You won’t find a classier act than “Norman!” With only two starts on the track, Norman is a bit wary in new surroundings, but he holds his composure with reassurance from his handler. He has a very sweet disposition and really seems to come out of his shell with someone confident close by. Norman already shows a great build for athletic pursuits, too—he is very leggy with a naturally balanced build and great angles.

Norman bowed a tendon in his last race, but he has done some tremendous healing in his time off and should be able to move forward with a new career after a few more months of R&R. Norman has just graduated from round pen turnout into a small field after a glowing review from his last vet check-up, and he seems to be enjoying his extra freedom. 

Our vet suspects he will be fairly unlimited in the future as long as his rehab is handled properly, so he would be an amazing early prospect for an advanced horseperson who wants to use this time to get to know him and give him lots of time to heal and mature. He is available for adoption to the right person/setup ahead of our normal schedule, but he would typically be listed in our $2,500 adoption category.

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - 3 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2
• Horse Care - Level 2 - 3 - He wears glue-on front shoes, which he arrived with, but we don’t have a reason to believe that he will need them in the long-term!
• Riding - TBD
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - 3 
• Physical Capability - Level 4+ - Our vet suspects that Norman will be fairly unlimited after proper rehab (though he is also still very young, so he should of course be given lots of time to mature!).

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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.