Staying true to his name, Dark Code is tall, dark and handsome! Nicknamed Donnie, this sweet boy has that puppy dog personality and is eager to please. He stands well in the crossties as well as for the vet and farrier. He has no stall vices and is totally fine being separated from his buddies. He’s a big love bug who is also bursting with potential for his new career.

Due to suspensory desmitis, Dark Code has been in our 24/7 turnout to have some time to heal. He’s done very well, never picking a fight with his friends and keeping good weight. He was under saddle just a few times before starting his vacation and showed a very level head while working. He has since come back into training so he can begin his rehab rides. He is now turned out in our gelding group at night. He is happily led two at a time in and out of the barn and still has that easy going disposition with his buddies. 

He took to work like he never had any time off! Right now, he is only walking under saddle so he needs to be in a home where he will continue his slow rehab schedule and is eased back into training. Once Donnie is fully healed, we are excited to see what his future holds!

PLEASE NOTE: Donnie would normally be listed in our $1,000 adoption fee bracket, and his adoption fee will increase with training. But as a special opportunity to qualified adopters, Donnie 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. 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 adopters must be approved with New Vocations and be experienced working with/ bringing along young horses. 

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 $2,500, $1,000, $500 or waived:

• $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.
• Waived: This is for horses that have significant limitations for a riding career or are otherwise difficult to place. These horses are otherwise healthy and have been evaluated by a veterinarian.

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.