Charity of the Week: Horse Protection Association of Florida

Lex in February 2007
Lex was one of 26 Thoroughbreds seized by Marion County in 2007 where four broodmares starved to death. A 3 year old stallion, Lex had not been handled regularly and had become feral. In court the horses were awarded to the county, and then turned over to HPAF. The horses were moved, with much difficulty, to a rented barn. None had ever been in stalls and it was chaos. Lex jumped over the 4 foot stall front and somehow ended up in another stall, he had to have jumped into it. He had to be kept tied with hay and water close to keep him from running the stall and climbing the walls constantly. Other youngsters did similar things, it was a scary week and how we were not injured or killed still amazes me.

The stallions were moved to another farm with hotwire fencing. Lex was a bit better there. He was castrated and eventually moved to the HPAF farm.

Turned out with his former herd mates he was content. However if we tried to do anything with him
Lex with Kim - 2013
where he was no longer with his buddies he became panicked. Showing the horses one day we put his buddies into the round pen with Lex in the adjacent pen able to hang his head over the round pen wall. He could touch the fillies as they came by and they were never more than 60 feet away. That was too far away for him and he ran straight through the fence. Catching him and tranquilizing him was another scary episode, when Lex went out of control it was frightening.

At that point we sent Lex to trainer Halsey Murch to try and get some controls in place. Lex did improve a great deal in a month. He nearly missed kicking Halsey in the head one day, thank God he missed and Halsey was OK.

Back home regular handling, grooming, trimming and bathing got Lex to where he had decent ground manners. Two years later we sent Lex to trainer Anja Holst to start under saddle. Four months later Lex was going nicely in an enclosed area. That is when Kim Pundi came to HPAF looking for a horse to adopt and she met Lex. We were a little concerned about it working out but as Kim was practicing Parelli we knew she would likely be ok and that things with Lex would improve over time. Improve is an understatement. Kim devoted herself to her relationship with Lex and in the years since they have become an amazing pair.

Kim and Lex are now competing in ACHTA rides and Obstacle Challenges and are quite successful. They recently placed third at the Florida Horse Park!

HPAF has lots more future stars! Please visit the web site, www.hpaf.org email at msilver@wildblue.net call 352-466-4366 or like us on Facebook. HPAF is so grateful that ACHTA exists. It gives rescued horses a place to shine and have fun!

Lex and ACTHA