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Saturday, September 22, 2001

A visit to horse country

DAYTRIPPERS | By Robert Ryals

Some of Ocala's most famous residents are not people. Silver Charm, Affirmed and Skip Away are all world-class athletes that have called Ocala home. A visit to the area's horse farms reveals some of the secrets behind these successful animals and shows why Marion County is now the "Horse Capital of the World."

Both Lexington, Ky., and Chantilly, France, have at times held the Horse Capital title, but both have been surpassed by Marion County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the area has more horses and ponies on its farms than anywhere else in the world. And it has close to 1,000 horse breeding and training centers.

Breeding has become a big business with top horses worth millions of dollars. The stakes are high, as breeders can become rich with the right horse.

There are many equine success stories. The area has supplied 41 North American Champions, 18 Breeders Cup Champions, and six Kentucky Derby winners. The most famous horses from the area are Affirmed, winner of the 1978 Triple Crown, and Rugged Lark, the two-time American Quarter Horse Superhorse.

There are more than 40 different breeds of horses raised in the Ocala/Marion County area. If it gallops, trots, or canters, there is a farm here that breeds it. The most famous are the racing Thoroughbreds, but Ocala has major breeders of quarter horses, Tennessee walkers, Morgans, Arabians and paso finos, along with many others.

If you want to see a working horse farm, several offer visits. It is important to remember that this is not like visiting a theme park. These are working businesses that have millions of dollars at stake. It is their love of horses and the desire to promote breeding, training and racing that causes them to allow visitors.

Two ranches open to the public are Young's Paso Fino and Ocala Stud. Due to the heat, horses get their workouts in the cooler hours of the morning. If you want to see horses training on the tracks, you will need to get up early.

After spending part of the day visiting horse farms, your next step is to go riding yourself. Whether you want to saddle up or ride behind, there are several options.

Two farms that will saddle up beginners on guided trail rides are Young's and Ocala Foxtrotters Ranch.

Looking for something more sedate? Ocala Carriage & Tours offers horse-drawn carriage and trolley tours through several farms. These tours move along at the speed of a horse, so you get time to observe the horses at play. Tours are by reservation only, so be sure to call before you go.

There is nothing more beautiful than a galloping horse. And there is nowhere else with more horses than Ocala.

If you go

Ocala Stud farm allows visitors 7 to 10:30 a.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. If you want to see the horses trotting around the track, go to the morning session. There is no cost, but visitors are limited to a group of five or six at a time. (352) 237-2171.

Young's Paso Fino Ranch is open to visitors Monday through Saturday. For $5, visitors get a guided tour of the ranch. For $26.50, you can take a trail ride at 9 or 11 a.m., 1 or 3 p.m. (352) 867-5305.

The horse-drawn Ocala Carriage tour is by appointment only. The cost is $95 for just over an hour and the carriage can accommodate up to four adults and two children. (352) 867-8717.

Ocala Foxtrotters Ranch offers trail rides at 9 and 10:30 a.m., 1, 2:30, and 4 p.m. Prices vary, so call in advance. (352) 347-5551.

How to get there

To get to the Ocala Stud farm, head west on S.R. 40 in Ormond Beach for 66 miles. Cross over U.S. 27/U.S. 441. At the second traffic light past U.S. 27, turn left on SW 27th Ave. Go through five traffic lights. Past the fifth light, the farm will be the first driveway on the right. It is across from a high school, where the road narrows from four to two lanes.

To get to Young's Paso Fino Ranch, continue along S.R. 40 to I-75. Take I-75 North to exit 71. At exit 71, turn left on S.R. 326 and continue for 4 miles to NW 87th Avenue. At NW 87th Avenue, it is the first barn on the left.

To get to Ocala Carriage & Tours, follow S.R. 40 through downtown Ocala to I-75. Take I-75 north one exit to S.R. 27, exit 70. At the exit, take a left under I-75 and go west for 7 miles. Pass the Purina Store and go to the Shell station. Turn left at the Shell onto C.R. 464B. Take the first left onto NW 110th St. The farm is mile down on the right.

To get to Ocala Foxtrotters Ranch, head south on U.S. 441 at S.R. 40. Continue on U.S. 441 and then go south on C.R. 475. Continue south on C.R. 475 for 1.5 miles. Look for the sign for Ocala Foxtrotters Ranch along with the white fence and big covered arena.

HICI Special Report — Year of the Horse: Horses, Horoscopes and Holidays

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