Flashy and broad, “Richard” is a handsome and elegant athlete.. Shy, but kind and inquisitive, he is gentle and affectionate and falls head over heels with his handler. Richard is a really good boy, but he is winding down from being at the track and can get a little worried if he is unsure of what is going on around him. He does fabulously with clear and compassionate communication and takes great confidence from his handler. 

Richard came to us body sore, and is being gently let down by hacking out around the farm and sniffing jumps and exploring our shorter trails. We were told that Richard has no limitations and believe that, as he continues to let down from his racing fitness, he will continue to blossom. He does have what appears to be old and set osselets in his both front ankles, and we have not experienced any issues with them thus far. He currently has shoes on up front and is barefoot behind. 

Richard is currently hanging out in a field during the day with four other geldings and tends to be a submissive horse; he's definitely not the alpha, but rather low- to mid-level in the pecking order. He is a typical redhead, though, and is prone to rainrot, especially here in South Louisiana. So it is a good thing that he likes baths and is super cute during grooming and bathing!

Under saddle, Richard has proven to be a gentleman. He is a horse with his own engine and does march forwardly along the path, the trail or in the ring. He has also spent time on the ground in the arena, as the grounding horse, helping out by standing quietly as fences were raised and lowered, and horses cantered around and jumped. Groundwork will be a great tool in helping Richard transition into his new career. He is a flashy, smart and loving horse who, if brought along slowly and thoughtfully, will give his owner his whole heart and make for a loving and capable partner. 

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