Meet Dharma, a lovely 2009 Standardbred mare who has gracefully transitioned from broodmare life (with five beautiful foals to her name) into a gentle, pleasure riding companion. She’s got a sweet nature with just the right touch of spice, making her a delight to be around.

Dharma is eligible for a $1000 Shipping Credit

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 -She’s got a sweet nature with just the right touch of spice, making her a delight to be around.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 -Dharma is great for most grooming and tacking, while needing to have some special care with her foot management (trainer is happy to show what has been working for her!)
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Dharma will need back shoes for a couple more months to finish the last touches of her hoof rehab.
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Dharma does well in a small herd or with just one companion, and she’d be over the moon to be adopted with her good friend Candy’s Desire if you have room for two! If you’re looking for a kind-hearted mare who appreciates the simple joys — good company, a quiet trail, and a gentle hand — Dharma may be your perfect match.
• Riding - Level 1 - Dharma has been thoughtfully rehabilitated from a right hind hoof injury and brought back into light work with care and patience. She’s been ridden English, Western, and even bareback, taking each new experience in stride. Dharma loves to walk with a big swing and purpose!
• Physical Capability - Level 1 - This lovely mare is now looking for a mostly walking, flatwork-only home, where she can continue enjoying life as a pleasure partner. She loves getting out of the arena and exploring new sights and trails at a relaxed pace. Due to her rehab and resulting stiffnesses, Dharma is happy to walk and build up some trot or a little bit of gaited work under saddle on the flat with an easy workload.

 click for horse level information 

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.