Maryland Equine Transition Services (METS) is a program sponsored by Days End Farm Horse Rescue that assists horse owners in transitioning their horses to a new owner. Whether due to the owner’s inability to care for the horse or a change in interests, METS ensures that no horse is at risk of neglect.
In 2022, Zoe Kostant was scrolling through the METS page when she came across an ad for Liam’s Song.
“I saw that face in the ad and just KNEW I had to have that horse,” Kostant wrote.
Liam’s Song, a dark bay Thoroughbred gelding born in 2007, had a successful racing career with 10 wins in 36 starts in Maryland, West Virginia and Delaware and earned a total of $239,522.
When Kostant discovered the ad, it was the weekend and she assumed METS would most likely be closed. She wanted to learn more and took matters into her own hands. After searching for Liam Song’s registered name on Facebook, she found an ad for a half-rental apartment from 2019, when he was still called Titan.
Kostant decided to message Emma, who had posted the ad, to ask if she still had the horse. At first, Emma was hesitant to respond since a lot of time had passed since the original post.
However, once they started talking, the two hit it off. Kostant shared stories about her previous thoroughbreds and her plans for Liam’s Song. Emma felt reassured and comfortable with Kostant taking care of the horse she loved so much.
Kostant persistently hunted down “Ricky” (formerly “Liam’s Song” and “Titan”) because she felt a connection to him based on his picture alone.
“You can look at him and see that he is nothing more than a lover,” she wrote.
Shortly after bringing Ricky home, Kostant received a call from Bev Strauss of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in Chesapeake City, Maryland. Strauss told her that Ricky originally came from MidAtlantic and that there was a contract that said if he ever needed a new home, he was to be returned to them. Strauss wanted to make sure Ricky went to a good home, and since then, Kostant has been in regular contact with her, sending her updates and photos of Ricky.
Despite some difficult circumstances, Ricky has done amazingly well. Tragically, Ricky and his pasture companion Lucy were intentionally left from their pasture in June 2023 and both were hit by cars. Lucy unfortunately did not survive the accident, but Ricky was lucky and only suffered minor injuries.
After recovering, Ricky and Kostant began to practice hunt seat horsemanship. Although Ricky was 17 when he began show jumping, Kostant wrote, “The boy felt like a fish out of water! He loves it.”
They competed in several shows in the summer of 2023, and Ricky really shined, even winning two championship titles. Now they continue to build the muscle he lost during his time off, and look forward to competing in locally judged shows in 2024.
The Jockey Club supports many aftercare initiatives These include the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accreditation body in the field of aftercare, and the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds in other disciplines after the completion of their careers. View all initiatives supported by the Jockey Club.
