01/17/2026
Lexi was foaled on Easter Sunday 1999 at my cousins Joan and Stanley Nettleton’s place. Her dam was a big bald face paint mare named Medicine. Her sire was a young Appaloosa / Arabian cross. Joan called and told us to come take a look at her the day she was foaled. She was nice but not something I was overly interested in. They called her Easter Lily.
I didn’t see much of her over the next year. The summer of 2000 they pastured her for the summer at their old place down the road and she turned out to be a good looking yearling. Every time I drove by I’d think I wonder if they would sell her.
So that September I went down to an auction in Clare looking for a pony for Laycee. I saw Stan and Joan there and mentioned if you ever want to sell that filly give me a call. I bought the pony and the next day Joan called and said “do you want to buy that filly? “ So we agreed on a price and the next day i walked her home. I already had another horse named Lily so we settled on Lexi as her new name. So I’m not going to lie. Lexi and I did not get along for the first few years. She was an escape artist and I super glued snd stitched her together more than once from her beating herself up. The horse market had tanked at that time and I put her up for sale multiple times but I hate losing money and never got her sold.
In December 2003 I had a paint stallion and Lexi in her wisdom and knowledge of escape decided to pay him a visit. I happened to see this happen from the house and ran down to intercede but nature took its course one time before I got to them. I put her back in her field and thought it was one time I’m sure she didn’t catch . Well by the next fall I knew I was wrong. In late November she replicated herself with a filly named Zoie.
Well a winter foal in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is not an ideal situation. So the best way to exercise them was to start riding her. I’d jump on her ba****ck with a lead rope and off we’d go through the snow. She really took to it well and was a fast learner. From that point on I never considered selling that mare again . She flourished as a riding horse she quickly became my go to horse.
Now my daughter Laycee on the other hand had a new love / hate relationship with her as Lexi would test her every chance she got. Whether it be laying down while riding her, trying to rub her off on hay bales, or just straight up refusing to turn down the side road. They worked through it though to the point that she showed her at the county fairs for a couple years.
So over the years I did try to get her in foal again. The Edingtons had some really nice quarter horse stallions but I could never catch her in heat or she just would not catch. So we kind of gave up on that and just used her as our dependable riding horse.
In January 2009 I had a young 2 year old paint stallion that was getting ready to be gelded. Once again Lexi thought she would pay him a visit in January ! I watched it happen and they were out of my sight for maybe a minute. So I was sure nothing happened until the next fall when she was big as a house. Once again I was going to have to deal with a winter foal.
On December 20 2009 she foaled. I had checked her before I went to work that night and she had no signs that she was imminent. The next morning it was -20 degrees and I walked in the barn to a dead foal still in the sac. I was instantly disappointed then I was confused as this little goat looking foal wobbled out from behind her. Twins! The smallest of the 2 had survived . We named him Shorty.
In August 2013 we picked up and moved to Palmetto Florida and I brought Lexi along! We spent 9 years exploring the area. She adapted quite well to the climate but always struggled keeping weight on there.
In May 2022 we moved back to Blairville Ranch in Pickford. She was happy to be home and once again packed on the pounds!
Im sure I’ve forgotten more than I can remember of those 26 years together but it was a good ride girl! Until we meet again….
