Just like Cinderella, “Strider” is looking for his perfect partner. Someone who can continue to help make sure his glass slippers or in this case glue on shoes are just right. We are offering Strider for adoption as a rehab. We think someone who is willing to put the time in is going to have one nice horse!

Strider retired from racing with chronic sore feet. He has thin soles and arrived without a lot of hood wall. He requires glue on shoes, hoof supplementation and restricted turn out. (His ideal turn out is dry and sandy). Strider has a full set of clean radiographs from earlier this year. We are offering Strider to an adopter who will continue to maintain his hoof regimen, be diligent about his turn out situation and take it slow bringing him along.

I’m the barn Strider is polite, has no vices and is easy to lead in and out. He stands like a champ for his farrier care too!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - We use a chain on Strider, but he generally doesn’t need correcting.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - 3 - Strider is well behaved but curious in the crossties if the barn is busy.
• Horse Care - Level 4 - Strider currently requires glue-on shoes, he’s on a hoof supplement and we regularly treat his feet with hoof hardener.
• Riding - Level TBD
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Strider can be a bit excitable in his stall prior to turn out, but once he has his halter and lead on he’s all business!
• Horse Physical Capability - Level 5, provided he's rehabbed properly

 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.