From Wanderers to Kindred Spirits — An Unexpected Encounter at Old Friend Equine
by Drew Holmes
Pulling off Paynes Depot Road into the grassy portion of the mostly paved parking lot, we had no idea what to expect. Our family was on a Geocaching adventure and according to our GPS the nearest cache was on the grounds of Old Friends, a racehorse retirement community in Georgetown, KY. Not wanting to be rude, we entered the nearby building to sign the guestbook and explore the gift shop.
My boys immediately saw the cat, Selena, and instantly connected with her.
“She just wandered in one day,” explained Diane from behind the counter. “We kept feeding her, so she never left.”
“We just lost our cat a couple of weeks ago,” I explained as my boys lay on the floor stroking the cat’s silky black fur. “They really miss him.”
Chatting further, I discovered that Diane was originally from Boston, not far from where I grew up, and a columnist for the Boston Globe. Jamie and I contemplated taking the tour to see the horses but were skeptical of the boys’ attention span to properly enjoy the experience.
We thanked Diane for her time and exited the building to locate the Geocache. As we headed back to the car she exited the building and approached me.
“Drive your car up to the top of the hill next to the gazebo,” she said. “My husband will meet you there and introduce your boys to Little Silver.”
This was an unexpected opportunity. We were not only invited to drive on the grounds (despite the extensive signage forbidding it), but also for one-on-one time with a horse. We thanked her and made our way to the appointed spot. There we saw a small horse in a pen, who we correctly assumed was Little Silver. As we made his acquaintance through the fence, an older gentleman exited the nearby house and approached us.
“I’m Michael,” he said as he brought the horse out of the enclosure and walked towards us.
Michael Blowen is the owner of Old Friends Equine and Diane is his wife. He is a retired film critic for the Boston Globe and fell in love with horses in New England during his newspaper days.
“We had a group from the Globe that played basketball,” he explained when I asked how he got into horses. “We got too old to play without hurting ourselves, so we went in together on a horse.”
Over the years his love for these athletes grew. When he realized that retirement for these animals often meant the slaughterhouse, he knew he had to do something. So, he started Old Friends Equine as a retirement community for racehorses. Current residents include Silver Charm, Touch Gold, and Sarava. Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner War Emblem also lived out his golden years in Georgetown until his death in 2020.
His love for these animals is evident in the broad smile that grows even larger as he talks about these fine horses. Whether he found his purpose or fate found him, Michael is doing work he not only loves but was meant to do.
Hearing his story, I could not help but think of my own. Whether as an orchestra librarian, sheet music distributor, or music store owner, my path has been anything but straight. When I see the excitement on a child’s face at making the first sound on an instrument or the relief of a seasoned pro at the repair of their treasured friend I know, Like Michael, I’m where I belong doing what I’m meant to do.
Life is full of chance encounters and fortunate coincidences. Because we wandered into the right place at the right time, we met wonderful people who care for all creatures whether they are feral cats or champion racehorses. Diane and Michael’s winding path led them from the newsroom in Boston to a barn in Georgetown, exactly where they were meant to be. Thank you for taking the time to share your joy with my family and show us a world we otherwise would not have known.
Read more essays like this at