Arriving at New Vocations
Chromospere, one of six horses spared last month from a trip to the New Holland livestock auction, which could have put him in the slaughter pipeline, has been accepted into the New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program.
The flashy chestnut arrived Sept. 9 at the Ohio facility in good weight, and spirits, says Amy Allison, horse caretaker and trainer at New Vocations.
“His condition was actually very good,” Allison says. “He was bright eyed and very alert and curious.”
Clean-legged and possessing a personality so friendly he was assigned a paddock buddy right away, Chromospere is on the fast track to becoming someone’s special horse.
In another week, after his foot soreness clears up with good farrier care, and he puts on a little more weight, the beautiful gelding will have a saddle gently placed upon his back.
“We’ll take it really easy with him. At the beginning, he might be ridden twice a week, for 20 minutes,” Allison says. “We’ll eventually bring him up to 30 minutes.”
Race name: Chromospere
Sire: Smart Strike
Dam: Sundown Serenade
Foal date: Jan. 17, 2006Given his “very quite” demeanor, she expects Chromospere to fold easily into the rhythms of the retraining facility, and eventually, into a new life as a riding horse.
“He’s a decent mover and could be ridden for pleasure, trials, or maybe low-level dressage,” she says, noting that it’s too soon to say if he possesses the aptitude for jumping fences.
Chromospere was one of six horses intercepted last month by a nationwide horse-welfare network.
After California-based Thoroughbred advocate Deborah Jones issued an urgent plea on Facebook, advising that six horses, including Chromospere, would be sent to the New Holland Auction, a sale frequented by kill buyers, people within the Thoroughbred world pulled together to purchase them, and get them to safety.
Horses saved in the effort, along with Chromospere, were Straightfromtheheart, Mi Minnaloushe, Alcatraz, River North and Verbetica.
Chromospere, right, with a buddy
Considering the tumult in the six-year-old’s life, his personality has remained intact, making him a charming, barn favorite.
“He’s become very vocal,” she says. “He’s one of the first horses to talk to me when I come to the barn in the morning.”
And he fell in right away with his pasture mate, Concorde’s Flight. The two eat together and take naps in the sun close to one another.
Chromospere is approximately 15.3 hands and is in excellent health. Aside from some foot soreness, which is clearing up, he only has a bit of osselets in his fetlocks, but has good flexion.
Allison suspects he will attract a new owner soon. Anyone interested in contacting New Vocations about Chromospere is invited to visit the New Vocations website: horseadoption.com for more information.
