• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - Ardara is a “stop and smell the roses” type and prefers to do all things at her own pace. She walks to and from turnout calmly with her buddy, and isn’t one to rush her handler like many youngsters will.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - After 12 races, Ardara is no stranger to the routine. She is patient in the crossties and enjoys being pampered! 
• Horse Care - Level 2 - Ardara is one of the easiest keepers in our barn, and stays quite round on a ration balancer. She is currently barefoot and wears a cribbing collar. 
• Riding - Level 1  - We just love Ardara’s relaxed and steady way of going! She is naturally balanced with much more whoa than go, and will plod along just as happily on the buckle as she will with contact. She is soft in the mouth and exceptionally patient - so much so that we did backflips off of the saddle during her first ride (Yes, this is true, and yes, we have photos). If your dream is to trot peacefully through the countryside like you’re on an episode of Yellowstone…. This is the horse for you. 
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Ardara is a joy to have in the barn, and is consistently one of the more well behaved horses to handle. She does prefer that newcomers keep their distance at first, so she might sport a red ribbon at shows, but she warms up to new friends in turnout quite nicely!
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - 3 - This lovely lady had some boney changes in her knee that halted her racetrack career. She has been seen by our vet and farrier for some maintenance needed to get her comfortable for work and has responded well to that! She is ready to embark on her next lower-level career! As always, veterinary records are available to interested and approved adopters.

 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.