2025 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1+ - Penelope is super at leading double with her friend in and out of the field and is easy to handle. She can be a little pushy, but is learning to respect our bubble and that she can still get her scratches!
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1+ - Just like leading, Penelope is simple to groom and tack. She sometimes gets a little claustrophobic in the crossties during baths, but we don’t see this being a long-term issue. The more we bathe her, the more relaxed she gets! If someone is holding her in the wash stall, or we tack her up in her stall, she is simple.
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Penelope has lived in both a large herd and in smaller groups and is happy either way! She wears basic front shoes and eats our normal grain ration.
• Riding - Level 1 - Penelope is a proper athlete. She is already understanding the idea of reaching for the bit and is so fun to ride. She trots over poles and logs happily and even conquered the bridge on her first ride. Her canter is LOVELY! She is forward-thinking, safe, and straightforward under tack.
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Penelope came from local Lexington connections and comes with a pile of baby photos and videos! She has been well-loved and cared for since day one and has transitioned well into our program.
• Physical Capability - Level 3 - Penelope retired sound–she was just slow! She is a super classy girl and we think she will be a superstar in her next career.

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.

 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.