Sweet Blackwell first came through our program in 2007 when she transitioned to life as a riding horse after making 290 starts! Unfortunately, somewhere between then and now, so fell into some hard times and wound up significantly underweight at a horse sale. Once a horse has entered our program, he or she is always welcome back for any reason, and thanks to that "lifetime membership" we were able to retrieve Blackwell, bring her home and start her on the road to recover.

Blackwell arrived to us in very poor condition. Our veterinarian examined her, we had her teeth and feet done and she's been dewormed and vaccinated. She needed time to know she was in a safe place and could trust us, but her transition has been huge as she learned she could eat her meals alone and also have access to her own paddock with a round bale.  Due to her needing to gain so much weight, it has been a slow, steady process and we feel she is ready to go on to her new home to continue the progress. 

She is a Level 1 to handle and be around. As seen from the video on her profile, she loves children! She loves to  be bathed, hand-grazed, will eat treats and loves attention. We have not ridden her due to her weight, but she is sound. She is great turned out with both mares and geldings.

For her to continue to blossom, she will need to be fed alone so she's sure to get all of her grain as well as plenty of good hay and pasture. She would make a wonderful companion horse or family horse. She just needs someone to continue to love her and watch her thrive!

Blackwell is a "grandma" type horse, full of wisdom, and we're so thankful she made her way back to us.  We are looking for a very special person for her. Her fee is waived due to her age and she comes with a shipping credit to help get her to her forever home. 

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ABOUT OUR ADOPTION FEES

We intentionally set New Vocations’ adoption fees lower than the average cost of buying a Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds from a private seller (in today's market, horses coming right off the track are often listed at a price between $2,000 and $5,000!). Our facilities are always at full capacity, which means we can't take in an additional horse until one is adopted; a lower adoption fee means horses are more likely to find appropriate homes quickly and we can welcome more horses into our barns. And just think: By adopting one horse through New Vocations, you're actually helping two horses (you new family member and the one who takes his place in our program) 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.

Another perk of adopting from us? We do our best to give you the best bang for your buck. Most adoptable horses have been in the program for a minimum of 60 days,  during which they're rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, fully evaluated, and in work with a professional trainer. We're also happy to share the history and any medical records (often including X-ray and ultrasounds) we have on each horse with interested and approved adopters.

While our adoption fees are low, please remember that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for a horse (adopted or otherwise!) can be high. We hope that by helping an adopter save money upfront, you'll have more funds available to cover the continuing costs of properly caring for and training a horse.