Isn't she lovely?! “Lovey” has grown so much in her time with us. She was a bit nervous when she arrived, but she's matured into a confident leader and easy-going girl who'll happily do anything we ask of her. She has so much expression in her face and eyes and she's been a joy to have in the barn.

She's lovely to work around and enjoys a good grooming session. She soaks up all the attention she can; we just love spending time with this sweet girl! Lovey has been turned out with both mares and geldings and did fine in both situations.is fine with both. She has no vices.

We've ridden and driven Lovey in the arena, around the farm and even down the road without incident (check out the video of a leisurely stroll down the road in a cart on her "Videos" tab!). She's becoming more comfortable under saddle; she happily walks and paces, is learning to hold a trot and has shown us that she can canter. If she's uncertain or unbalanced she defaults to a pace, but we're confident this will diminish as she gains more experience under saddle. 

Lovey retired from racing sound with no known injuries. She's eager to please and has a fantastically athletic build, and she could really go in any direction! We think Lovey will excel in any discipline her adopter chooses!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - She's easily led with a plain lead rope with her pasturemates.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - Lovey stands quietly for grooming, tacking and harnessing.
• Horse Care - Level 1 - She's been an easy keeper in our program and is currently barefoot.
• Riding - Level 3 - She's grown to be brave and confident, but she's still a youngster and can be playful at times!
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - She's an easy-going, steady girl.
• Physical Capability - Level 5 - Lovey retired sound with no known injuries and has no limitations for her second career!

 click for horse level information 

ABOUT OUR ADOPTION FEES

New Vocations intentionally sets our horses’ 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 $5,000 to $10,000!).

Our facilities are nearly always at max capacity, which means we can’t take in a new horse until one is adopted. Keeping our adoption fees low helps us find appropriate homes for horses quickly, thereby enabling us to assist even more horses transition off the track as stalls open up in our barns! In that way, when you adopt a horse through New Vocations, you’re actually helping two horses: your new family member and the one who takes his place in our program!

While our adoption fees are low, it’s important to remember that costs associated with the ongoing care and additional training for a horse (adopted or otherwise!) can be high. We hope that by helping adopters save money upfront, you’ll have more funds available to cover the costs of properly caring for and training a retired racehorse.

In general, our fees are set at $3,500, $2,500, $1,000, and Under $1,000:

• $3,500: This range is for horses considered unlimited in their physical ability or those with exceptional qualities that would make them an upper- or high-level equine athlete.
  
  
• $2,500: This range is for horses we consider physically capable of a mid- to high-level second career. They have few or relatively minor limitations.
  
  
• $1,000: This range is for horses best-suited for a low- to mid-level career. They may have sustained an injury but have been fully treated and rehabbed. These horses have been examined by and cleared by our veterinarians for most disciplines, possibly up to a certain level (for example, suitable for a career jumping 2’0” but not suitable for a 3’6” career).
  
  
• Under $1,000: This range is for horses that could be harder to place in a perfect situation or those with more limited athletic potential (for example, possibly suitable for flat-work only) but are still capable of a successful second career. They have been evaluated by our veterinarians and are otherwise healthy.

Another perk of adopting from us? We do all we can to give you the most value for your adoption fee. 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, evaluated by trainers and veterinarians, and in regular training with a professional; on average, the monetary value of these services exceeds $5,000. Any medical records (often including X-ray and ultrasounds) and pertinent history we have on each horse is also available to interested and approved adopters.