2024 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - Bear is typically led with a chain over his nose to and from the paddock for extra support. He can be exciteable at times, so he requires a confident handler.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - Bear stands well on the crossties for grooming, bathing, and tacking. He can get impatient if he feels that his time is being wasted. He would much rather be strutting his stuff!
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Bear wears front shoes and does not require any extra supplements.
• Riding - Level 2 - If you're looking for a horse that screams "look at me!", Bear is your guy! He has a bear-sized presence and confidence to boot! Bear would do best with an equally confident rider who has the patience to get him back into good fitness. A rider with a sense of humor to appreciate his goofy presence would be a great fit. With the right person, we have no doubt he will flourish!
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - 2 - Bear is a goofy gelding who thrives in a routine. He is currently going out overnight with three other geldings.
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - For those seeking a flashy, confident mount for a mid or low-level career, Bear could be a great option! He has some mild arthritic changes and recovered from an old soft tissue injury, but the only thing that has slowed him down recently has been getting back into shape and recovering from an abscess!

 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 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.