on him, he continued to lose weight.  The mass on his tongue had increased in size and it was making it very difficult for him to get the nutrition that he needed.  It was decided that he would go to Stillwater's Equine Clinic in an attempt to remove some of the mass, however, despite Dr. Arneson's efforts, the mass was too large and the heartbreaking decision to let Clyde go was made.  We wish to thank Stillwater Equine's staff for all of their efforts and kind words.  

Clyde is an 18 year old Missouri Foxtrotter who is loved by all who have contact with him.  He is a patient and kind horse who loves any and all attention.  Clyde would not be alive today if it were not for the dedication of his rescuer and the people who donated time and money to help him recover.  If you have ever wondered if your money really makes a difference or if a rescue horse is really worth saving, please read Clyde's story below. 

In April of 2004, Clyde was found by Kristi in a small paddock behind a barn with no fresh water and no edible hay.  The woman who had him claimed that she had saved him from slaughter and had been trying to "fatten" him up so she could sell him.  She also said that she hadn't had him for very long (this was found to be untrue) and that was what he looked like when she got him.  Kristi was there to pick up a different horse for a friend and offered to "take" Clyde off her hands since the woman wasn't having any luck putting weight on him.  Kristi brought him home to her rescue to see what she could do to help him.  [It was discovered later that Clyde had been scheduled to be euthanized by the Humane Society the day after she picked him up.  The place where he had been had been under investigation for neglect and because of Clyde's condition - it had been decided that he would be euthanized.] 

The pictures below were taken immediately after he was taken off of the trailer at the rescue. 

After arriving at the rescue, Clyde was evaluated and checked out to find out what exactly was wrong with him and if it was possible to restore him to good health.  The news was not good.  Clyde had a large mass of scar tissue on the back of his tongue (a result of an untreated abscess) which made it difficult for him to swallow food.  He had various infections and unknown internal damage due to his starvation. The diagnosis by the vet was that it would be best to put him down because of his poor condition and it should be done as soon as possible. 

Kristi, however, was not convinced that it was Clyde's time to go and decided to give him a chance.  She decided she would give him at least a couple of weeks (which, of course, was extended) to see if his will to live was as strong as she believed.  She learned how to give intravenous shots of antibiotics and tried a variety of foods to find what worked best for Clyde and what would give him the nutrition he was lacking.  It should be noted he would not eat a mash!  He could make his own by chewing the food, spitting it out, and eating it again -- yes, it is as disgusting as it sounds. 

By the end of May 2004, this is what Clyde looked like.  It was amazing to see his progression!

Clyde became a wonderful ambassador and much loved resident of Blarney Farms.  When Blarney Farms closed in 2005, Clyde moved to Wisconsin to live with one of the volunteers from Blarney Farm who had previously adopted 6 rescue horses.  He is healthy, happy and is ridden by every level rider.  His nickname is "Clyde the Glide" because of his smooth gaits.

If you think making a donation to a rescue doesn't make a difference, think about Clyde and all of the children (and adults) who would disagree. 

If you would like to donate to help Rolling Rock and make a difference in another horse's life, please check out our donate page to find out how.