If you're looking for your horse of a lifetime, "Mission" is it.  This stunning 4-year-old gelding by leading trotting sire Muscle Hill sold for $335,000 as a yearling, and his class and confirmation match his stellar pedigree perfectly. As his trainer says, "There are not enough good things to say about this horse because there are not enough adjectives to describe his awesomeness!"  

Mission loves to connect with people. He is inquisitive and will nicker when he sees you coming. He is an "in your pocket" type of horse. 

Due to a hind suspensory and needing a chip removed from his fetlock in July, his incredible team decided it would be best to retire him so he could make a smooth and successful  transition from racehorse to riding horse. We've been rehabbing Mission for the past few months and he's transitioned beautifully to riding. Mission stands perfectly at the mounting block for his rider to get on and walks and trots around the arena, and we're confident he could easily be taught to canter in the future. He has been ridden both indoors and outside and nothing bothers him. He is completely unfazed by farm and construction equipment which he has seen when riding in our outdoor arena. He also gave no care to the low-flying geese that flew overhead on his first trail ride! He is trotting over ground poles and cross rails. He is working on bending and transitions at the walk and trot. Mission wants to work and please, and due to his age he is going to excel in a program that keeps him busy. 

Mission will excel with someone who is an intermediate or advanced rider to continue him in his training. We can see him shining as a foxhunter, dressage, driving and trail horse. He will turn heads wherever he goes with his long mane and thick forelock!  Due to his surgery he is not going to make a speed racking horse or any type of work going at high speeds or eventing, however he has been cleared for all other types of riding.

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.