“Carmen” is a beautiful and very fancy filly who's sure to turn heads everywhere she goes!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - 2 - At home Carmen leads quietly with a rope lead and is very respectful of her handlers space. In a new place she could get a little excitable and might need some gentle reminders until she settles in.
  
  
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - 2 - Carmen was fidgety and anxious on the crossties at first but has learned to stand (thanks to, in part, a very quiet babysitter horse standing quietly in the crossties next to her!). She really enjoys a good bath and grooming, and she loves all the attention that comes with being pampered!
  
  
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Carmen eats well and is low maintenance. She might require front shoes as her workload increases but is currently happily barefoot.
  
  
• Riding - Level 1 - 2 - This girl is pretty special under saddle. She is very well balanced for such a young horse and goes in a soft, natural frame. She is accepting of the contact, nicely moves off your leg and is an above-average mover with a very flat-kneed hunter type way of going. She stands quietly at the mounting block and knows how to lunge both ways.
  
  
• General Demeanor - Level 3 - Carmen will thrive in a home with a more experienced handler and rider. She's unbelievably lovely and has had a great beginning to her second career, but she will require some tact and management to keep her on the right track. She has had moments of anxiousness and reactivity that we've worked through carefully, but she will likely need some extra guidance in new settings and situations. To help her reach her full potential she'll need someone willing to take the extra time and effort to encourage her to relax and understand what is being asked of her before proceeding.
  
  
• Physical Capability - Level 3 - 4 - Carmen has some mild arthritic changes, but appropriate management (as needed) will improve her capability and longevity in her second career.

 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.