Western Rockstar A (the “A” means he is from Australia!) lives right up to his name! “Rocky” is a stunning pacing-bred gelding (he'll leave people guessing as to what breed he is!) who earned almost a million dollars on the track, and it's not hard to see why he was so successful with the impressive presence he carries with him! His connections retired him from racing last year due to a hind suspensory injury, but Rocky's received great turnout and rehab and arrived at our facility ready to start his next career. 

Rocky was very easy to transition to under saddle work and now acts like he's been doing it forever. He stands quietly in the middle of the arena while other horses ride around him. He's paid no mind to wind storms, thunder, tractors, and other potentially scary phenomenons. He has picked up standing at the mounting block as well.  Rocky has a beautiful, comfortable trot (he's not pacey under saddle), he's easy to post on, and he willingly trots over groundpoles. He should pick up the canter easily with more training. An added bonus? This champ will happily ground tie and wait for whatever might need done!

We can't say enough about his great mind and willingness to learn! Rocky is patient, but loves being ridden and the attention. We think he'd make a beautiful mount for Civil War reenactments, mounted shooting, parades, showing or trail riding. Of course he can also be driven! 

Rocky is currently going out with other geldings is comfortable staying outside or inside overnight. He is respectful while being groomed and stands to be bridled. He is a pro in the crossties like most all Standardbreds are!

Western Rockstar A is a been there done that professional ready for his next career where he will continue to shine!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1
• Horse Care - Level 1
• Riding - Level 1
• General Demeanor - Level 1 
• Horse Physical Capability - Level 3 

 click for horse level information 

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.