Meet Demopolis, a-seven-year old gelding who has the kindest eye! “Demo” as he is called around the barn, has kept us laughing since the moment he got off the trailer. One of his favorite things to do is show off his charming smile and stick his tongue out! His striking color and loooong legs make him an eye-catcher too!

On the ground, Demo is very easy to handle, has excellent manners, and stands well for the vet and farrier as well! He’s still working on his patience in the crossties, but he is always respectful when asked to be paying attention. Demo goes out during the day time with one other buddy, who is a little rambunctious, and Demo just minds his own business, never engaging in anything naughty and sticking to his snacking. He can even be led in and out two-at-a-time!

Demo has an old tendon injury in his right front that was recently rechecked, and not only did he get the green light for training, but it was assessed that he would be suitable for a low level jumping career! So far under saddle, Demo has shown tons of potential. On his first ride, he bravely went around our indoor and even stepped over some poles and shrubbery! He can show a bit of excitement when first getting started (moving sideways or tossing his head), but once he is reminded that he needs to focus, he gets down to business, and has shown consistent improvement each ride!

Demo will need a confident/ advanced rider who is not afraid to remind him of when it’s time to work. We can’t wait to see what Demo can tackle in his next career!

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.