I named her before she even arrived and the first thing I did in those wee hours was cut off that neck collar, rubbing the dried sweat and frayed tangled hair underneath, and told her "You are Guinevere, you are important, you are allowed to be a horse with personality, and you will be taken care of." This tired yet so noble eye looked back at me with a doubtful but hopeful expression.

In the first week Gwen has had: two myfascial treatments to release the strain through her injured hind end, her teeth floated with full incisor reduction, her mane trimmed and her tail banged, not to mention three bubble baths to remove the grime.

You should see Gwen just stand in the aisle and soak in the attention.

She is starting to look us in the eye now and be friendlier. She held her distance at first, not that she didn't like humans, but more that she simply didn't want to get close to anyone. She was self sufficient and independent by necessity of survival.

This mare has wisdom of the ancients written in her eyes. The problem with caring for a mare like this is she has always known what she has known. You cannot miss what you have never known, now she already knows better, she is important as an individual being not just inventory. The practical thing to do with an older mare like this is send her back when her job is done.

I can't do it. To take a horse like this out of its shell and give her identity, then plunge her back into the old life? It's nothing short of cruel.

If she foals out with no problem then I will keep her to breed to Regaliz. She's gorgeous, correct and still shows incredible suspension to her gaits.

Take that and put the power and collection of Regaliz to her? Oh wow.