“Lucky” is the best kind of chestnut mare: a little spicy, a lot athletic and all the way brilliant! She's the total sport horse package, and she also happens to be a total love and who wants nothing more than to burrow into her handlers arms.

She's a fine-boned filly who is still decompressing from racetrack life, but Lucky is well on her way to becoming a superstar. She stands well in crossties and enjoys being groomed with the Tiger's Tongue sponge. She still needs a handler when standing for the farrier, but we suspect that as she settles into her new lifestyle she'll relax into all her handling. 

We've restarted Lucky under saddle and she's working well in the outdoor arena at the walk, trot and canter. She also enjoys hacking around the farm. She still acts nervous in the covered arena, so we're taking it slow and allowing her to hang out on the longe line during riding lessons. When she's nervous she can get a little quick and spooky, so we are working on quietly desensitizing her and channeling her nerves in more proactive directions. She stands well for mounting at the mounting block and moves away from it very well. 

Lucky is currently in individual turnout and is doing well in that situation.

Per Lucky’s previous connections, she has no limitations and is suitable for a number of post-track careers. With her great mind and willingness to learn, Lucky will dazzle in any arena she is in. She's been working on loosening her hind end muscles while building topline as she continues to fill out.

She will do best in a home with an advanced rider who can help her relax during her transition into her new career.

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

 click for horse level information 

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.