Held In Balance is a handsome trotting-bred gelding looking for a low-key lifestyle and a partner to share trail rides or ring work with. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - Bee can be led around the farm in a plain halter and lead rope. He is happy to walk beside his handler and is easy to work with. He can occasionally get nervous walking through narrow doorways.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Bee stands patiently in the crossties for grooming and tacking. 
• Horse Care - Level 2 - Bee is an easy keeper and has no stall vices. Due to some pedal bone changes he is most comfortable in bar shoes.
• Riding - Level 2 - Bee is happy to work and move forward under saddle. He is comfortable to ride and eager to learn new things! 
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Bee is always happy to go to work and enjoys his time with people. He is mid-level in his turnout group with other geldings and is always agreeable. 
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - Bee has some bony changes in his feet that will prevent him from high-level work, but he is sound and eager to explore trails and enjoy lower levels of riding. As always, vet records are available to interested and approved adopters.

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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.