August 2, 2023 •Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue
Meet Toluca, an 14-year-old, 16.1 hand OTTB mare and her trainer, Michelle Gilles of Red River Ranch Performance Horses. #ShowdownTeamToluca is competing in the Showcase Division of the 2023 Dakota Showdown Horse Trainer Challenge
Toluca is a big mare that looks like every kids Black Beauty Dream. She has a big floaty ground covering trot and we have started her on some low level cavalettis and jumps. She has the best personality and a lot of try! She has movement that could make a nice long distance trail horse and with more training a dressage or hunter jumper horse. She is a kind mare with a lot of try, she says her racing days are behind her and likes to work at nice collected trots and canters.
Toluca came to me late in the competition but she quickly trusted me and offered all she has to catch up and be ready to do a freestyle and skills test for the competition and we have gained a lot of ground fast!
Red River Ranch Performance Horses will offer continued training for 30 days and lessons to anyone who adopts Toluca to help make the perfect fit!
About Michelle Gilles of Red River Ranch Performance Horses
Michelle Gilles was born in California but has trained in Texas and Wyoming before settling in Minnesota near Fargo, ND. Michelle has a unique ability to figure out the way to communicate with horse and rider to help each individual pair reach new milestones in their horsemanship goals. She has became proficient in building a true bridle horse. Safety of horse and rider is her main focus so she can provide the best for each individual team!
From Her Trainer
Toluca has a lot of heart
and wants to be loved and will give her all to the perfect adopter! She has been a dream
ride and work with!
About Toluca's Ideal Adopter
Toluca is an opinionated mare who will need to meet any potential adopter to ensure that she approves of the adoption. With a person she likes she is a very easy going, willing horse; however if she doesn't like you she will make your life difficult. She is a very loving and sweet mare who is looking for a person who will focus all of their attention on her - and we mean ALL of it, as she gets very jealous when HER person pays attention to other people. Her person will be kind, patient, but also confident and consistent, and will have intermediate level riding and ground work skills to enjoy their time with her. Toluca would excel at most anything but shows a preference for arena work and English riding.
Toluca's adopter should understand Thoroughbreds and their personality quirks. Toluca can be a hard keeper and appreciates extra feed. She loves her winter blanket and truly enjoys the spoiled, stall life more than living out in pasture. She's not abnormal for a Thoroughbred but if you are used to Quarter Horses she may be a bitt of a diva.
Toluca's History
Toluca is an off-the-track Thoroughbred who won over $80,000 during her racing career in California and Minnesota. She was eventually claimed and was bred and had a foal, and then somehow ended up at a small farm in South Dakota where her owners struggled to keep weight on her and finally asked for help and surrendered her to Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue. She had suffered a compression injury to her hind leg at some point that was not healing despite many unique treatment attempts. At GSH, x-rays showed that she had a bone sequestrum and it was surgically removed in January of 2023. The injury should have no long term affects or cause any lameness due to its location. After several months of stall rest she was approved to enter the Showdown for a training refresher and to hopefully find her permanent home!
Toluca was originally assigned to a different trainer and spent the first half of the Showdown with her. Due to some life changes and a personality mismatch between Toluca and her first trainer, she was transferred to Michelle Gilles. Toluca is an opinionated mare who communicates strongly her likes and dislikes, and has excelled with Michelle who she clearly likes.
Adopt Toluca at the Dakota Showdown Finale
The Dakota Showdown horses will be available for adoption under the Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue contract (or Little Hooves Miniature Horse Rescue contract for ponies KC, Diamond Dave, Belle and Tinkerbelle) to approved adopters through an online bidding process on August 12-13, 2023. The starting bid is $1200. Appointments to meet the horses you are interested in on August 12 are greatly encouraged.