Maryland Equine Transition Companies (METS) is a program sponsored by Days Finish Farm Horse Rescue that assists horse house owners with transitioning horses to new possession. Whether or not resulting from an proprietor’s lack of ability to look after the horse or a change in curiosity, METS ensures that no horse is liable to negligence.
In 2022, Zoe Kostant stumbled upon an advert for Liam’s Tune whereas scrolling via the METS web page.
“I noticed that face within the advert and simply KNEW I needed to have this horse,” Kostant wrote.
Liam’s Tune, a 2007 darkish bay Thoroughbred gelding, had a profitable racing profession with10 wins in 36 begins throughout Maryland, West Virginia, and Delaware, incomes a complete of $239,522.
When Kostant found the advert, it was the weeken and she or he anticipated METS was very prone to be closed. Desperate to study extra, she took issues into her personal palms. After looking for Liam’s Tune’s registered identify on Fb, she discovered a half-lease advert from 2019, at which period he was known as Titan.
Kostant determined to message the poster of the advert, Emma, to see if she nonetheless had the horse. Initially, Emma was hesitant to reply, contemplating the time that had handed for the reason that authentic publish.
Nonetheless, as soon as they began speaking, the 2 hit it off. Kostant shared tales of her earlier Thoroughbreds and her plans for Liam’s Tune. Feeling reassured, Emma grew snug with Kostant caring for the horse she beloved a lot.
Kostant was persistent in her pursuit of “Ricky” (previously Liam’s Tune and Titan) due to the connection she felt simply from his image.
“You’ll be able to look proper at him and inform he’s simply nothing however a lover,” she wrote.
Quickly after bringing Ricky dwelling, Kostant acquired a name from Bev Strauss at MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in Chesapeake Metropolis, Md. Strauss knowledgeable her that Ricky had initially come from MidAtlantic and that there was a contract stating that if he ever wanted to be rehomed, he ought to be returned to them. Strauss needed to make sure that Ricky was in dwelling, and since then, Kostant has stored in common contact together with her, sending updates and images of Ricky.
Regardless of some difficult circumstances, Ricky has performed amazingly nicely. Tragically, in June 2023, Ricky and his pasture mate, Lucy, have been deliberately set free of their discipline and each have been struck by vehicles. Lucy sadly didn’t survive the accident, however Ricky was lucky to endure solely minor accidents.
After recovering, Ricky and Kostant started engaged on Hunt Seat Equitation. Though Ricky was 17 years outdated when he first began leaping, Kostant wrote, “that boy took to it like a fish to water! He loves it.”
They competed in a number of exhibits through the summer season of 2023, and Ricky actually shined and even took dwelling two championship titles. Now, they proceed to rebuild the muscle he misplaced throughout his day without work and are trying ahead to competing in domestically rated exhibits in 2024.
The Jockey Membership helps many aftercare initiatives together with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the one accrediting physique in aftercare, and Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which inspires the retraining of Thoroughbreds into different disciplines upon completion of careers. View the entire initiatives supported by The Jockey Membership.
