Athletic and eager, "Squirt" is a sturdy little gelding with a cute way of going and a big personality.  We can see him excelling in the show ring in a variety of disciplines!  

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Squirt is easy to handle on the ground and walks quietly in a regular halter and cotton lead rope. 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Squirt stands quietly in the crossties for grooming and saddling. He loves a good curry and enjoys drinking out of the hose during bath time!
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Squirt looks and keeps like an overgrown pony! He eats very little grain to maintain his robust figure, and he's comfortable barefoot. 
• Riding - Level 2 - Squirt is a clever horse and does best with boundaries and a routine. He will test a new rider by trying to stop at the gate if given the chance. He has a pleasant, forward way of going, carries himself beautifully, and has a lovely trot under saddle. He is brave and has been happily trotting over poles and introduced to small cross rails. Squirt has been willing to ride out around the farm and down the roads alone. When he trail rides in company, he prefers the other horses to leave him a bit of space.  Recently Squirt competed in the dressage arena at a local show series and recieved great comments from the judges!
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - 2 - Squirt adores people and attention and is happy as can be to engage with everyone who comes in the barn. He has no stall vices. In turnout, Squirt does best in a one-on-one situation. He has been happy to go out with any other gelding on the farm, one at a time, but in a larger group he gets defensive of his friend and will chase other horses away.
• Physical Capability - Level 3 - Squirt retired sound from racing and has had a considerable amount of downtime since his last start. He has no limitations for his future career!

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Interested in this horse? Approved adopters can reach out to this horse's trainer via the "Email Us About This Horse" button above for further information. Not yet approved? Learn about the process and start your questionnaire at newvocations.org/adopt! Approved applications are valid for two 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.