Hey “Miki,” you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow our minds!

There's really no other way to describe this gentle giant. He's an easy-to-handle guy with a quiet temperament and a playful streak that makes him a barn favorite!

Left to his own devices, Miki is the class clown! He turns out with and gets along with any gelding, and he's especially happy if his pasturemates will partake in a game of halter tag. He also enjoys picking up sticks and throwing them into the air before picking them up again and snaking his head around. We can't help but laugh at his antics!

Once his people are involved, however, Miki is all business. It doesn’t matter what shenanigans are going on around him, he's always walked quietly with a plain lead rope and behaved like a gentleman. Miki loves attention, enjoys a good grooming session and stands quietly and patiently to be tacked. He's just a laid-back, easy-going guy!  

Miki's laid-back attitude carries through under saddle. Nothing really fazes him, whether he's working in the arena or moseying around the farm in the snow. He has a huge step and the most incredible trot! And while he's still learning and unbalanced, Miki is willing to canter under saddle and improves with each ride. His can-do attitude really shines through as he learns!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - No chain needed for this guy! Anyone can lead Miki around, no matter what's going on! 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - He's easy to groom and tack, and he soaks up all the attention he can! He loved being the star and getting dressed up during his Valentine's Day photoshoot!
• Horse Care - Level 3 - Miki developed a quarter crack and, although it’s almost grown out, he's wearing a bar shoe to provide more support until it's completely gone.
• Riding - Level 2 - 3 - While he's still green, Miki is brave and confident. He does have a giant trot, which could unbalance a novice rider.
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Miki is calm, cool and collected all the time. He's still a youngster, so he can get a bit impatient waiting for his breakfast (can't we all??) ... he just thinks it's the best part of the day! We've seen him paw, snake his head or carry on in his stall until the grain cart reaches him; these behaviors have started subsiding, but we still catch him showing his impatience every now and again.
• Physical Capability - Level 4 - Miki could go in any direction! He sustained a coffin bone fracture during his racing career, but it's healed well and shouldn't have much impact on his future career. As always, interested and approved adopters are welcome to review the recent radiographs we took, along with any other vet records we have on him. 

 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.