Mach Cruz gives us "Pony Vibes" in the best way!  This cute, stocky gelding has had several years of downtime from the track and has relaxed nicely into riding. He has the sweetest face and always enjoys spending time with people!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Cruz leads quietly in a regular halter and cotton lead rope. He is respectful of his handler.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Cruz stands quietly in the crossties to be groomed and tacked. He doesn't always like sudden movements towards his head but is generally good-natured.
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Cruz is barefoot and is an easy keeper. He is easy to have in the barn and requires no special care. 
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Cruz has settled nicely into the herd of geldings here at the farm and falls mid-pack in the pecking order.  He won't challange the bosses, but he may push around a newbie. He does fancy himself quite the "ladies man" and is not suitable for turnout in a mixed herd.  Cruz is a mild cribber when stalled for extended periods of time, but does not exhibit this behavior with regular turnout.  He enjoys living life outdoors and would be suitable for 24/7 turnout with a run-in.  Cruz is not the biggest fan of hauling alone, and will get restless and paw in the trailer.  We have also noticed he prefers a trailer with stall-type dividers over an open stock trailer. 
• Riding - Level 1 - Cruz is a straightforward ride. He raced on the pace, but under saddle will generally trot.  He has also shown a willingness to canter under saddle. He tackled our obstacle course with ease, and has become quite confident under saddle over the last few months.  Cruz has trail experience and is happy to ride out alone or in company. 
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - Cruz has no notable history of injury and is suitable for mid-level careers including light jumping.

 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 capabilities. So, horses that are 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. New Vocations 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.