“Tonka” is a super athlete. Broad shouldered and well-balanced, he moves with purpose and direction. Between his workhorse mentality and his natural athleticism, it is no wonder he was a winner in his career as a racehorse! He thrives in a training environment; he is a horse who likes to have a purpose. 

Tonka is very much a people-horse and loves attention from his handler, with whom he will bond quickly. A good-moving horse with a good bit of suspension and very balanced to ride, Tonka enjoys being ridden and hacks out very well. He also works beautifully in our outdoor arena. He still isn’t 100% sure about the covered arena, but he's getting more and more comfortable in there. 

Tonka walks, trots and canters under saddle and is walking over poles. He has shown to be quite brave and bold and is well-behaved under saddle. Due to his athleticism, he'll do best with an advanced rider who has experience with young, green horses. He will excel in any sport, he is a worker bee and will make for an excellent and competitive partner.

He's currently on pasture with three other geldings and is a passive herd member in his current situation, definitely low in the hierarchy.

Tonka, with his huge heart and true athletic nature, will make for an incredible competitive mount in any discipline!  

• Leading and Ground Manners - Level 2
• Grooming and Tacking - Level 1 - Tonka loves being groomed and fussed over! He has an itchy spot on his belly and always raises his lips when you scratch it!
• Horse Care - Level 2
• Riding - Level 2
• General Demeanor - Level 2
• Horse Physical Capability - Level 4 - Tonka came to New Vocations with a slight bow, which we've rehabbed carefully and thoroughly. He's now back in steady work and our veterinarians agree that his past injury should not limit his future endeavors. 

 click for horse level information 

ADOPTION FEE POLICY

New Vocations’ adoption fees are intentionally set lower than the cost of buying most Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds through a private seller. In today’s market, it’s not unusual for horses coming right off the track to be listed for sale at a price between $2,000 and $5,000. At New Vocations, we set a fee that will ultimately help each horse find a home quickly. The program’s facilities are always at full capacity, which means we cannot take in an additional horse until one is adopted. Adopters should be encouraged to know that by adopting a horse through New Vocations, they are actually helping two horses transition to careers outside of racing.

In general, our fees are set at $2,500, $1,000, $500 or waived:

• $2,500: This range is for horses that we consider to be the cream of the crop or “unicorn” horses. They are horses that have few or no limitations and great conformation, movement and size.
• $1,000: This range is for horses that are suitable for a competitive career up to a certain level (for example, cleared for 2’6” but not necessarily 3’). They may have been fully rehabbed from an injury but have been cleared by our veterinarians for most disciplines.
• $500: This range is for horses that are limited to a flat, trail or companion-type home. These horses are healthy and have been fully rehabbed and evaluated by a vet.
• Waived: This is for horses that have significant limitations for a riding career or are otherwise difficult to place. These horses are otherwise healthy and have been evaluated by a veterinarian.

Additionally, adopters get great value for their money: The majority of the horses have been in the program for a minimum of 60 days. During that time, horses are rehabilitated (if needed), socialized with other horses, fully evaluated, and in work with a professional trainer. New Vocations fully discloses each horse’s history and provides all available medical records, many of which include X-ray and ultrasounds.

While adoption fees are low, it should be noted that costs associated with ongoing care and additional training for each horse after adoption can be high. New Vocations hopes that by helping an adopter save money upfront, he or she will have more funds available to cover the continuing costs of properly caring for a horse.