“Westley” is the gentle giant everyone is looking for! He's just a huge, loveable guy who wants nothing more than to please his people. He towers over most of the geldings at a solid 16.2, with all the bone and body to go with it. And underneath his imposing exterior, he's just a lap dog with the most easy-going personality in the barn.

During his last race in July 2021, Westley injured his left front suspensory and splint bone. He has been rehabbing and is being slowly brought back into work, but he will need another few months of very light (primarily walking) work. In his limited under saddle work he has shown a preference to pace, but as he does trot loose, he may offer that under saddle once he is fully rehabbed. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Westley is led quietly in a regular halter and lead rope. He is quiet and easy to handle and is regularly led by kids and husbands.
  
  
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Westley stands politely in the crossties to be groomed and tacked, and he even drops his head nicely for the bridle. 
  
  
• Horse Care - Currently Level 2 - Westley is still rehabbing his suspensory injury so he shouldn't work in deep footing. He would benefit from support wraps at this time. He is barefoot and will be a Level 1 when his rehab is complete.
  
  
• Riding - Level 1 - Even on rehab, Westley is quiet and steady under saddle. He will make an excellent family horse! In his mostly walking work, he has been out around the farm and willingly crosses puddles. 
  
  
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - He is a "Steady Eddie," through and through!  He is turned out with a large group of geldings; with the younger boys he's happy to play, but he won’t harass the older, quiet geldings. He has no vices or issues. 
  
  
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - 3 when fully rehabbed - When completely rehabbed, Westley should be suitable for most disciplines, though he won't be suitable for high-speed events or upper-level jumping. 

 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.