You’ll definitely want to fill up your glass with Bourbonrox! “Bourbon,” as we call him, mirrors the drink with his classiness and smooth transition into training. He’s only 3 with two starts under his belt, so he is pretty much a blank slate for his new career! 

On the ground, Bourbon is working on learning his manners and respecting his handler’s space. However, we’ve seen him make great progress in the short time he’s been with us! He goes out during the day with one other gelding and they respect each other’s space, mainly sticking to grazing.

Bourbon stands well in the crossties and has no stall vices. He's still working on his manners and patience with the vet and farrier, but he doesn’t show any naughty behavior while standing still. He just shows his impatience by being a bit mouthy. Once Bourbon has his person and consistent routine, we think he’ll become a gentleman pretty quickly!

Under saddle, Bourbon is a fancy and spicy ride! He has a great energy and will to work, which he is working on channeling into carrying himself properly and staying focused on the job at hand. He has worked in our indoor and outdoor arenas already and doesn’t mind to work either alone or with other horses. Because Bourbon can have a little bit of spice to him, he will need an advanced rider who is confident in their seat and aids to help him develop properly.

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.