I just wanted to jump in and back Jon up on his assessment of New
Vocations-I've spoken with them (quite a bit-I'd REALLY like to have a few STBs,
but I DO have TOO MANY horses, so I've resisted temptation so far) and I REALLY
think they have the most balanced adoption program I've ever come across-they
protect their charges, but they aren't trying to get rich, find homes for horses
who would be better off put down, nor are they so over-protective of the animals
that a conscientious owner is unable to use the horses to their full
potential. As I said-well balanced. I STILL think they're the
best...
New Vocations
race horse adoption in Laura and Columbus, OH and there new branch in MI
adopt out alot of std breds (www.horseadoption.com).
This family, the Morgans, have owned and raced std breds for many
generations. I recently saw some nice nimble looking young mares on their
site who were either lightly raced or unraced. Dot who runs the
organization is a no BS person and if she says the horse wasn't raced shes
not selling you a bill of goods. Lightly raced means lightly
raced.
We race pacers and although I hate generalizations of any breed
of horse (too dumb, too crazy, bad hooves, etc) they are by and large a
nice breed of horse. Although most are dark bay, they do come in a
huge array of sizes from beefy monsters over 16 hands to some speedy little
oness down around 14.3. Some are long and rangy, others burly and
stout. Pacers do trot, sometimes very nicely, but trotters do not
pace & contrary to the origins of std breds, not any horse that meets
the standard can not compete. It is a breed. Horses off the
track have been handled daily and w/all the gack used: doverchecks, knee,
ankle, and tendon boots, tongue ties, head poles, murphy blinds, tie downs,
cruppers, etc, they can be pretty desensitized to alot of commotion.
They seem to retain their conditioning pretty well. That is to say
once you teach them something they seem to remember it.
Somone asked
about breeding and longevity. Yes they have longevity & I am no
expert on conformation, but they have their issues w/hocks, OCD's, etc. I
think you have to consider that a horse w/100 starts on the track is
not altogether an uncommon std bred to find at auction or thru
a rescue/adoption agency. 100 starts means 100 fast miles on anything
from a rock hard frozen track, to a sloppy track, and God forbid the whack
em and smack world of the summer fair racing circuit. That horse may
have gotten 100 doses of lasix, pre-race banamine, and then oodles of zan
tac or gastroguard to combat the ulcers form lasix and banamine or
bute. Hock injections w/depo are as regular as the sunrises for std
breds because its cheap and gets them back on the track earning their
keep. So yes they are hardy and sturdy and never really seem to
complain, but then don't kid yourself into thinking they made all those
trips around the track w/out paying a price. Not so many bowed
tendons as arthritic issues w/hocks, stifles, and ankles.
Probably
not a bad idea to find a younger horses who were just too slow to make it
to the track and suffer the wear and tear of racing. There are alot
of those out
there.
