• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Pickle is reliable to be lead without a chain in all environments and isn’t often worried by his environment. 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Pickle is very consistent tacking up and stands quietly and patiently in the cross ties. He enjoys the one-on-one attention and loves a good scratch.
• Horse Care - Level 2 -Pickle is a dominant personality and hasn’t always played well with others (especially if they are very passive). He has done best on individual turnout and is currently wearing front shoes.
• Riding - Level 2+- Pickle is a great athlete with three great gaits. We found at first he was a very dominant personality on the ground at liberty and had taken extra time in the round pen with him to establish a better relationship and the order of things. He has made the mature decision to listen and participate and has continued to be quite trainable but a confident adopter with a ‘boss mare’ attitude seems to be the best fit for Pickle. He is very straightforward under saddle, loves a post ride treat and seems to respond very well to verbal encouragement.
• General Demeanor - Level 2+ - He is a dream to have in the stable and is very easy to live with but with his dominant personality that can be seen in most aspects of his management, an adopter that is comfortable being consistent and placing him in his ‘box of expectation’ would be best. We believe he is really looking for a job, and once you have his respect he is an outstanding partner that will go very far in a competitive sport horse career. 
• Physical Capability - Level 2+ -  Pickle sustained a fetlock injury in the field during his time with us and has been fully rehabbed. Because we weren’t able to completely diagnose the injury using ambulatory diagnostics before he came sound we are conservatively placing him as a level 2 prospect. He retired with no known injuries.

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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.