2023 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - For a three-year-old OTTB, Von Trapp excels in good handling! He is quiet to lead and a well-behaved boy!
  
  
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - Von Trapp is generally quite easy and stands well on the crossties for grooming and tacking.
  
  
• Horse Care - Level 2 - He does fine with just front shoes!
  
  
• Riding - Level 2 - Von Trapp is level-headed and easy-going. He rides well with other horses and can hack out well with a friend. He is quite brave but does best with a confident rider who can guide him through new situations to give him the little pep talk that's needed to bolster his courage.
  
  
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Von is the King of Chill and embodies the phrase "cool as a cucumber"
  
  
• Physical Capability - Level 4+ - It was clear to the donors of Von Trapp that his "calling was not in racing" but fortunately for us, he has shown tremendous potential as a sport horse for any number of other disciplines! Von Trapp had some generalized body soreness after his time in training on the track, but he has relaxed, both mentally and physically, into his new routine here, and is now ready to gear towards another career. He still has some tight muscling in his hind end, but we can already see him relaxing those into more stretchy, elastic muscles with walk warm-ups and time. He’ll do best with someone having both skill and patience to guide him, simply because he is still so young, but we can see him flourishing in any number of different career paths! We could easily see him as a field hunter or general pleasure mount because of his easy disposition.

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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.