Southern Brigade, earned his nickname “So Bro” because he can be a bit of a “bro.” In bro-like fashion, he can be dopey but lovable. He loves attention, including being groomed and getting doted on in general, and he’s great in the crossties. He is also very expressive and makes lots of entertaining sounds in the barn and under saddle when he wants to chatter about how he feels at any given moment.

 So Bro is not dominant in turnout, rather he tends to get picked on here and there, but he will still try to fit in and be friends with everyone. When being handled on the ground, So Bro doesn’t always know his body space, and doesn’t keep in mind where his handler is very well, so he needs to be reminded that it’s polite to stop when his handler stops, etc. He is learning though!

Under saddle, So Bro is good for mounting and dismounting, but he is not perfect for it-- he doesn’t always realize that stopping at the mounting block is ideal for the rider! In work he shows a good amount of focus for his age, but he does go around heavily in front/ into the rider’s hand through the bit/ rein and he can be resistant to moving off leg/ engaging his hind end. Since he’s going through a transition where he’s being asked to redirect from the front/ heavy movement to self-carriage and using his hind end, he’s being asked new things and feeling new muscles! Throughout this process, So Bro has shown that he can be easily offended, and will show that he’s upset through kicking out or threatening to rear. We have him on Ulcergard to combat any discomfort that might be the result of ulcers, but it is important that an interested adopter be one who is experienced and capable of skillfully guiding him through this transition. He could benefit from a rider who is advanced enough to set clear guidelines, but also ask softly. We have included some of the initial rides in the ‘Videos’ tab to show some prospective adopters some of his way of going, and we will update it with more videos as they become available and show progress!

So Bro was reported to be retiring from racing sound, with no known injuries. He had ‘leveled out’ of the competition level in which he was competing, and his donors didn’t want to drop him into lower levels of racing, so he came into our program so he could begin a new career path instead! He has plain steel shoes on all four hooves right now, and he would do best like that for the time being to help him get off his heels, since they were a little contracted and sensitive, but they’re growing healthier, slowly but surely!

 Given So Bro’s build and way of going, we think he will be a very nice sporty prospect, with options in lots of different disciplines!

Southern Brigade has a new price decrease because he is getting some time off for a minor suspensory injury left front.

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.