“Ray” wants to be your next ray of sunshine! This handsome unraced guy is just starting to come into his own, and we know he'll be the bright spot in someone's barn!

With his “go-with-the-flow” attitude, Ray is very straightforward and easy to handle on the ground. He stands well in the crossties ... so well, in fact, that he usually ends up taking a quick power nap while getting tacked up! He has no stall vices. He goes out at night with our bigger gelding group and is a middle man, always eager to meet new horses and welcome them to the herd!

Under saddle, Ray has taken to training with all the maturity in the world. He moves well off of the rider’s leg and has an engine at the trot, but he needs a little more encouragement at the canter. He has three very comfortable gaits and is super adjustable when working over poles. He is currently working on connection and lightness with the bit, as well as engaging his hind end. He can be a little fussy when being asked, however he has proven to us that he is more than capable of being a lovely, floaty mover! He would do best with a rider who can keep him put together and focused, as well as set boundaries while also being light-handed and seated, because he is still figuring out where all of his legs are when he’s working! 

Ray had an injury in his left front knee (a chip that's now well-healed) when he was in training on the track, but has shown no signs of lameness since being in consistent work with us. Ray would do best with an advanced rider or an intermediate rider working with a trainer. 

And as an added bonus, Ray is quite the model! Check him out starring in the new photos in our online store!

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.