Unnamed Sally Ride ‘18 has many nicknames around the barn, but Rod, short for “Ride or Die” (a phrase describing a relationship in which someone/ something would do anything for the other) has stuck with him most! Not only is he quite handsome, but he has a great personality to match. It was unanimously said that Rod reminds us all of a big puppy dog because of his goofy and innocent behavior.

Because Rod is only two, he is still learning how to mind his manners on the ground and in the crossties. He has already shown great improvement in every aspect and having him in a consistent routine has helped a lot. 

Ride or Die is a blank slate with 0 starts so we are excited to see what his future holds. He did retire from training on the track due to suspensory desmitis in his left hind. He is beginning to start his rehab under saddle, but is only walking so far. Because he is only two and is still recovering from an injury, he will need to be in a home where he will have the slow start he deserves and needs to be successful in the future!

PLEASE NOTE: Rod would normally be listed in our $2,500 adoption fee bracket, and his adoption fee will increase with training. But as a special opportunity to qualified adopters, Rod is available for adoption ahead of schedule, for a discounted adoption fee. Ideal qualified homes would give him more time to rest/ grow/ start work back under saddle very slowly, would be comfortable doing the reconditioning on the ground and under saddle, and have a good working relationship with their vet for rechecks/ understanding of the injury (not just Googling!). He could be suitable for many disciplines with time and proper fitness-- we could definitely see him catching an eye in the hunter ring-- for at least an advanced intermediate with a trainer. Eligible adopers must be approved with New Vocations and be experienced working with/ bringing along young horses. 

As with all our adoptions, we try our best to match horses for success based on many different criteria, not just looks (although he is very good-looking!)! Please be patient as we try to work with approved adopters to assess suitability!

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.