Hey good looking! 

Despot is a drop-dead gorgeous 3-year-old who has all the makings of a star! Lightly raced due to issues with knee-knocking at high speeds, Despot is sound and ready to tackle any discipline, though he certainly has the looks and the class of a high-end show horse. 

Under saddle he has beautiful self-carriage, reaching for the bit and rounding his back, with a lovely sweeping trot. While he is pacing bred, he prefers to trot under saddle and has even given us a bit of canter both on the lunge line and while riding.  He has tremendous balance and rhythm for such a young and green horse.  He could definitely shine in the dressage or hunter arenas! Desi is still very much a baby and does require a rider that will keep him on task and not let him become distracted by what is going on outside of the arena. 

On the ground he is a delight.  Always curious and interested in whoever is coming into the barn, he'll stick his head in your pockets looking for treats, but will be perfectly content if you stand there and rub his forelock.  Desi does love his playtime, and would most certainly enjoy turnout with someone who likes to run and buck as well!

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.