2020 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

Looking for a hometown hero to stake your bets on? This dashing son of Street Cry is asking you to take a shot in the dark and let him pierce your soul with his striking expression. Asbaad is big, beefy, and beautiful.

On the ground, Asbaad is one cool customer. He has no problems standing in the crossties, for the farrier, or leading in pairs to or from his pasture. In turnout, he tends to be towards the bottom of the hierarchy and is content to take his time coming to the gate every morning. While he does like to pose with his head out of stall so everyone can admire his good looks (I mean, look at that forelock!) he’s the type of guy who has no problem living a life of leisure. He can frequently be found passed out on his side enjoying a deep sleep after a long night out playing with his friends. He can act shy when you first meet him but quickly warms up to people and is happy to receive attention and treats.

Under saddle, Asbaad rides like a recliner sofa. He takes up the rider's leg, and makes for a smooth ride. You can just 'hang out' with him on a loose rein, but he just as easily moves off leg when asked. He is confident, and doesn't mind being ridden alone, in the indoor or the outdoor. He can get a little distracted by friends in the ring, but he is easy enough to refocus.

Asbaad has a very sweet, docile personality on the ground, but he has been a little enthusiastic about getting back into work! When we first started putting rides on him, he was very out of fitness, and pokey to ride. Now that he's getting more fit, he's been more ethusuastic! Because of that, Asbaad would do best with an advanced rider, at least in the near-term. He means no harm, he's just being goofy, but nonetheless we think this could antimidate a less confident/ balanced rider. His ideal career would be a leisure/ trail horse, or possibly a low-level dressage mount with some light mainenance down the line.

COVID-19 Adoption Fee Update

You might notice some of our horses' adoption fees have been reduced in recent days.  This is solely due to the current COVID-19 situation and not because we've discovered new physical issues or behavioral issues.  We always aim to keep our adoption fees low so adopters can invest more in the future training and care for each horse. The adoption option is truly the most economical option!

In addition, please keep in mind the more horses we rehome, the more retiring racehorses we can welcome to our program. And, with the current uncertainty at many racetracks and training centers, we're hoping to eliminate barriers to help find perfect homes for our current residents so we can continue serving those in need of transitional training. Adopters must still be approved to bring a horse home.

Please feel free to contact any horse's trainer for additional information on his or her adoption fee.

ADOPTION FEE POLICY

New Vocations’ adoption fees are intentionally set lower than the cost of buying most Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds through a private seller. In today’s market, it’s not unusual for horses coming right off the track to be listed for sale at a price between $2,000 and $5,000. At New Vocations, we set a fee that will ultimately help each horse find a home quickly. The program’s facilities are always at full capacity, which means we cannot take in an additional horse until one is adopted. Adopters should be encouraged to know that by adopting a horse through New Vocations, they are actually helping two horses transition to careers outside of racing.

In general, our fees are set at $500, $1,000 or $1,000 with a $1,500 donation.  

• $1,000 with a $1,500 donation: This range is for horses that we consider to be the cream of the crop or “unicorn” horses. They are horses that have few or no limitations and great conformation, movement and size.
• $1,000: This range is for horses that are suitable for a competitive career up to a certain level (for example, cleared for 2’6” but not necessarily 3’). They may have been fully rehabbed from an injury but have been cleared by our veterinarians for most disciplines. 
• $500: This range is for horses that are limited to a flat, trail or companion-type home. These horses are healthy and have been fully rehabbed and evaluated by a vet.

Additionally, adopters get great value for their money: The majority of the horses have been in the program for a minimum of 60 days. During that time, horses are rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, fully evaluated, and in work with a professional trainer. New Vocations fully discloses each horse’s history and provides all available medical records, many of which include X-ray and ultrasounds.

While adoption fees are low, it should be noted that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for each horse after adoption can be high. New Vocations hopes that by helping an adopter save money upfront, he or she will have more funds available to cover the continuing costs of properly caring for a horse.