A trotting-bred mare with a kind, sweet eye, “Hope” wants nothing more than to be adored! She entered race training as a 2-year-old, but she didn't progress past early training and never made a start. Her life has mostly consisting of hanging out and being a mom and friend! She enjoyed 24/7 days in her pasture, watching over the foals and youngsters with her kind, sweet, and easy-going nature. A few years ago Hope had some issues with foaling, however, and while her days as a mom have come to an end, she has plenty left to offer and we can't wait to find her the connection she craves!

Hope let us know in a gentle but firm way that she's not a fan of bit pressure, and we were happy to respect that! We tried her in a hackamore and a Dr. Cook's Bitless Bridle, which she understands and seems to love! She is willing to work in the arena, but Hope enjoys nothing more than going out and about. She loves going on trail rides with one or two other quiet horses or exploring on her own in areas where she is familiar. She has had stuff brush by her sides, deer leap in front of her and horses running in an adjacent field, and Hope has always looked to her rider for guidance before reacting. She's even worked with an experienced young rider over poles at the walk and hasn't taken a step out of place. What a gem! Walking is her favorite gait, but she does trot for short stretches, and easily halts! If a rider becomes unbalanced, her first go to is to halt.

As the result of a C-section to remove her last foal several years ago, Hope is a bit stiff in her hind end, especially in the hips. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain, but regular chiropractor and gentle work could be very beneficial. She also has some cloudiness in her right eye; our veterinarians have checked it out and while it limits her vision, she's very well adapted to it. She is no different in her reactions from side to side and works both directions equally kind and easy.  

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1+ - Hope leads well from both sides, but due to limited vision on right side needs some consideration for space and objects when being led (she fully trusts her handler and will go exactly where you say she needs to!).
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - At times, Hope has a hard time picking up her back feet. She is gradually getting more confident with daily hind-hoof handling, although her flexibility remains a bit limited.
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Hope goes barefoot very comfortably. She loves to be outdoors but is quiet and easy to handle in her stall. She currently goes out at night and comes in for eight to ten hours during the day.
• Riding - Level 2 - She very much takes confidence from her rider.
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Hope loves being loved on and being worked with! She's desperate to please and loves getting the coveted "good girl" praises!
• Physical Capability - Level 1

 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.