Everyone loves a redhead! Hoosier Paco turns a lot of heads as the uncommon chestnut Standardbred in the sea of bays, but he's more than just good looks! This trotting-bred gelding had an impressive 250 lifetime starts in his career and transitioned seamlessly into his second job as a riding horse. "Hoosier" is also as charming as he is handsome, and is always eager for attention from anyone who walks into the barn

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - Hoosier is led with a regular halter and lead, but often he imagines there are monsters hiding in the bushes (it's almost Halloween, after all!) and may be a bit antsy or jumpy until he gets very familiar with his new home. 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Hoosier is a perfect gentleman in the crossties or tied in his stall to be groomed and tacked.
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Hoosier is currently barefoot and requires no supplements or special care. He has no vices.
• Riding - Level 2-3 - Hoosier is a forward moving kind of guy who is ready to go to work. He can also be a bit "looky" in new situations (similar to what we mentioned in his ground manners). He would do best with a job that lets him use his energy and a rider who enjoys a bolder horse. While he will someday make a nice trail horse, he's not that super quiet guy who just wants to walk lazily through the woods. We could see him in the show ring in a variety of disciplines!
• General Demeanor - Level 1-2 - Hoosier is a pretty adaptable guy as far as settling into new living arrangements. While he is bold under saddle, he's quite timid in turnout. He has been turned out with a group of mares as the only gelding and done well, and he's also turned out with a group of quiet geldings and done well. He would not do well in a fully mixed herd (one or more mares and multiple geldings) or with pushy/agressive horses as he does not stand up for himself. 
• Horse Physical Capability - Level 3-4 - Hoosier has been sound and has no notible injuries that would prevent him from working in a variety of disciplines. 

 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.