'Walk Away Rene'

Walk Away Rene, a 22 year old Thoroughbred mare, arrived at Bear Valley Rescue in early July, 2015. She was in such sad shape - very underweight, wormy, anemic, with bad teeth, and having recently lost her foal. She came to us when she was discarded because she was deemed no longer useful as a broodmare.  She'd lost her foal, was then sent to someone to try out as a nurse mare, and when that didn't work out, no one wanted her.  When we spoke to a previous owner, someone whom, one would think, would know something about proper horse care as he'd  been involved in the racing industry for many years, he said she'd been losing weight for a while and he didn't know what to do about it.  It didn't seem to occur to him to deworm her or have her teeth floated, or, heaven forbid, feed her extra.

Rene recovered well with proper care.  She was in fact carrying a very high parasite load and received a very much needed dental float.   Once she started to gain weight she went to a loving foster home.  A year later she tested positive for Cushings  and was started on pergolide.  She gained weight and was thriving, very much loved by everyone who met her both here and  at her foster home. Sadly, she passed away suddenly in September, 2016, we believe by lightning strike.

In February 2017, her great-grandson Girvin was a rising star in racing and a prospect for the Kentucky Derby, winning over $1,500,000 in his career. Her legacy lives on, but we will remember her as a kind and gentle mare who deserved so much more than the end she was facing before we took her in.

Rene on arrival.

She's so thin!

Two weeks later and she's already looking so much better.

At her foster home, August, 2015.

Summer, 2016

Article in 'Bloodhorse', Feb 25, 2017 about Girvin, greatgrandson of Walk Away Rene.

Girvin's pedigree - you can see Walk Away Rene on the bottom, 3 generations back.