2022 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

Four K’s gets five stars in our eyes! Meet “Katie,” a cute mare with a calm and easy disposition. 

Katie is great to handle on the ground and is easily turned in and out with one other mare during the day. She spent some time in one of our 24/7 turnout fields to give her some time to let down from the track and she had no issues! Katie is an easy keeper and has no stall vices when inside. She has done well barefoot for most of her time here with us; she hasn’t been in any consistent work with us, so she might need more foot support when she enters a more consistent workload or if she's living on rougher terrain. Katie stands well in the crossties and for the vet and farrier. 

Katie retired with no known injuries, but we gave her some extra letdown time because she had short, choppy hind-end movement. A preliminary vet exam only revealed some bone bruising in her front ankles, but a subsequent exam showed significant improvement in her gait when her left stifle was blocked. The good news is that diagnostic imaging showed no structural issues, so we’re hoping that as Katie's growth rate slows, she can build more muscle and move forward without any issues. Her physical capability is still a bit up in the air, but she's a lovely girl with a very kind disposition (with people and other horses) and a great mind for working while she has been on a lunge line in both our indoor and outdoor. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - At times Katie has shown some stubborness moving forward when being led.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1
• Horse Care - Level 1
• Riding - Level 3 - 4 (likely to reduce with more time training)
• General Demeanor - Level 1 
• Physical Capability - Level TBD (could range from Levels 2 - 5) 

 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.