“Whim” has a golden opportunity for the future! If his fancy bloodlines don’t captivate you, then his big presence and golden personality will! At 3 years old and already standing right around 17h, Golden Whim is definitely a big guy with more growing to do! He has a goofy, lovable personality—he's basically a big dog!

He is playful but kind to his turnout buddies (two geldings who are more assertive types) but he navigates the play dynamic well!

Whim is still learning to be patient—a skill set that any 3-year-old is probably learning!—but he shows a great deal of try and willingness to learn, both on the ground and under saddle.

Whim's brief racing career wrapped up because he showed his connections that he needed more time to physically mature. When he came into our program, our veterinarian recommended that we work on developing his feet (he had very low heels and flatter feet) and give him more time to rest before restarting in work, which we happily did. He is currently wearing EasyBoot Glue-On shoes. Our veterinarian cleared him to start training in October, and we've been slowly reintroducing under saddle work. He will need an advanced rider; he's working on balanced training and can be quite strong at times, but it is evident from even his early rides that he has talent to spare!

With horses like Whim that grow quite large at a young age, we've learned that it’s not uncommon for them to need plenty of time to just grow and be a horse. It's also common for these horses to work through some physical changes, especially in the stifles! Whim showed some stifle soreness in his last vet exam, so he had intra-articular anti-inflammatory medication. We hope this resolves the very minor asymmetry we observed; if that is the case, our vet believes he'll be fairly unlimited for work down the road! It is not something that we expect will require regular maintenance. As always, qualified, approved adopters will have access to his vet file!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 

• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2

• Horse Care - Level 3 - He wears EasyBoot Glue On shoes in front, and he'll need continued quality farrier work to help him build sole depth and correct balance.

• Riding - Level 2 - 3 - This is likely to improve with more time in training.

• General Demeanor - Level 2 

• Horse Physical Capability - Level 3+ 

FUN FACT: Golden Whim was purchased as a yearling for $1.5 million!

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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.