2020/2021 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

At 15.1hh, Cumberland Pass or "Cumby" as she's known around the barn, may be on the shorter side, she has a huge heart and an abundance of sporty prospect under saddle.

Around the barn, Cumby is quiet and gentle. She is happy to receive attention from anyone walking by her stall, but she doesn’t demand attention as some of the other needier horses do. She settled into the barn well, and made friends in turnout easily. Cumby is certainly not an alpha-type-- she prefers to stay out of conflict and wants to just get along with everyone. Cumby is also pretty easy to lead, and can be walked with another horse when being turned out/ brought in from turnout. Her herd consists of several other mares, and they get turned out at night in a bigger field. Cumby is easy to handle when being seen by the farrier (she holds shoes well too!), and we presume she would be for the vet as well, but she hasn’t had any issues that have required her to see the vet! In crossties, she is well-mannered but sometimes get impatient (like most of the babies!) and will paw, though she is easily corrected.

Under saddle, Cumby is a relatively straightforward ride. She can be a little antsy at first, but she settles in and will focus when in work. Even when she has more energy, she never feels like she’ll run away or do anything bad, she is just learning to transition to shift her energy into a more collected movement when under saddle! Cumby has been learning the foundation pieces to help her develop self carriage and being ‘on the bit.’ She is a good student, but can test her rider if she’s pressed, so she would be best suited for at least an advanced intermediate rider working with a trainer, at least in the short term while she matures some and learns the ropes! She doesn’t mind being hacked around the barn and shows a great deal of courage too!

COVID-19 Adoption Fee Update

You might notice some of our horses' adoption fees have been reduced in recent days.  This is solely due to the current COVID-19 situation and not because we've discovered new physical issues or behavioral issues.  We always aim to keep our adoption fees low so adopters can invest more in the future training and care for each horse. The adoption option is truly the most economical option!

In addition, please keep in mind the more horses we rehome, the more retiring racehorses we can welcome to our program. And, with the current uncertainty at many racetracks and training centers, we're hoping to eliminate barriers to help find perfect homes for our current residents so we can continue serving those in need of transitional training. Adopters must still be approved to bring a horse home.

Please feel free to contact any horse's trainer for additional information on his or her adoption fee.

ADOPTION FEE POLICY

New Vocations’ adoption fees are intentionally set lower than the cost of buying most Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds through a private seller. In today’s market, it’s not unusual for horses coming right off the track to be listed for sale at a price between $2,000 and $5,000. At New Vocations, we set a fee that will ultimately help each horse find a home quickly. The program’s facilities are always at full capacity, which means we cannot take in an additional horse until one is adopted. Adopters should be encouraged to know that by adopting a horse through New Vocations, they are actually helping two horses transition to careers outside of racing.

In general, our fees are set at $500, $1,000 or $1,000 with a $1,500 donation.

• $1,000 with a $1,500 donation: This range is for horses that we consider to be the cream of the crop or the unicorn horses. They are horses that have few or no limitations, have great conformation, movement and size.
• $1,000: This range is for horses that are suitable for a competitive career up to a certain level (for example cleared for 2’6” but not 3’). They may have been fully rehabbed from a race injury but have been cleared for most disciplines.
• $500: This range is for horses that are limited to a flat, trail or companion type home. These horses are healthy and have been fully rehabbed and evaluated by a vet.

Additionally, adopters get great value for their money: The majority of the horses have been in the program for a minimum of 60 days. During that time, horses are rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, fully evaluated, and in work with a professional trainer. New Vocations fully discloses each horse’s history and provides all available medical records, many of which include X-ray and ultrasounds.

While adoption fees are low, it should be noted that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for each horse after adoption can be high. New Vocations hopes that by helping an adopter save money upfront, he or she will have more funds available to cover the continuing costs of properly caring for a horse.