Palmers Pride is the kind of gelding everyone is looking for! He is always eager to go to work, and happy to tackle any task thrown at him. This trotting bred gelding is working nicely under saddle at a walk, trot, and canter, and has been on trail rides, over some small jumps, and works in English and Western tack! He retired sound, and has no limitations, so he is ready for whatever adventures are headed his way! 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Palmer is well behaved and easy to handle in a regular halter and cotton lead rope. 
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Palmer stands quietly in the crossties for grooming and tacking.  He loves to be curried!
• Horse Care - Level 1 - Palmer retired with no injuries and requires no special care.  He is currently barefoot and eats a basic pellet and grass hay. 
• Riding - Level 2 - Palmer is happy to work under saddle, and had been ridden before coming to New Vocations.  He is a forward moving guy, and might be a little strong for a nervous or timid rider. He has been working in a snaffle and is responsive. His ideal rider will enjoy events that put his forward nature to work, and can help him be brave when encountering new situations. 
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - For the most part, Palmer is a "go with the flow" type of guy.  He does get grumpy at feeding time and has been known to make nasty faces or kick the wall to keep his neighbor away.  In turnout he is mid-level in the herd and enjoys being outside. 
• Horse Physical Capability - Level 4+ - Palmer retired sound and has no limitations.  We could see him excelling in a variety of careers!

 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.