Town Icon

Town Icon is a stunningly handsome, nearly black gelding who is looking for his special dream person who will give him what he wants most in life- a person with a job. Beneath his flashy looks is a horse who wants something meaningful: a person he can trust, a partnership he can depend on, and a purpose to put his mind and energy toward. He’s a working guy at heart who thrives when he has a task to focus on and someone willing to work with him rather than simply tell him what to do. Icon has lovely movement that is a pleasure to ride! His solid and confident gait is a joy to develop, and as he builds more muscle will be noticed by anybody who has the opportunity to watch him go. Icon's personality appreciates a person who takes the time to build rapport, offers clear and consistent guidance, and helps him understand what’s being asked. Give him that foundation, and he has the potential to give back in kind. For this guy, the relationship matters just as much as the work. He also appreciates a little security in his surroundings. He tends to enjoy the comfort of a stall or a smaller turnout near other horses rather than having too much open space. A predictable routine and consistency help keep his mind engaged and set him up for success- a partnership built on patience, understanding, and teamwork. 

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 1 - Icon is quiet to lead in just a halter and lead.  
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Icon is an easy guy to groom and saddle up. 
• Horse Care - Level 2 - Icon gets stressed easily with too much turnout space and unlimited access to friends. He finds security with his stall and is most relaxed in a small turnout area where he can see other horses, but not have unfettered access to them.  
• Riding - Level 1-2 - Icon can be the easy going when things are going as expected. He can be slightly reactive (has not shown dangerous behavior) when he feels uncertain and becomes very tense.  
• General Demeanor - Level 2 - Icon can exhibit anxiety when he doesn't understand something. He can be settled fairly easily with a trusted calm partner who can work with him through the anxieties.  
• Physical Capability - Level 2 - Icon would be best suited to a quiet, laid back job where he can analyze and grow a partnership of trust and gentle adventures with his partner. He has no known injuries that would limit his successes.  

 click for horse level information 

Interested in this horse? Approved adopters can reach out to this horse's trainer via the "Email Us About This Horse" button above for further information. Not yet approved? Learn about the process and start your questionnaire at newvocations.org/adopt! Approved applications are valid for two years.

ABOUT OUR ADOPTION FEES

New Vocations intentionally sets our horses’ adoption fees lower than the average cost of buying a Thoroughbred or Standardbred from a private seller. In today’s market, horses coming right off the track are often listed at $5,000 to $10,000!

Our fees range from $0 (waived) to $3,500. Fees typically correspond with a horse’s anticipated physical capabilities. So, horses that are best suited for non-riding careers (our Pasture Potatoes) have waived fees, while the fees for horses assessed to be suitable for high-impact careers will be up to $3,500.

While our adoption fees are low, it’s important to remember that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for a horse can be high. New Vocations 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.

When you adopt a horse through New Vocations, you’re helping two horses; your new family member and the one who takes their place in our program. 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, enabling us to help even more horses transition off the track as stalls open up in our barns!

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've rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, been evaluated by trainers and veterinarians, and have been in regular training with a professional. On average, the monetary value of these services exceeds $5,000. Any medical records (often including X-rays and ultrasounds) and pertinent history we have on each horse are also available to interested and approved adopters.