the kentucky horsemen (known as the lexington horsemen from 2003 to 2009) were an indoor football team based in lexington, kentucky. the team played its home games at rupp arena. the organization began as a 2003 expansion member of the national indoor football league, where they were successful. following the 2004 season, where they defeated the sioux falls storm to win indoor bowl iv, the horsemen and other nifl teams joined the new united indoor football (uif) as a charter member, where they made the playoffs. they yet lost to the sioux falls storm (the team they beat in their last year in the nifl). they made the playoffs again in 2006 advancing to united bowl ii; losing to the sioux falls storm. from 2008 through 2009, the horsemen played in the af2. the team had announced intentions to compete in the new arena football league following the dissolution of the af2, but instead ceased operations in october 2009.