Maryland Equine Transition Services (METS) is a program sponsored by Days End Farm Horse Rescue that assists horse owners with transitioning horses to new ownership. Whether due to an owner's inability to care for the horse or a change in interest, METS ensures that no horse is at risk of negligence.

In 2022, Zoe Kostant stumbled upon an ad for Liam’s Song while scrolling through the METS page.

Zoe with beloved OTTB Ricky (Courtesy of Zoe Kostant )

“I saw that face in the ad and just KNEW I had to have this horse,” Kostant wrote.

Liam’s Song, a 2007 dark bay Thoroughbred gelding, had a successful racing career with10 wins in 36 starts across Maryland, West Virginia, and Delaware, earning a total of $239,522.

When Kostant discovered the ad, it was the weeken and she expected METS was very likely to be closed. Eager to learn more, she took matters into her own hands. After searching for Liam’s Song’s registered name on Facebook, she found a half-lease ad from 2019, at which time he was called Titan.

Kostant decided to message the poster of the ad, Emma, to see if she still had the horse. Initially, Emma was hesitant to respond, considering the time that had passed since the original post.

However, once they started talking, the two hit it off. Kostant shared stories of her previous Thoroughbreds and her plans for Liam’s Song. Feeling reassured, Emma grew comfortable with Kostant taking care of the horse she loved so much.

Kostant was persistent in her pursuit of “Ricky” (formerly Liam’s Song and Titan) because of the connection she felt just from his picture.

“You can look right at him and tell he is just nothing but a lover,” she wrote.

Soon after bringing Ricky home, Kostant received a call from Bev Strauss at MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in Chesapeake City, Md. Strauss informed her that Ricky had originally come from MidAtlantic and that there was a contract stating that if he ever needed to be rehomed, he should be returned to them. Strauss wanted to ensure that Ricky was in a good home, and since then, Kostant has kept in regular contact with her, sending updates and photos of Ricky.

Despite some challenging circumstances, Ricky has done amazingly well. Tragically, in June 2023, Ricky and his pasture mate, Lucy, were intentionally let out of their field and both were struck by cars. Lucy sadly did not survive the accident, but Ricky was fortunate to suffer only minor injuries.

After recovering, Ricky and Kostant began working on Hunt Seat Equitation. Although Ricky was 17 years old when he first started jumping, Kostant wrote, “that boy took to it like a fish to water! He loves it.”

They competed in several shows during the summer of 2023, and Ricky really shined and even took home two championship titles. Now, they continue to rebuild the muscle he lost during his time off and are looking forward to competing in locally rated shows in 2024.

The Jockey Club supports many aftercare initiatives including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the only accrediting body in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers. View all of the initiatives supported by The Jockey Club.