This handsome hunk is turning a new chapter in his book, having already fulfilled two careers; one as a racehorse and one as a breeding stallion! Union Jackson has been pensioned from stallion duty, gelded, and is at New Vocations in Lexington to begin retraining. We are excited to watch him thrive in a new career!

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2 - 3 - Jackson is quite reasonable to lead around, though he can need reminders about personal space at times. He is generally led with a shank lead rope, though he doesn’t generally do anything to require its use.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - 3 - Union Jackson has a basic understanding of crossties, though he may explore the boundaries of the ties at times. He doesn’t mind being groomed, but he does have some sensitive areas that he asks are respected. He can get a little anxious when he’s getting tacked up, but he tries very hard to be good. He demonstrates his anxiousness by moving around and trying to chew on the crossties or a lead rope, or something nearby that he can chew on. 
• Horse Care - Level 1 - He is barefoot and has a good appetite. Union Jackson is the diamond-in-the-rough Thoroughbred with pretty solid feet! An adopter may choose to shoe him depending on his next career and the terrain involved, but he does well barefoot in a basic routine.
• Riding - Level 4 - 5  - Jackson has a high level of anxiety associated with under saddle work. He is very smart, but when he gets into a stress mindset, his learning halts. He will need a particularly advanced, capable horseperson who enjoys the challenge of slowly working with a horse to gain their trust and partnership. We recommend working from the ground up to foster this relationship.
•  General Demeanor - Level 2 - 3 - Jackson is not particularly excitable, but he still has a more dominant mindset (to be expected of a horse that was a breeding stallion previously!). We just recently started him in a turnout with our ‘babysitter,’ Ranger, and he was quick to make friends with Ranger. He was also okay when turned out alone, but stood by the gate often, and we believe that more social interactions with other horses will allow him the opportunities to gain more social skills in general.
• Physical Capability - Level 5 - Union Jackson has no known limitations.
  

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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 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.