Stingray
Meet Stingray, a calm and steady gentle giant who makes every rider feel safe and welcome.
When the ranch first began in 2020, the horses were fiery, forward, and athletic — perfect for riders who love speed, independence, and intensity. But there was always a rider still standing on the sidelines. The husbands, the inexperienced friends, the family members that just didn't have the confience to jump on a horse. We knew we needed a "Husband horse" - a safe, calm, mellow horse that anybody can ride.
That horse felt like a dream. Until Stingray appeared.
Stingray was found at a ranch in Arizona, where he had been trained to drive and pull a carriage but had done very little under saddle. Tall, sturdy, and deeply calm, he was purchased as a 50th birthday gift for Owen, the ranch founder's husband. Some people get a Mustang for their 50th - Owen got a Clydesdale instead.
Stingray is the true definition of a gentle giant. He is slow, methodical, and unshakably kind. He doesn’t rush, doesn’t react, and doesn’t worry. He simply takes care of his people. Anyone can get on Stingray — beginners, nervous riders, first-time riders — and you can trust that he will do his job with patience and heart.
At the ranch, Stingray is the horse who welcomes riders who may not have imagined themselves on horseback at all. He is tall enough to comfortably carry adults, steady enough for complete beginners, and calm enough to make people feel safe the moment they sit in the saddle.
Though he’s been taken to gymkhanas and local events, competing consistently (and proudly) in the slowest divisions, it’s clear that competition isn’t what lights him up. Stingray’s true joy is the trail — quiet rides, steady movement, and time spent simply being with his rider. In the future, he may return to his roots as a driving horse and pull a carriage once again, but for now, he’s perfectly content doing what he does best: showing people that horses don’t have to be fast or intimidating to be magical.
Stingray is the calm balance to the ranch’s fire. Where Rambo, the other Clydeskale, is playful and energetic, Stingray is relaxed and grounded. Where others ask riders to rise to the challenge, Stingray meets riders exactly where they are.
At Second Chance Equine, Stingray is trust made tangible — the horse who opens the door for new riders, new stories, and new connections. He reminds us that sometimes the most powerful horses aren’t the fastest ones, but the ones who make people feel safe enough to begin.