2023 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Eligible

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Mira is led around the farm in a plain halter and cotton lead. She is respectful of her handler's space and leads quietly.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 2 - Mira stands quietly in the crossties, but does appreciate when grooming sessions are kept short and to the point. She will sometimes make a face when her girth is being tightened, but she doesn’t exhibit any other signs of girthiness or discomfort. She loves attention and is learning what carrots are!
• Horse Care - Level 2 - Mira gets along with other mares and is happiest with some company. She currently wears front steel shoes but has big, beautiful feet and is living out.
• Riding - Level 1  - We continue to be impressed with Mira’s maturity and steadiness under saddle. She marches around all the jumps in our big grass ring and has willingly walked over some poles and cavalettis. She is at a good spot between a kick and pull ride and is her trainer’s favorite to ride in the barn! She strikes us as a nice hunter type but would excel in any discipline.
• General Demeanor - Level 2-3 - Mira is a beautiful, big-bodied mare. In a new environment Mira can be a little anxious but with each move, arriving at our rehab farm and then moving to our training facility, she has settled in a little easier. She has a great work ethic and getting right into a program really helps her to relax.
• Physical Capability - Level 5 - Mira carries some subcutaneous swelling in a distal limb that has been diagnosed as purely cosmetic by our team of veterinarians and has cold, set osslets. Neither will be limiting in her new 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 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.