Since the day she's owned him Jay has dreamed of a Free Clyde, released from the drudge of working livery and his dark gloomy stable, living the life a good horse deserves to live - out in a field with the sun and the wind and the rain, with good green grass to eat and other horses in his herd.
The time came this week to give him that life 
and we have (after much worry, stress and heartsearching) found him a wonderful new home.
It's at Woodlands Riding Stables a 400-acre sheep farm just 5 minutes drive from us. He'll live out year-round on grass, in a little herd of other retired or grass-kept horses; Jay can see him whenever she wants, and even take him out if his cough improves once he's out of the dusty stable he used to live in.
It couldn't be a more beautiful place, on the side of Cleeve Hill with fields and trees and horses stretching as far as the eye can see.
Here was the lovely moment we released our Clyde, who's been such a good, loyal, talented, hardworking, trustable friend:
A good sign: like a boy on his first day at school, after being a bit clingy in the new stable-yard, once taken to his 'playground' he walked quickly away from us and set out to explore (carefully not picking a fight with his new 'mate', on the right: cor! e's a bit big inne, maybe later when I find me feet
Some old-timers are lined up to say hello to the new arrival! (Clyde nearest to the cam. strolling along the fence)
One ear on us, hovering anxiously by the fence, he set about doing what he likes best: - yer can go now if yer like! It's embarrassing, me new mates are all lookin' at me!
No rug, no more clipping, no medicines, no saddles, bridles and all the other trappings we force horses into for our fun: and his shoes come off tomorrow.
A totally, utterly, completely Free Cloots heading determinedly to his new life.
all we want now is for him to have some healthy years to be a horse in a horse's natural place.
The end of an era for Jay and Clyde, but a fitting one. 
Sad and good times for Clyde! Glad he is living out his life free and doing exactly as he pleases! An aspiration for most of us! Hope Jay is not too sad......
Wishing him every happiness!
I does hope Clyde have a long and happy retirement.
Ah a happy ending. Retirement is Good, I have always said so.
What is that little shelter thing in the background, are the horses allowed inside in the really really bad weather like two feet of snow?
Or do horses not mind the snow. I know I would mind it but I am not a horse.
If he can't have a saddle and shoes now how will Jay take him out, would they just go for walks?
Thanks everyone 
He has good friends on here.
Furby you are psychic, I woke up this morning thinking 'but what about SNOW!' 
The horses kept at grass have what's called 'Natural Shelter' ie trees, the ideal is for horses to have what I think's called an 'American Barn' where they can go in and out of a stable-shelter at will (interestingly, Research Proves that left to their own devices they use this mostly to escape the SUN, not rain or cold) but such things are pretty rare in this country as yet (Jay has designed one for her Own Yard when she can afford one 
)
I remember the horses in Laura Ingalls Wilder 18C prairie stories having their heads frozen to the ice some mornings and having to be released with hot water - !
I'm hoping there's some kind of barn they can be brought into when it's really extreme or maybe we can pay for a stable if it's really really snowy as Clyde is an old boy and we're already nervous about him being out at night in winter with no rugs (technically non-essential now he'll not be clipped any more and can grow a full thick winter coat.)
Pam (previous stable-owner who has had Clyde for over 10 years and who kindly took him to Woodlands for us yesterday) told Jay to leave him a few weeks to see if the cough drastically improves which it might when he's not in a dusty environment, and then try riding him gently for short periods, if she wants to - lots of off-road hacking at Woodlands so shoes will not be necessary, though a horse can manage without shoes even on roads if in very light work. Jay won't mind if this never happens though and one thing we're planning to do is take him for a walk down the lanes to graze him 'in-hand' in just his headcollar. Owners often do this just to 'remind' the horse that he's NOT Wild and to keep some contact/obedience - after all he still needs to be caught and brought in every few weeks for hoof-trimming, dentist, grooming.
I think he might quickly become Wild though.. he never was the easiest pony to catch - though a pail of feed usually does the trick 
Icelandic horses stay out in Snow in Winter, they are only brought inside out in the country when it gets really cold (like lots of degrees Celsius below zero) so I think Clyde will be OK on Cleeve Hill.
At the Horses' Houses in Reykjavík, on the other hand, they are pampered and kept in stables.
I must confess to wondering what was going to happen to Clyde as he and jay together got older... you seem to have found a perfect solution.
Here is hoping his cough gets better and that he enjoys his retirement - I bet his original owners never thought he would be living out his days in such an idyllic situation (Wasn't he a dray horse at one stage?)
I hope he consents to you keeping us updated on his life of ease!
Ron
Wow, Happy Retirement to Clyde! You have certainly looked into his welfare very carefully (I wondered about hoof trimming, and whether horses need that kind of thing after many years in shoes). It must be a relief to have taken the decision.
And horses are social animals, after all, aren't they, so it's wonderful that if he will be getting less constant human contact he will have plenty of other horses to interact with. I hope he has a long and happy time with them!
Next Page...