“Jose” is the total package! You can't miss his flashy chrome as you walk through the barn, but his sweet, eager-to-please and affectionate personality will keep you hooked from the first nuzzle. (And there will be plenty of nuzzles ... Jose loves all forms of attention and hugs!) Plus, he's the first to nicker hello and come to the gate when he sees you approach.

An easy-going guy, Jose stands well for the farrier and wears front steel shoes. He enjoys bubble baths and stands well in the wash stall and can't get enough grooming and pampering! He loves treats and is easy to lead. He goes out with other geldings and gets along well, and he's quite happy with his place in the middle of the pecking order. Plus, he’s good with all types of farm animals including our goats, pigs, chickens, cats and dogs! Jose is a mild cribber, but it's well-controlled with a Dare collar.

Under tack, Jose has a naturally balanced way of going and three nice gaits to boot. He's walking, trotting and cantering in the arena and we've started him over cavalettis. He's very willing and likes to please his rider. He prefers a rider who's stable in the saddle and has good lower legs and soft hands, but he's suitable for an intermediate rider working with a trainer.

Jose was previously adopted and returned to our program due to adopter personal reasons and through no fault of his own. He originally entered our program with two front bowed tendons which healed well; we believe he's suitable for most jumping disciplines. As always, his veterinary records are available to interested and approved adopters upon request.

Jose came to our program via NYTHA's Take The Lead program. We're so grateful for their continued support!

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 “unicorn” horses. They are horses that have few or no limitations and 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 necessarily 3’). They may have been fully rehabbed from an injury but have been cleared by our veterinarians 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.