• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - The more attention you can give Ellen, the better! She adores it! Ellen is always aiming to please as long as she understands what is being asked. When confused, she will stop, look, analyze and try again once she thinks she’s got it.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Ellen loves being groomed and cuddled! She is easy to saddle and bridle.
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Ellen is on a regular maintenance grain and unlimited hay. She is barefoot with strong hooves.
• Riding - Level 1 - Ellen is still green, but is a sweet and simple ride. She has not only been ridden by her trainer, but also her trainer's 11-yr-old son both in saddle and with a bareback pad.
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Ellen is calm, quiet and sweet with everyone she meets!
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - Ellen needs to build some more muscle to become confident in herself to be the best and most dependable walk/trot partner. She will happily walk along under saddle, and will need more time to build up her muscle before trotting with a rider to ensure success. She canters in the field, but has a long way to go to develop the strength needed to canter under saddle.

 click for horse level information 

ABOUT OUR ADOPTION FEES

New Vocations intentionally sets our horses’ adoption fees lower than the average cost of buying a Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds from a private seller (in today’s market, horses coming right off the track are often listed at $5,000 to $10,000!).

Our facilities are nearly always at max capacity, which means we can’t take in a new horse until one is adopted. Keeping our adoption fees low helps us find appropriate homes for horses quickly, thereby enabling us to assist even more horses transition off the track as stalls open up in our barns! In that way, when you adopt a horse through New Vocations, you’re actually helping two horses: your new family member and the one who takes his place in our program!

While our adoption fees are low, it’s important to remember that costs associated with the ongoing care and additional training for a horse (adopted or otherwise!) can be high. We hope that by helping adopters save money upfront, you’ll have more funds available to cover the costs of properly caring for and training a retired racehorse.

In general, our fees range around $3,500, $2,500, $1,000, and Under $1,000:

• $3,500: This range is for horses considered unlimited in their physical ability or those with exceptional qualities that would make them an upper- or high-level equine athlete.
  
  
• $2,000 - $2,500: This range is for horses we consider physically capable of a mid- to high-level second career. They have few or relatively minor limitations.
  
  
• $1,000 - $1,500: This range is for horses best-suited for a low- to mid-level career. They may have sustained an injury but have been fully treated and rehabbed. These horses have been examined by and cleared by our veterinarians for most disciplines, possibly up to a certain level (for example, suitable for a career jumping 2’0” but not suitable for a 3’6” career).
  
  
• Under $1,000: This range is for horses that could be harder to place in a perfect situation or those with more limited athletic potential (for example, possibly suitable for flat-work only) but are still capable of a successful second career. They have been evaluated by our veterinarians and are otherwise healthy.

Another perk of adopting from us? We do all we can to give you the most value for your adoption fee. Most adoptable horses have been in the program for a minimum of 60 days, during which they're rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, evaluated by trainers and veterinarians, and in regular training with a professional; on average, the monetary value of these services exceeds $5,000. Any medical records (often including X-ray and ultrasounds) and pertinent history we have on each horse is also available to interested and approved adopters.