“Netti” is the Goldilocks blend of experience and prospect—with 15 starts under her belt, she’s had the experience of travel, time under saddle, and lots of handling in her life as a racehorse, but she also retired with no injuries and shows a lot of prospect for a new career!

Netti is polite for handling on the ground and stands patiently for the vet or farrier. She even enjoys getting baths! She also loves her turnout time and is usually a pack-leader type who enjoys romping around the field with her buddies. Currently she is on night turnout with a group of mares, but she has also been in a two-horse turnout and does well with both setups. She has no stall vices.

Under saddle, Netti is developing into a lovely mount. She is learning to accept bit pressure and aids, and she already shows a natural sense of balance. She has solid, fluid gaits and quite a comfortable canter! Netti has been ridden in the indoor ring and outdoor ring, as well as on trails and in open, unfenced fields. Netti is very brave, and didn’t bat an eye when walking out on trails on her own, even crossing a creek!

Last autumn, Netti was part of the group that went to our New Vocations hunter pace at Scheffelridge Farm and hacked out in the group like a pro! She jumped around in the hunt field and along the trail. She was a total pro!

We could see Netti being successful in a number of different disciplines, but she would do best with an advanced rider with a soft hand who can continue to bring her along to the outstanding mount we know that she can be!

Netti is is also eligible for the 2020 Retrained & Remarkable Challenge eligible. As such he will be invited to compete at the 2020 New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park, in Lexington, where he will receive free entry into R&R Challenge classes (which include English and Western pleasure, hunter hack, trail, driving and in-hand classes).

COVID-19 Adoption Fee Update

You might notice some of our horses' adoption fees have been reduced in recent days.  This is solely due to the current COVID-19 situation and not because we've discovered new physical issues or behavioral issues.  We always aim to keep our adoption fees low so adopters can invest more in the future training and care for each horse. The adoption option is truly the most economical option!

In addition, please keep in mind the more horses we rehome, the more retiring racehorses we can welcome to our program. And, with the current uncertainty at many racetracks and training centers, we're hoping to eliminate barriers to help find perfect homes for our current residents so we can continue serving those in need of transitional training. Adopters must still be approved to bring a horse home.

Please feel free to contact any horse's trainer for additional information on his or her adoption fee.

ADOPTION FEE POLICY

New Vocations’ adoption fees are intentionally set lower than the cost of buying most Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds through a private seller. In today’s market, it’s not unusual for horses coming right off the track to be listed for sale at a price between $2,000 and $5,000. At New Vocations, we set a fee that will ultimately help each horse find a home quickly. The program’s facilities are always at full capacity, which means we cannot take in an additional horse until one is adopted. Adopters should be encouraged to know that by adopting a horse through New Vocations, they are actually helping two horses transition to careers outside of racing.

In general, our fees are set at $500, $1,000 or $1,000 with a $1,500 donation.

• $1,000 with a $1,500 donation: 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.

Additionally, adopters get great value for their money: The majority of the horses have been in the program for a minimum of 60 days. During that time, horses are rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, fully evaluated, and in work with a professional trainer. New Vocations fully discloses each horse’s history and provides all available medical records, many of which include X-ray and ultrasounds.

While adoption fees are low, it should be noted that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for each horse after adoption can be high. New Vocations hopes that by helping an adopter save money upfront, he or she will have more funds available to cover the continuing costs of properly caring for a horse.