Most residents and visitors to Florida associate the state with alligators or manatees or pelicans. Horses are not likely to be identified with the Sunshine State, but that would be a serious error.

With over 385,000 horses, Florida has the third largest horse population in the United States.  Horses have a $11.7 billion annual impact on the state economy and 244,200 people work in the horse industries.

Florida’s horses are a diverse group.  Nearly 30% of all Florida farms are horse farms and visitors will find horses to watch, to ride, and be entertained Of course, horses are also located on Florida’s cattle ranches. 

Although the Spanish brought horses to Florida in the 1500s, it was not until that 1930’s that a group in Marion County (Ocala) decided the area was a wonderful all-year round site for thoroughbred racing horses.

A Triple Crown winner named Needles helped give Marion County the sub “Horse Capital of the World.”

The title is deserved for with 75,000 racehorses, Marion had more horses than any other county in the nation.  Touring Ocala horse farms became an important tourist attraction.  In 1996 the Florida Legislature built a major horse attraction – the Florida Horse Park The huge facility has an RV facility, twelve huge barns, a performance center, four outdoor riding arenas and a cross-country course.

The Ocala Equestrian Center is massive and draws people from around the globe.

Ocala’s Horse Shows in the Sun includes shows with over three million in prize money.  From show jumping to dressage, the center is big boost to attracting related horse activities.

Florida has the third largest Quarter Horse population in the nation with dozens of events from cutting to barrel racing to roping.   Just fifteen minutes from Walt Disney World is the Silver Spurs Rodeo grounds, the largest east of the Mississippi River.   This official state rodeo is just one of several dozen rodeo centers.  Arcadia, Homestead, Okeechobee, and Indiantown have genuine hometown rodeos.

Florida has standard bred horses used in harness racing.  Pompano Park (1964) is one of the South’s top harness racing tracks. Florida also has over 1000 registered Cracker Horses, descendants of the Spanish mustangs that once roamed Florida.  They are used by cowboys and tourists alike.

Florida is known as the winter center for polo in America with the famous International Polo Club of Palm Beach and active polo communities in Sarasota and The Villages.   The Palm Beach Winter Equestrian Festival is the largest showcase in horse sport with over 5,000 horses and the top riders from around the world in dressage and other events.

Wellington, west of West Palm Beach, is a town where horses are more than common

Perhaps you might want a horse-oriented Florida vacation.  There are rising centers and ranches all over the state, but one must state that the Westgate River Ranch Resort one hour south of Orlando was voted the #1 Glamping Sport by USA Today readers.  It is a 1,700-acre wilderness where you can ride horses, fish in the Kissimmee River, or just relax.

The Westgate River Ranch has their own version of “covered wagon living”.

The Westgate even has its own weekly rodeo.  “Glamping” means glamourous camping and the resort has several onsite dining spots from steakhouse grills to general store delis.  

Florida beaches and horses: a nice combination for a vacation.

With a thousand miles of beach, Florida also has places to ride horses on beaches like Amelia Island, Cape San Blas, and Fort Pierce.  Even in urban Tampa Bay where I live there are riding centers with beach tours: Florida Beach Horses in Bradenton, and C Ponies Beach Horses in Saint Petersburg.