Strength From Above arrived with his barn name already perfectly suited—Strength—and while we don’t believe in changing names, we can’t help but affectionately calling this big guy Meatball every chance we get. If you know that rolly-polly, lovable horse who’s just a good boy with a huge personality… that’s him. A big ol’ Meatball through and through. From the moment he stepped into our barn, Strength has been nothing but easy. His trainer promised we would love him—and she was absolutely right. Strength From Above is a pacing-bred gelding who trots comfortably under saddle, with a big, ground-covering stride to match his presence. He had an impressive racing career with 61 starts and earnings of just over $260,000. Kind, uncomplicated, and full of character, Strength is the kind of horse who wins hearts the second you meet him—and keeps them forever. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Strength is led with a cotton lead rope to and from his paddock often with his paddock mate who happens to have the same sire as him.  
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Strength stands quietly on the crossties. He likes attention and participates in all our antics. He stood patiently when we subjected him to lots of kisses with bright red lipstick for a photo shoot!
• Horse Care - Level 2 -Strength is shod with regular shoes which do include snow pads which are appropriate for upstate NY winter.  
• Riding - Level 1 - This guy behaves like he's been a riding horse his entire life. He is easy, brave and straightforward. Check out the video of his first ride! 
• General Demeanor - Level 1 -  We can’t say enough good things about this guy! He has no vices. He gets along with other geldings in turn out and is easy to have around.  
• Physical Capability - Level 2 -  We think Strength would be best suited for a moderate impact career. 

 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.