CK’s Lightening is a compact Standardbred gelding with plenty of growing left to do and a bright future ahead of him. He is full of personality, heart, and potential with his next partnership in life! 

This cute mover is naturally balanced and athletic, with the kind of build that can take him in almost any direction. Whether you’re dreaming of trails, dressage, pleasure riding, ranch work, or something entirely his own, CK has the foundation and mindset to grow into a versatile partner.

He has personality plus — curious, playful, and always interested in what’s going on around him. An easy keeper with a kind eye, he enjoys attention and connection with his people. Like any young horse, he’s still growing both physically and mentally, and he will thrive with a calm, consistent, and forgiving handler or trainer who understands the value of patience and proper development.

CK would do best in a program that allows him time to mature and learn at a steady pace. With the right guidance, he has all the ingredients to become a loyal, capable partner for years to come.

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 -CK is quite easy to handle on the ground, with some time to adjust to his new surroundings, as any youngster would need. 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 -CK loves being handled and groomed, though he can be a little fidgety if left to his own devices and unsupervised.  
• Horse Care - Level 1 - CK is barefoot and maintains a great body weight on ration balancer and unlimited grass mix hay.
• Riding - Level 2+ - CK wants to please his handler and rider more than anything, but also needs a quiet, calming, and confident hand to help his young mind understand new things. He does his best when another quiet horse is working nearby, or when in the arena, or when a couple is showing him the ground outdoors, if trail riding. 
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - CK is young and quite athletic! He has energy that one would expect from a horse his age, and can be occasionally nervous if too much is happening around him to process easily. He has the kindest of hearts, and we believe that he will mature with more experience and years to grow in his mentality. 
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - CK has no known injuries that would prevent him from a low to mid-level pleasure 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.