Duce Daddy has done it all! “Pop” as he is called around the barn, has a wide variety of experience under his belt. This ten year old gelding raced 18 times on the track and retired with no known injuries. From his racing career, he went on to be a North American Racing Academy horse and was a horse that students worked on from the ground up! He was used routinely for students to practice day-to-day horsemanship skills like wrapping with bandages and grooming.  Not only does Pop have a pretty cool background, his handsome looks complete the whole package! He’s a stunning guy with a flashy, sporty build and talent to boot!

Pop shows his excitement in new situations and environments, but quickly settles into a routine and turns into a big puppy dog. One of his favorite things is to get groomed while getting tacked up, which he stands very well for, both in the crossties and while he’s getting his feet done by the farrier. He is turned out at night with four other geldings and Pop is a guy’s guy who just wants to fit in with the pack. He has no stall vices either! 

Under saddle Pop is bursting with potential, having three beautiful gaits and carriage! Pop has been started over small cross rails and poles, and he’s quite the sporty ride! He’s a confident guy who sometimes likes to show his excitement and test his rider by not always keeping all legs on the ground. However, once the rider has established that they are in charge, he obliges and shifts his energy into a working mindset. Because of his spunk, big energy movement, athletic prowess and confidence, Pop will require an extremely advanced rider-- someone who is very confident in their seat and aids. An overnight turnout routine has greatly benefitted Pop in getting out some excess energy and in having a more relaxed mindset in work, but he also seems to benefit from a regular training routine. With the right home, we could see Pop becoming an excellent dressage or hunter/ jumper prospect!   

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 $2,500.

• $2,500: 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.