Birdsofafeather was so beautiful that Kari and Alanna Ryan had to have her, even if she never becomes more than a pet.
Broken but beautiful, 3-year-old blue roan filly Birdsofafeather found a family who loved her just the way she was.
When Kari Ryan and her daughter Alana saw the strikingly pretty filly, standing in a field at Old Friend’s former Claremont, N.Y. facility, they started walking toward the delicate animal as if drawn by a magnetic force.
“My daughter and I were looking at two geldings to adopt and I happened to look up and saw Birdsofafeather standing in the distance. I was like, who is that?” Ryan says. “We walked toward her and she walked right up to us like it was meant to be.”
Shortly after that summer meeting, Birdsofafeather became the first off-track Thoroughbred to benefit from a new partnership between Drawing Away Stable of New York, which had owned her, and Old Friends, an equine retirement facility.
Birdsofafeather
Sire: Imperialism
Dam: Gin Rummy
Foal date: April 12, 2011“Drawing Away Stables partnered with Old Friends and Michael Blowen, and donated $25,000 to build a paddock in Kentucky for their horses,” says Thoroughbred trainer Lorita Lindemann. “They partnered with Old Friends last year, and Birds of A Feather was the first horse to get adopted because of them.”
The filly last raced at Suffolk Downs, where Lindemann had spent many years training and helping to re-home Thoroughbreds. She was pulled up on June 2 and retired on the spot, says Lindemann. After which, the animal was shipped to New York, to an Old Friends satellite stable, she adds.
Though her future as a riding horse is uncertain, Ryan says it doesn’t matter. “Ever since the day we picked her up and put her on the trailer she’s been my little baby,” Ryan says. “She is just so beautiful. We don’t really know if she’ll ever be rideable, but we don’t really care. She can be our pet forever. We just love her.”
A happy ending for a member of the DAS family!
BirdsofaFeather is just gorgeous. I would have loved to have her. I definitely don’t care is she is rideable. Ryans you are so lucky. I envy you. May you all love and enjoy each others company, whether standing on the ground or riding. Enjoy, Enjoy. I wish is I ever get to where you are Ryan family that I could come and see BirdsofaFeather.
So glad we have angels here on earth to take care of those who aren’t able to take care of themselves and to give them love and adoration. Thank you, Ryans!
I fail to see anything but a severely injured horse, one that should have been given immediate and full veterinary care. I hope that anyone that reads this knows that turnout for a horse with a broken ankle is not appropriate. Evaluate in the spring? What?
Randy, she has been attended to be a veterinarian and is cleared for pasture turnout. I did ask, of course. And, this is about a horse who found people who will take her as she is, regardless. I don’t understand your anger.
I am in agreement with you Randy 100% and what rescue, especially Old Friends would adopt out a horse that has a broken ankle? Do the new owners have the knowledge of how to rehab and help this young filly? Were there references? Will there be a follow up. Since old Friends does not generally do adoptions, was she sent out with a contract? The pictures of her at her new home on facebook do not even show that the filly has her leg wrapped and she is still out in a pasture. I read also on their facebook page that she had a reaction to the vaccine and they did not call a vet. She should never have been out in a pasture with a broken leg. NO WAY!
I am a veterinarian and everything that is being done to treat this filly is appropriate.
There are more important concepts in regards to this type of injury ( fracture): Blood supply to the bones; rate of bone healing, displaced or non displaced ( or other type ) of fracture, secondary tendon and ligament injury, etc etc. All of these things are components of determing if the fracture will benefit from surgery, stall rest, hand walking, or controlled turn out.
Walking and some forms of exercise help prevent the joint from becoming stiff. Maintenance of blood flow is also improved with various forms of exercise. It’s all a case by case decision and for this filly, this was the right plan. In the spring, x-rays will help determine how much bone growth and healing has occured.
Fracture management is much different between horses and dogs. The same is also true between horses and humans.
My point is also that I have never heard of a rescue, ANY rescue that adopted out a horse with this type of injury. Generally they are rehabbed first.
Thank goodness for angels on earth. We need more positive stories with horses and people connecting through unconditional love.
Thank goodness for angels on earth. We need more positive stories and unconditional love for all horses.
She is just beautiful and so are the folks that adopted her on the spot. This is love at first sight for sure, and much more lasting than a Prince Charming!!!!
This is a beautiful story that brought tears of joy to my eyes. The filly’s name must have been some type of indication that she would find her lifetime home with a family as kind and warm-hearted as she. Love it! Now I just need to find my own “birdsofafeather”.
great job girls, just give her a big hug and talk to her everyday,it will be her and your best part of everyday
How wonderful…I so love reading stories like this. She’s a beautiful horse and I’m so glad she now has a loving forever home.
What a great story, made me cry. Have to love it when people adopt horses that may never be rideable but love them anyway.
She is a beauty. What was the nature of her injury?
Stephanie, she has an ankle fracture and will be reassessed in the spring.
They can purchase heal fast therapy patches from ebay that help with healing and recovery for this type of injury. We had a 4 year old ottb with the same injury that we used these on and he is now fully recovered and ridable at 5 years old. We’ve also used them on knee injuries with great success. What a great story! Love seeing this!
Oh I’m going to cry. This is so sweet!
Such a wonderful story of true love between Birdsofafeather and her new forever home. Thank you to Kari Ryan and Alana for caring enough to make her a member of their family. She is beautiful.