We Ride Sport and Trail Magazine August 2016 | Page 29

HPAF operated out of donated pastures until 1997 when a 9 acres farm was leased. HPAF was able to move to its present location in Marion County in 2001 when a caring horsewoman donated the long term lease of the organizations current home, a 150 acre farm in Micanopy. HPAF’s focus is horses in situations of neglect, starvation and abandonment who are the subject of cruelty investigations with law enforcement. In 2003 HPAF began offering training for law enforcement and animal officers to help those agencies be better equipped to identify and address cruelty to horses. In 2006 HPAF conducted four trainings around the state for over 160 officers in conjunction with the Florida Department of Agriculture. Since that time training has been provided to the Florida Agricultural Crimes Intelligence Unit, sheriff’s offices and animal services officers around the state.

Horses that come to HPAF receive a feeding and rehabilitation program developed over the years which allows the horses to heal and recover their physical health in a relatively short span of time. When horses are strong enough they are moved into a herd situation, first with older and more passive herd mates, progressing as they are able to join a larger herd. Being in the natural social structure of a herd is key to horses learning to relate to not only other horses but to people as well. These horses have often been isolated throughout their lives living in small enclosures with no normal herd dynamics. The herd teaches them how to listen to instructions. Other horses teach the new comer to back off when told and how to move from escalating pressure doled out in consistent expression of gestural communication. As the other horses teach the new horse normal herd hierarchy and interaction, this helps the horse understand gestural communications from humans as well.

Horses that come to HPAF receive a feeding and rehabilitation program developed over the years which allows the horses to heal and recover their physical health in a relatively short span of time.

Photography by Morgan Silver