“Venus” is a fearless leader, just like her namesake. She is bold and obviously confident, but also sweet and respectful of people. In the 24/7 turnout that she and a group of mares currently reside in, Venus is the moss. The other mares look to her for guidance and comfort, and she obliges by providing just that. Fortunately, Venus loves people too, so she is a great influence on the other young mares! They are a well-behaved clean, respectful group of young ladies, thanks to Venus.

Venus is easy to handle on the ground, great for the farrier and patient, even when on crossties. When she’s in a stall, she has no vices-- she’s an all-around good citizen.

When asked to describe Venus under saddle, on of the riders simply said, "perfect." Another rider went on to say, "easy peasy lemon squeezy.. [she] will do anything that's asked of her." She's the Goldilocks of horses in terms of speed: she's not too fast, not too slow, just right where you want her to be. She has lovely gaits through the walk, trot and canter, and she's comfortable to ride too! Basically, she's the total package!

Venus has the brain and build that would suggest a great deal of versatility in what she would excel in for her new career! We could see her anywhere from a trail/ pleasure horse, to a low hunter-type competitor!

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 the unicorn horses. They are horses that have few or no limitations, have 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 3’). They may have been fully rehabbed from a race injury but have been cleared 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.