2020 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

Looking for a horse who wants to be doted on and will happily stand in the crossties or quietly in the stall while you pamper him? Look no further, Unequal is your guy. “Q” cuteness and sweet demeanor is unmatched in the barn. Q not only possesses the most kiss-able face, but he loves all the attention he can get!   He is in-your-pocket, but super gentle about it– no fingers will be nibbled, he just wants to rest his head on your shoulder or get scratches/ kisses. Q stands patiently for the farrier as well!

In turnout, Q thinks he’s tough around a wimpy crowd, but the moment a true alpha arrives, he’s submissive to them. He’s not one to play too hard with his buddies, so you don’t have to worry about him coming in with marks on him (or his buddies). He does like to romp around and some, but then settles in easily. Q also tends to come in pretty clean, unlike many of his pasturemates who like to apply full-body mud masks.

Under saddle, Q has tons of potential! He is a comfortable ride, and he stretches into his gaits– making his capable of getting the bigger distances that many of his like-heighted buddies can’t. Q is forward but comes back easily. He also listens to aids and learns quickly when presented with new challenges, demonstrating ample courage. Q is working on being softer in his mouth and stronger/ stretchier through his topline, like most horses coming right from the track. Even though he can toss his head around as he’s trying to figure out being ‘on contact,’ he doesn’t take a foot out of line and never offers any naughty behavior.

Unequal would do best with at least an advanced, experienced intermediate under the guidance of a trainer. He like a confident but quiet rider. As far as disciplines, we could see Q going in many different directions, but we think he would be happy being a trail horse, western pleasure mount, field hunter, etc!

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 the unicorn horses.  They are horses that have few or no limitations, have 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 3’).  They may have been fully rehabbed from a race injury but have been cleared 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.