2026 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

A huge mover in a smaller package- Shush now is a fancy gal!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2- Shush Now is easy to lead and to turn in and out, she is learning to stand patiently in crossties and does well but still moves about and paws the ground.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - Shush Now can be a little active in the crossties and will paw when bored. She stands well when she is being groomed and really likes attention! While she is a work in progress on the patience front, she gets better every day and is learning that grooming time is a time to relax and enjoy the attention.
• Horse Care - Level 2- Currently Shush Now has shoes on up front and is doing well in turnout. She is still going though some growth spurts, but on the whole is a relatively easy keeper and does well with 24/7 turnout with other mares.
• Riding - Level 3 - Shush Now started ground work and has also been taught to lunge. Thus far she has shown some signs of being cold backed and are currently working with her to determine if this is an always thing or, just temporary now that she is feeling great and being asked to return to work and in a new job.  Once she gets that out, she tries very hard on the lesson at hand and moves quite well and is very athletic. Due to the signs of being cold backed, she will require an adopter with experience with cold backed horses. As we are new in her retraining, again, we are not sure that she is cold backed, she just likes to begin her sessions with some crow hopping the first few circles.
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Shush Now is a lovely, kind and sweet mare. She can be a little immature, but she is a young filly. She enjoys horses and people and loves attention. She is a very athletic mare and she is going to be a lovely and brave partner.
• Physical Capability - Level 3 -   Shush Now has no known limitations and we see her excelling in basically any sport. She is extremely athletic and an beautiful mover.
•  

RRP THOROUGHBRED MAKEOVER SPECIAL: Adopt your 2026 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover prospect from New Vocations, compete in the Makeover, and you'll be reimbursed the $350 trainer application fee! This horse is also eligible to receive a $405+ scholarship for the 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover through the 2026 ASPCA Right Horse Scholarship program. Learn more HERE.

 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.