Kewstone Wallis' New Home

This is a feel-good story about following your heart. 26 year old Kate Miller rescued a horse she had fallen in love with as a six year old and then a world renowned veterinarian rescued Kate from going into debt to care for her.

It begins with a horse name Keystone Wallis who, in her day, won about $600,000 as a harness racer. She was a productive broodmare who produced 14 foals that collectively sold for more than $300,000. And she was the horse of Kate Miller's dreams. She followed her career ever since she was a young girl of six, attracted to the mare because of her grey, now totally white, coat.

Imagine Miller's surprise when she spotted Keystone Wallis among the listings at a horse auction in Delaware, Ohio. "I knew no one would want her but the killers," she said. "I just had to buy her."

So she did--which wasn't easy for the assistant director of admissions for Arrgosy University Online Programs who lives in Pittsburgh. But she scraped together some money (including donations from friends), and drove to Ohio for the action, where she bought her dream horse for $150.00 A friend hauled her to a barn in Ohio, where she boarded her for $10.00/day. Even that was going to put Miller over the edge very quickly.

Somehow the story made its way into the harness racing community and Ellen Harvey, executive director of Harness Racing Communications wrote a story about the save which was read by Dr. Patti Hogan, in a harness racing magazine. For those of you who don't know Dr. Hogan, she is the vet who saved Smarty Jones' eye (among other accomplishments) when he was injured in a freak starting gate accident as a two year old. She is also one of head vets at the new Ruffian Equine Medical Center, near Belmont Park.

Hogan was so impressed by Miller's devotion to Keystone Wallis that she "adopted" her, offering to care for her for the rest of her life at her own Fair Winds Farm. In fact, she featured Keystone Wallis on her personal Christmas card this year.

"She has a lot of personality. She is sweet, inquisitive and easy to handle," says Hogan of her new charge. "We will let her live out her days as a horse. She deserves it."

Proof that what goes around does indeed come around. And proof that good deeds do beget more.