**Location: Noti, Oregon*

Valentine is a lovable, sensible 5-year-old gelding with an exceptional mind and a lovebug personality that makes him a joy to be around. He is easy to handle on the ground; he leads quietly in a plain halter, stands patiently in the crossties for grooming, tacking, and farrier care, and lunges willingly. He is uncomplicated to feed, has a healthy appetite, and enjoys his daily treats- especially Minty Muffins. Under saddle, Vali is calm, more whoa than go, with nice gaits, and he loves to please. He had a whole summer riding next to a very busy road where people accelerate and has spent the past four months in dressage training with an FEI instructor. He is progressing nicely and is nearly ready to jump from Intro to Training Level!

As a young horse, he shows excellent potential for eventing and has enjoyed a small amount of jumping he has been introduced to; though he has not been jumped regularly due to his young age. Vali thrives on consistent work, needs individual pasture turnout, and wants to form a strong bond with his person. He is incredibly people-oriented, loves attention and cuddles, and has the sweetest, most 'boopable' nose. He can be a bit much for older pasture companions, but is a gentleman to handle with people. Vali raced only once before sustaining a jaw fracture, which has healed without affecting his ability to carry a bit. He does crib, and this has been factored into his management. If you are looking for a talented, trainable young horse with a wonderful temperament and bright future, Vali is ready to become someone's special partner!

Contact: Melinda Kletzok 

Number: (541) 968-0497

You must be an approved adopter with New Vocations to bring home a New Vocations Graduate. Get started HERE.

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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.