The Complete Story Here’s what I found out, she was bred in Wyoming and traded to a reproductive facility. (So the ET facility tells me but the story has changed several times…)This pretty mare was sold as an embryo recipient and has spent her whole adult life traveling around having foals for other mares. She was a number with a uterus. Adequate solid care I'm sure but impersonal. Gwen had no name just a number. #6064 was inventory and produced product, nothing more. 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 have personality, and you will be taken care of.” This tired yet noble eye looked back at me with a doubtful but hopeful expression. In her first week here Gwen had: myfascial treatments, 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 have see Gwen just stand in the aisle and soak in the attention. Overtime she slowly started to look us in the eye 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. Big sad soulful eyes that look right through you. 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 experienced and now she already knows that she is important as an individual being not just inventory. Yet still the practical thing to do with an older mare like this is send her back to the facility when her job is done. Right? I couldn’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.

As it happened Gwen did end up losing the foal she was carrying that year, no doubt from the stress of travel in her dilapidated condition. The ET Facility did offer to take #6064 back as they do when the recipient mares are done their duties. When I inquired what they would do with an older mare who obviously was not a suitable ET candidate anymore the hesitant reply was “send her to auction.”

Sad, noble Guinevere whose only crime in life was circumstance would be sent to her ill fate. I knew I could never send her back to that life and now I knew what would happen to her if I did. And just like that Gwen’s whole life was changed permanently and Tintagel added another resident to its ranks.

Guinevere is brilliantly smart, opinionated, occasionally grumpy and regal in air. In other words, my favorite kind of mare. Smart, tough, independent, a survivor and deep down a very gentle soul who just longs for a little love and understanding.

Gwen had a filly from Regaliz in early 2008, her very first child of her own blood. This mare has many things of her own to contribute. Gwen is gorgeous, correct and shows incredible suspension and reach to her gaits. Take that and put the power and collection of Regaliz to her? Oh wow. As predicted the baby is fantastically athletic, bright and energetic, and a happy bouncy baby, totally oblivious of any of the trials of her mother. And this big girl is able to make even her jaded old mom smile. Even if she does have to get used to tearing around after Regaliz babies that never stand still.

We are currently looking for a permanent home for Gwen to let her have her babies and then retire her when that job is all done. She will be a great babysitter or just mow the grass. Gwen deserves to get stuffed full of carrots, and be shown due respect. This mare has a lot to teach.

I was expecting a bland shell, I got a Queen.