Don’t let his name fool you, Convict is nothing but a softie through and through.

This handsome gelding has taken to training like he was born for it. He wasted no time making friends and happily goes out at night in one of our bigger gelding groups. Convict likes to keep to himself while in his stall, but once you become a familiar face, he warms right up and will stick his head out for some treats and cuddles. 

Convict only had one start on the track so he is a total blank slate! While he is still young, he has taken to every new situation with a brave and willing attitude. He stands well for the farrier and is easily led in and out of turnout. 

Under saddle, Convict has that “sports car” type of feeling. Having more go than whoa, Convict moves well off of the rider’s leg and respects a lighter hand and seat. He lights up the ring with his energy and enthusiasm for working! Convict had a large fragmented chip removed from his right knee (lower joint) back in March 2020, so he would do best in a low level home with an advanced rider who would not be intimidated by his ‘pocket rocket’ type of ride.  

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1
• Horse Care - Level 4 - Convict has some wear and tear from racing and might benefit from joint injections in the future to help keep him as comfortable as possible.
• Riding - Level 3 - His riders report that Convict is a very easy ride, but he does spook occasionally!
• General Demeanor - Level 1
• Horse Physical Capability - Level 2

 click for horse level information 

Shipping Credit Information

If the adopter will be shipping the adopted horse via a commercial transportation company, the following steps should be taken:

1. The adopter sets up transportation with a commercial shipper for their newly adopted horse and pays the shipping bill in full. Adopter will contact the trainer at the facility where the horse is located and provide the pickup date and time, as well as the name of the transportation company.
2. Once the horse has been delivered to the adopter, the adopter needs to submit a copy of the original transportation bill to accounting@horseadoption.com within 10 days of receiving the adopted horse.
3. New Vocations will determine the mileage from the New Vocations facility where the horse was located to the horse’s new home based on Google Maps. New Vocations will mail a check to the adopter for $1.00/loaded mile (up to $500) or the cost of the commercial transportation bill, whichever is less.*

A commercial transportation/shipping company by this definition is any equine transportation company that has a USDOT number.

If the adopter will be picking up the adopted horse up themselves or will not be using a commercial transportation service, the following steps should be taken:

1. Arrange a pick-up date and time with the trainer at the facility where the horse is located.
2. Contact accounting@horseadoption.com and New Vocations will determine the mileage from the New Vocations facility where the horse was located to the horse’s new home based on Google Maps. New Vocations will mail a check to the adopter for $0.75/loaded mile within 10 days of the adopter picking up their adopted horse.*

*New Vocations will provide a shipping credit of up to $500.

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.