Instinct

Take 50% off adoption fees when you bring a horse home by July 15 with our Saddle Up for Summer Adoption Special!

2024 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - 2 - Instinct goes by many names: Bunny, Stink Bug, Bambi, Stinky, etc… But no matter what we call her, her lovable personality shines through. She walks politely to and from turnout and is easy to catch in the field.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - 2 - This sweet girl has come a long way since joining our program! She now stands confidently and patiently for bathing and grooming. She also stall ties very well!
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Stinky remains plump on our standard feeding program and wears regular front shoes.
• Riding - Level 2 - The transition from racing prospect to sport horse can be confusing for many youngsters, but Stinky is a willing and brave girl who makes huge progress with each passing day! Her naturally soft and balanced carriage strikes us as a perfect match for English OR Western riding.
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Stinky is a shyer type and mostly keeps to herself in her overnight turnout group. Around humans, she is an absolute ham and will stand for scratches all day long!
• Physical Capability* - Level 2+ - This sporty gal has no known limitations, and shows great potential for her next career! She had a knee chip removal prior to her arrival with us.

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.

*Assessments are based on information provided by the donors, physical/ mental assessments done by our professional team, as well as any veterinary examinations done at the farm (as needed). Approved, prospective adopters are welcome to arrange and coordinate a PPE if they choose, after speaking with the trainer at the respective facility of the horse. Adopters may also elect to use the 60-day trial period to thoroughly vet and assess the fit of the horse at their barn to ensure a great match!

ABOUT OUR ADOPTION FEES

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

Our fees range from $0 (waived) to $3,500.

• Fees typically correspond with a horse’s Anticipated Physical Capability. So, horses that are found to be best suited for non-riding careers (our Pasture Potatoes) have waived fees, while the fees for horses assessed to be suitable for high-impact careers will be up to $3,500.

While our adoption fees are low, it’s important to remember that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for a horse 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.

When you adopt a horse through New Vocations, you’re helping two horses; your new family member and the one who takes their place in our program. 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, enabling us to help even more horses transition off the track as stalls open up in our barns!

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've rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, been evaluated by trainers and veterinarians, and have been in regular training with a professional. On average, the monetary value of these services exceeds $5,000. Any medical records (often including X-rays and ultrasounds) and pertinent history we have on each horse are also available to interested and approved adopters.