Unicorn alert! This stunning steely gray gelding is an exceptional sport horse prospect!

“Van” is a tall, classy, steel grey gelding with a fabulous heart. Sweet and kind, Van was donated to New Vocations due to a slow flap in his throat and we are happy to discuss findings from our vets with approved adopters.

He has three big and powerful gaits and is truly a spectacular athlete. He hasn't yet begun his retraining and will require an ADVANCED rider to bring him along due to his natural power and scope. As such, we will be very particular about the home into which he is adopted. 

Van is easy to handle on the ground and is good for the farrier and the vet. He stands in crossties, as well. Van currently lives in an individual paddock.

Alas, Van's gut is a bit high-maintenance kind of fellow, so interested adopters should be prepared to provide alfalfa as his forage—no coastal or Bahia hay for this guy!

Van is an exceptional horse and truly a top notch prospect, one who deserves a chance at a top-notch career in a new sport. 

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.