Plan an Equestrian Vacation: Horse Lovers Paradise

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ocala/Marion County VCB. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are a horse lover and are looking to take the perfect Equestrian Vacation look no further than Ocala/Marion County, Florida. There are so many ways to enjoy your favorite four legged friend all year round. If I could plan a surprise vacation for my mother is would certainly be to Ocala/Marion County. My mom grew up on a ranch taking care of number of horses, but now she is in the position of having one horse that she keeps in a neighboring city. She still rides her horse multiple times a week when the weather is nice, but she has always wanted to explore new places riding her horse.  Ocala/Marion county has officially named the “Horse Capital of the World™ as they train some of the finest horses and athletes in the world. Because of this you can have the opportunity to meet many of the horses and athletes that hold records! American Pharoah was bred and trained in Ocala/Marion County and is one of the Triple Crown winners, one of the highest honors and accomplishments for thoroughbreds. You can have the pleasure of meeting these fine animals and seeing them up close in so many ways:

Horse Shows

Enjoy the thrill of watching a polo match, or horses in training.

Horse Farm Tours 

Take a horse farm tour and take a walk among the gorgeous orchards, farms, and serenity of horses grazing in a pasture.

Horse Back Riding

Create your own adventure and take a ride through Ocala/Marion County on horseback.

There are too many options to list here, but if you are looking to explore the Ocala/Marion County National forrest, riding on horseback is a beautiful way to enjoy the natural canopies that surround you. If you are looking for even more adventure you can plan a zip line adventure and a horse back ride all in the same day!

Venues 

Experience the incredible athletic ability of the horses and the athletes as they compete in equestrian sports, international competitions, pool, show jumping and other special events.

Self-Guided Horse Tours  

There are over 70,000 gorgeous acres of breeding and training grounds and more than 600 thoroughbred farms! If you like to take things at your own pace you may want to discover the horse trails and farms through this source and map! There are so many ways to explore and enjoy Florida! You can find a full list of Ocala/Marion County Activities here. If you are traveling as a family consider also going to a car show or the Live Harvest Fest! The Ocala Pumpkin Run-3 Day Car/Truck Show and Festival is so much fun and is always packed full of entertainment.

Mark your calendars for October 27th, 28th, and 29th 2017. All car enthusiasts will love this unique opportunity to enjoy vintage cars, new cars, and family fun all day long. The full schedule will be released soon, but you can plan on it including motorcross and BMX trickstars, world champion disc dogs, Chainsaw Chix, Island Grove Winery tasting, free kids activities, mechanical bull, drone race expedition, burn out challenge, live music and more! Be sure to purchase tickets soon! If you are looking to celebrate with a horse lover you can find no better place as the horses here to be admired and enjoyed! You can attend a horse show, visit a horse farm, or take an adventure yourself on horseback.

Fall is the perfect time to escape into the comforting canopy of changing leaves and gorgeous landscape. If you enjoy live music and art, you can also attend the art festivals held annually in historic Ocala/Marion County. This includes the Harvest Fest happening in Tuscawilla Park. This year’s Harvest Fest will be on Saturday, November 11, 2017. Last year there were over 6,000 attendees and the passion and fun of this event is growing every single year. Keep in mind that there are many options available for Ocala/Marion County Lodging.

You can choose from hotels, cabins, vacation rentals or camping grounds to fit the kind of experience you are looking for in Ocala/Marion County! You can stay for an overnight adventure, a weekend getaway, or a week long stay. There is so much to do and see.

What would you like to discover in Florida? You can find more Florida Travel ideas here.