Meet Our Horses

Thunder was bought sight unseen in eastern Iowa in 2015. When we went to pick him up and tried to put his halter on, he reared up and wanted to "box" with my Dad. We managed to get him into the trailer and drove him to our old ranch in Arizona, where we specialized in training and rehabilitating horses. Since he was so angry, we worked on his groundwork for about four months with no improvement. At that point, we began to understand why no one wanted him, regardless of how attractive he was. However, the moment we hooked him to the wagon to try him out, he immediately dropped his anger! We realized then that he simply loved having a job; he finally had a purpose. Thunder never showed anger again. He became gentle and loving, and he is now one of our best training horses. Throughout his career, he has been our lead wedding carriage horse—escorting 600 brides down the aisle—and has pulled in every major parade and photo shoot we have done. After working with thousands of horses in Arizona, he was the only horse we chose to bring with us when we moved to our new farm in Missouri. A true friend and the first one to the gate to work, his is a true success story.

We received Jericho in 2022 from an Amish farm where he had been a working horse. During his time there, he sustained an injury to his hindfoot that the Amish were unable to treat. It may sound unusual, but we received a call from an Amish man asking us to purchase the horse, so we did. As soon as he arrived at our farm, we immediately began rehabilitating his foot. We are proud to partner with a terrific farrier who created custom, handmade shoes specifically for Jericho. In the end, the rehabilitation was a success. While he will always carry a large scar and require his special shoe, he is one of the hardest workers we have ever been blessed with. He is so special, in fact, that he now works right alongside Thunder as a team on the wagon. He is truly another dear friend.

Tucker was purchased in 2023 as part of a team with another horse named Tom. Today, Tucker is the only Percheron on our farm. My Dad actually didn’t want Tucker at the time; he only wanted Tom. But the Amish seller insisted, "If you buy Tom, you also have to buy Tucker," so we took them both. While there was nothing physically wrong with Tucker, in my Dad’s words, he was "just a goofball." Tucker is an amazingly beautiful horse—a giant, coal-black Percheron. The Amish were willing to part with him because he behaved more like a pet than a workhorse; he would much rather spend his time being petted by people or sniffing small flowers in the field than working hard. Unbeknownst to my Dad, Tucker quickly became a fan favorite. He is now the horse most frequently requested by our guests, who find great solace in how huge and gentle he is. Even though Tucker may lack a traditional "work ethic," he more than makes up for it with the pure love he shows every guest here at the Clydesdale Experience!

Fiona arrived here from an Amish farm in 2024 without a name. Following our normal practice, we let our guests choose one for her. After naming between 12,000 and 13,000 horses over the last 25 years, we have officially run out of names! Fiona is a strawberry roan Belgian mare. In her previous life, she was used as a heavy working farm horse and a broodmare. Fortunately for us, the Amish often part with their horses around the age of 15 while they can still make a profit. While these horses can live well into their late 30s, much of the world considers them "old" and moves them on, even though they are perfectly healthy and only at mid-life. We feel blessed to receive them for their second half—which, in my opinion, is the best half! Fiona has a gentle soul, yet she is strong enough to pull a house off its foundation. She absolutely adores the work she does here. While she is still a little apprehensive about being "loved on"—simply because she never experienced that kind of affection in her past life—she is slowly warming up to the idea. She needs our guests to shower her with kindness, as there is nothing quite like making a connection with a horse. It’s a bond that can truly change lives.

Jazzy is a stunning Clydesdale mare who has had a very good life. She originally came from a premium show barn, where the owner’s daughter competed with her in showing competitions. But, as often happens in life, daughters grow up, interests change, and time goes by. Because the barn owner still loved Jazzy, she transitioned into his breeding program, where she produced many beautiful Clydesdale foals. Around the age of eight, Jazzy was diagnosed with shivers—a degenerative neurological disease. While veterinarians haven't yet determined its exact cause, it is widely believed to be hereditary. Because of this diagnosis, she had to be pulled from the breeding program immediately. That was when they called us to rehome her, and we were incredibly proud to take her on. Jazzy is absolutely stunning, loves our guests, and truly enjoys her work. She is not in any pain and will be here for a long time, bringing joy to our visitors and, most importantly, living a happy life herself. We look forward to having her with us for many years to come! She is truly my favorite girl.

Liza joined the Clydesdale Experience at the same time as Jazzy. Previously, Liza was a broodmare, which means she spent her life successfully raising beautiful Clydesdale foals. At the age of 16, she was retired from breeding, but because she likely has another 15 years of life ahead of her, we knew she still had plenty to offer! When she first arrived in April of 2025, she had no prior experience with driving or riding. However, she has proven to be an incredible student; since her arrival, she has completely mastered driving and is doing exceptionally well with her riding lessons. Now, our guests can enjoy her most days as she pulls the wagon with ease. Liza is truly living her best life!

Kate was accepted into our program in July of 2025. There isn't much negative to say about Kate, except that she was one of "the forgotten." Kate is a traditional Scottish Clydesdale, representing the breed as it was before the bloodline was influenced by the modern "Budweiser" look. Traditionally, these horses aren't just bay and white; they are often a beautiful strawberry roan. She is stunning, even if she doesn't fit the typical American image of a Clydesdale. Kate was originally purchased as a foal by a family with good intentions. However, as often happens, life got in the way for her first owners. While they meant well, they treated her strictly as a pet, never giving her the respect of learning a job or a purpose. Much like people, horses can feel lost without a sense of purpose. Since joining us, Kate has learned to drive and is currently learning to ride. She loves interacting with our guests and will be the first horse to try and steal a butterscotch—or your heart—right out of your pocket! Not bad for a five-year-old.

Lily arrived at the Clydesdale Experience in 2023. She is a North American Spotted Draft. Although Lily isn't a Clydesdale, she is a draft horse, which means she belongs to the heavy workhorse family. While we didn't receive much background information on Lily, it became apparent once she started our training program that she was likely trained in Texas for the rodeo arena. It appeared she had been pushed hard by someone with big "rodeo cowgirl" dreams. Over the last 25+ years, my family and I have retrained hundreds of horses like her, teaching them how to finally calm down and relax. Through our program, Lily has learned to do just that. She is now one of our best trail horses; in fact, I would put her up against some of the best reining horses out there. She truly loves her job now and will never again have to endure the stress she once faced in the arena. We love what we do and feel blessed every day to make a difference in the lives of our guests and God’s creatures!