This son of Super Saver is a SUPER handsome, sporty, prospect is cut from a fine cloth that you don’t see everyday! With 39 starts under his belt and over $200k in earnings, he retired from racing only because he was no longer competitive, which shows incredible durability right from the start! As he has transitioned from his racetrack career to training for a new one, he has done it with nothing but grace.

Pretentious is easy-going on the ground and a pleasant horse to have around the barn in general. On crossties he is patient while he is bathed, groomed or tidied up! He is used to being walked two-at-a-time to turnout, and he is easy to bring in after he has enjoyed turnout overnight with his buddies. He is a natural leader because he is one of our older trainees, but he is a classy gentleman and doesn’t pick on the younger guys-- if anything it’s the rambunctious youngsters that pester him! He doesn’t like confrontation though, he just goes off into his own space. Pretentious is quite independent, and doesn’t mind being off by himself-- whether it’s off on a trail ride, being ridden in the ring by himself or in turnout.

Pretentious also loves being around people and snacks. He generally acts like a dog, and will happily follow you around (see the 'follow the leader' video in the 'Videos' tab!) with or without a lead, especially if he thinks that you might be in possession of a tasty treat.

Under saddle, Pretentious has unquestionable talent, and his fluid, floaty movement screams, “sport horse!” He is incredibly athletic, but also very responsive, though he listens best with subtleties in the riders aids (less is more), which is why we think he would do best with an advanced rider, who has the refined skills and strength in independent seat/ soft hands/ still legs, to continue to develop him without opposition. He will test his rider/ handler to see what he can get away with because he is extremely smart. For example, when he is being groomed, he might swing his leg out like he’s kicking at you, but a confident horse person can tell him to knock it off and lay those ground rules easily  while being able to distinguish that his behavior is not meant to be a threat/ dangerous. A less confident/ advanced person could be intimidated or fearful of such a challenge.

Pretentious is also very sensitive to aids under saddle in some ways (going back to the ‘less is more’ comment), but he can also challenge his rider by leaning into the bit/ into the rider’s hands. He can be very light and elastic, but if he is annoyed/ testing you he might sit in your hands or kick out mid-step* (he is VERY athletic). He can be easily corrected by an advanced rider, but again, he’s not for a novice or intermediate rider.

Pretentious has enough talent to excel in one of many different directions! He did have an injury to his right front tendon that is still in the process of rehabbing completely, but he’s doing walk, trot, canter and ground pole work already with no issues. We could see him in the hunter ring in the future, or embracing a dressage lifestyle! He has been on trail rides as well and is incredibly brave/ steady!

 *we are currently supplementing his grain with Relyne also to address any ulcer-based root that might be a cause for kicking towards his belly under saddle. His adopter will be given a box of Gastrogard to continue treatment/make sure this is not an issue going forward.

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.