Eligible for Shipping Credit up to $500!

We've updated our Horse Level system! Review our handy chart at the button below.

Touch of Kathryn (Kate) is a middle-aged mare who will catch anyone's eye!  Her near-black coat, confident way of going, and thick build just scream beauty and class. Kate has taken her time adjusting to the working girl life after raising 6 foals (who have earned over $260k) following a short racing career. She has begun to enjoy trails with other horses and tries her hardest to master simple trail obstacles and arena work with her handler and rider. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1+ - Kate is a pleasure to lead around the farm as well as in-hand trail obstacles.
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Kate is an attention seeker! She loves all that she can get.
• Horse Care - Level 2 - Kate arrived very overweight. She is a very easy keeper. After doing blood work our veterinarian recommended .5 mg of Pergolide daily. She currently wears front shoes as she is growing out her feet from a bout of laminitis last year (from being overweight). She is a very easy keeper on a diet of ration balancer and grass hay. Kate may require a grazing muzzle if the fields are too lush. With these changes, she has been sound and happy on the trails. 
• Riding - Level 2 - Kate has been good at riding in the arena, even when alone, and gets along nicely. She has a smooth gait and trot. An intermediate rider who is balanced and confident would be best for her (the child rider in her videos has been taking regular riding lessons for 8 years). Kate has been on group trail rides and is happy to lead or follow. She prefers being ridden in a group rather than alone while on the trails. She has also been ridden a lot in an indoor arena. 
• General Demeanor - Level 1 - Kate has a sweet personality that would make someone a lovely best friend. She wants to be loved and adored and enjoys having other horse friends in sight. She is very social with both her humans and other horses, especially her girl-gang out in the pasture. Kate adores grooming sessions and loves the attention of kids. 
• Physical Capability - Level 1 - Kate is willing to trot and gait under saddle (and is quite lovely at both) but prefers to walk along purposefully in life. She is a low-impact level horse. 

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Interested in this horse? Already approved adopters may reach out to this horse's trainer at the "Email About This Horse" button above for further information. Still need to become approved? Learn about the process and start your questionnaire at newvocations.org/adopt. Approved applications are valid for 2 years.

SHIPPING CREDIT 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.