• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Major walks in and out of his paddock quietly with a plain cotton lead rope. He is often led with a turnout buddy.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Whether you are harnessing or tacking him up for a ride, Major is always a gentleman. He is curious, so may look around in a busy barn atmosphere to see what's going on.
• Horse Care - Level 2 - Major is currently wearing front shoes. In a group setting, Major has only been turned out with geldings. He also doesn't mind being turned out alone.
• Riding - Level 2 - 3 - Major is easy to drive and ride. In his time with us, Major has made so much progress in his acceptance of the mounting block! He is still working on not moving his haunches away, but this has improved greatly! Major is the "get on and go" type. We have found that the more you try to stand the more impatient he gets. His perfect adopter will understand that he still needs more time and training for this to improve and build his confidence. Major will trot or pace under saddle.
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Major is level-headed and curious. If there is something he is unsure of, he may let out a snort of concern but never does more than look.
• Physical Capability - Level 4 - Major retired because he was no longer competitive in a racing career. While he does not have known limitations, he would be best suited for someone who has moderate riding goals.

 click for horse level information 

Interested in this horse? Already approved adopters may reach out to this horse's trainer at the "Email About This Horse" button above for further information. Still need to become approved? Learn about the process and start your questionnaire at newvocations.org/adopt. Approved applications are valid for 2 years.

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.