2025 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - Sam was born without his left eye, so on the ground, he will often look to his handler for reassurance. Even so, he is used to having things done on his left side and is most comfortable with his handler being there (versus the right side). We keep some kind of contact with him (typically a hand on his shoulder) so that he always knows where we are.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - During the first few days in a new place, Sam is most comfortable being held for grooming and tacking so that he can move his head around more freely to check out his surroundings. He can be fidgety in crossties due to that lack of freedom. Sam enjoys attention and appreciates it when you take things slow so he can adjust to the process.
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Sam has great feet and has been happily barefoot. He may benefit from shoes if he moves to a more frozen climate. Sam is turned out with a small group of geldings and gets along well with different personalities. 
• Riding -  Level 1 - Sam has much more confidence under saddle! The bit of anxiety we have seen on the ground goes away when someone takes the reins. He settles right into work. Sam is very comfortable under saddle with three nice gaits. Despite his missing eye, he isn't sharp or spooky.
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Sam is very interactive and loves one-on-one attention. He often checks in for reassurance when he gets worried, so he would benefit from bonding with a person. Sam wants someone to lean on and trust. He will give one special adopter his all in whatever he is being asked.
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - Sam is well-suited for a moderate-impact second career and will make someone a wonderful partner. He was born without his left eye and experienced a knee injury before his one race. As always, veterinary records are available to interested and approved adopters.

RRP THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER SPECIAL: Adopt your 2025 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover prospect from New Vocations, compete in the Makeover, and you'll be reimbursed the $350 trainer application fee! This horse is also eligible to receive a $405+ scholarship for the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover through the 2025 ASPCA Right Horse Scholarship program. Learn more HERE.

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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.