Not Ready for Retirement!

Where's Waldo is our delightful "Grandpa" of the herd.  At 20, it might seem like he's ready to slow down, but Waldo very much enjoys exploring the fields, trails and obstacle course here at the farm, and recently accompanied us to a local Hunter/Jumper show to strut his stuff in the War Horse classes! He's got the pep in his step of a much younger horse, but the wisdom of one who has seen a thing or two.  Waldo is happy living primarily out and has had plenty of time away from the track. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1  -Waldo is easy to handle on the ground and is led in a regular halter and cotton lead rope. He's frequently brought in with his best buddy and happily plays "follow the leader" 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Waldo is a gentleman for his grooming sessions and saddling and bridling.  
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Waldo is doing well barefoot, loves munching the round bales and pasture grasses outside, but we do also have him on a Senior feed.  
• Riding - Level 1 Waldo is a level-headed guy under saddle.  Generally he prefers to just mosy about, but will also trot and pace. He makes a wonderful 'tag along' horse for trail riding, and is happy to follow a friend down the trail. 
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Waldo gives off initial "Grumpy Old Man" vibes, but he doesn't mean anything by it!  Once he realizes you are his "people" he enjoys his interactions with people. In a herd setting he may start off pushy, but once he makes friends he will stick by their side forever! 
• Physical Capability - Level 1 Waldo has some thickening in his front tendon from his racing days.  He would prefer a low-impact job. 

 click for horse level information 

Interested in this horse? Already approved adopters may reach out to this horse's trainer at the "Email About This Horse" button above for further information. Still need to become approved? Learn about the process and start your questionnaire at newvocations.org/adopt. Approved applications are valid for 2 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 Capability. So, horses that are found to be 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. We 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.