2023 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - Heather is a good girl who is generally well-behaved and happy. She can get worried in a busy environment and is learning to take in the busy world around her one day at a time.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 3 - On the whole Heather stands in crossties, the wash rack and for the farrier. She can be sensitive to her surroundings as she is learning her new life and currently does best in a quieter environment. As she settles into her new normal, she will become more and more relaxed and should begin to enjoy her grooming time to its fullest. She already can't help herself when you itch the right spot, and she just melts away!
• Horse Care - Level 2 -  Heather is a pretty easy keeper and does well with front shoes. She may require some bodywork throughout her retraining as she is a little swayback, and massage will help her as she develops new muscles.
• Riding - Level 3 - Heather has been restarted on the lunge and is also walking and trotting under saddle. She is learning to relax in the indoor arena. She is a type A personality and very much wants to respond to your "asks" correctly. Sometimes, this causes her to worry.
• General Demeanor - Level 3 - Heather is a happy girl who can be a little dramatic at times. She is learning to let her guard down around people, but is definitely an alpha female in the field with other mares. Miss Heather believes in her racing name and that she is, in fact, divine compared to the other mares.
• Physical Capability - Level 4 - 5 - Heather has no known limitations, she has a little bit of a sway back, but it did not affect her racing career nor her riding career thus far.

 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 range around $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.
  
  
• $2,000 - $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 - $1,500: 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.