“Laffy Taffy” or “Taffy” stepped off the trailer and fit into our program as if he's been here for years! 

Taffy retired from the track in 2019 and had some time off before coming to us, however, you wouldn’t have guessed it from how quickly he picked up on his new routine. Laffy Taffy goes out at night with three other geldings and never seems to have a bone to pick with any of his buddies. He is easily led in and can even be walked in two at a time. He has no stall vices and stands well in crossties. While Laffy is in his stall, one of his favorite things to do is snuggle up against you and get loved on! He’s never one to turn down a scratch or cookie. 

His racing career was short lived due to a suspensory injury he sustained as a 2-year-old. However, since starting training with us, he has consistently remained sound.

Under saddle, Taffy can be very quiet and mellow if he’s left to his own devices, but he's also shown that he can be a bit opinionated when tested. Once he has the rider’s respect, he goes around nicely and is learning to carry himself properly while engaging his hind-end. A consistent routine will do wonders for Taffy, as will being in a home where he respects his handler and rider. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1
• Horse Care - Level 2
• Riding - Level 3 
• General Demeanor - Level 1 
• Horse Physical Capability - Level 3 - 4

 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.