Living the Ocala Lifestyle

Ocala / Marion County is home to more than 1,200 horse farms, which makes for a vibrant equestrian community!

Ocala is known as the “Horse Capital of the World.” With 1,200+ horse farms and more than 50 known breeds of horses throughout Marion County, it is staggering to consider the impact these stately animals have had on the Ocala community.

Nowhere else in the world will you find this combination of superior natural footing, beautiful weather year-round, countless numbers of equine competitions, and a seemingly unlimited number of retail services that focus solely on horses.

Ocala is home to a vast number of competitions that will keep you busy every weekend of the year. Ocala is proud to be home to the winter circuit hunter/jumper show, HITS; the Florida Horse Park, which hosts a number of eventing, dressage, and driving competitions; and the 70,000-acre, 110-mile corridor Greenway Trail System, where you can hack your horses out for long beautiful trail rides. The World Equestrian Center South is slated to open for events in 2018 as well!

So what’s there to do after you’ve ridden your horses in Ocala? Plenty! At the end of the day, Ocala has so much to offer. We have numerous Country Clubs with some of the best golf courses around. Many of these offer beautiful gyms, tennis facilities, spa treatments, and fantastic dining options. Every year, we are thrilled to welcome great new independent restaurants that are making quite a splash! The coast is just a short drive as well as the beaches. There are so many great areas within the county to snorkel, kayak through beautiful clear waters. In addition, Ocala’s downtown and historic district is experiencing a renaissance, with restaurants, cafes and specialty boutiques catering to the growing, more sophisticated. Additionally, we have great shopping with most every national store represented making Ocala a very convenient place to live.

And when you want to get out of town, there is plenty to do that is still close by. With Orlando only 76 miles away, an hour’s drive to the south gets you to Walt Disney World and all the other major theme parks in the area. An hour’s drive to the west takes you to the Gulf of Mexico, and just 64 miles to the east is the Atlantic Ocean! What’s more, Gainesville, home to the University of Florida and its infamous Gators, is only 35 miles to the north; so, if you want to enjoy the ambiance of life in a college town, nothing could be easier.

Ocala Horse Properties are Proud, Founding Members of the Horse Farms Forever Organization

Visit Horse Farms Forever Website
Learn more here

For the horse lover, there’s no better place in the United States to maintain a ranch

We always enjoy the chance to talk first-hand about our deep roots and love for Ocala/Marion County. We are honored to have been on the cover of, and share our story with one of the area’s most-read magazines, Ocala Style. Ultimately, our success belongs to our community and the entire Ocala Horse Properies family, with whom we share our passion for our home, Ocala.

— The Ocala Horse Properties Team

Hometown Faves!

When we’re not playing matchmakers to buyers and their new homes, we’re hitting up our favorite Ocala hot spots with each other, our friends, and our families.

See some of our favorites here!

Ocala News & Events

Matt Varney – Ocala’s Top Real Estate Agent in 2022

“There are a lot of listing agents and selling agent out there,” he said. “The reality is, we do both very well at Ocala Horse Properties: we are good at bringing buyers and sellers together and we the most extensive portfolio of equestrian properties in the country at our disposal. Being incredibly involved in the... more

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World Equestrian Center Ocala Food and Wine Festival is Back

World Equestrian Center Ocala Food & Wine Festival is Back!

For Immediate Release — OCALA, Florida – September 8, 2022 – The 2022 Ocala Food & Wine Festival presented by Lugano Diamonds is back for a second year at World Equestrian Center Ocala. Three-Day Culinary Celebration Proceeds to Support Local Industry Drawing more than 800 attendees in a single-day event in 2021, this year’s event... more

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Brittany Crandall & Cooley Almighty Touch Down at Rebecca Farm

Let the countdown begin. In just 2 days, all eyes will be on one of Ocala Horse Properties’ 2022 Rebecca Farm Flight Grant winners – Brittany Crandall and her 9-year-old KWPN gelding Cooley Almighty – at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana, on July 20-24. Brittany, who will also be celebrating her 35th... more

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Jules Batters & Cooley O Take A New Route to Rebecca Farm

Jules Ennis Batters and her 14-year-old Anglo European Sporthorse, Cooley O, aren’t newcomers to the Event at Rebecca Farm. In fact, Jules and her top competitive partner have twice made the long haul from the East Coast to Montana, competing in the CCI4* divisions in 2019 and 2021. Each of those years, Jules and her... more

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ocala horse properties usea grant announcement

OHP Rebecca Farm Flight Grant Recipients Announced

The recipients of the 2022 Ocala Horse Properties Rebecca Farm Flight Grant were chosen in a drawing at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian. Rob and Chris Desino from Ocala Horse Properties and Sarah and Rebecca Broussard from The Event at Rebecca Farm made the selections by randomly choosing miniature airplanes... more

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Rashad Jones is Ocala’s King of BBQ!

Rashad Jones, owner of Big Lee’s Serious About Barbecue, has risen to local and national recognition for his determination, exceptional culinary talents and participation in the Food Network’s 6 part series, Eat, Sleep, BBQ. Although recognized as a ‘foodie celebrity’ for that role, Rashad does not consider the Food Network his... more

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FAST Ocala Dives Off the Starting Block March 26, 2022!

Florida Aquatics Swimming & Training (FAST) is officially unveiling their state of the art swimming complex on March 26th, 2022 with their Grand Opening event which is open to the public! Come celebrate the opening of another world class sports facility poised to enhance the lives of our Marion County community members. FAST, located southwest... more

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Marion County Metro Boasts National Recognition for 
Robust Economic Growth!

The Greater Ocala Region is well known for its wide open spaces, beautiful Florida climate and nationally recognized equestrian activities. Historically, “snowbirds” have flocked to Florida to enjoy our temperate winters, but recent economic studies are showing another trend. Marion County is experiencing an impressive increase in permanent... more

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Rebecca Flight Grant

Ocala Horse Properties Rebecca Farm Flight Grant

In 2021 the team from Ocala Horse Properties, led by Rob and Chris Desino, visited “The Event at Rebecca Farm” for the first time. In awe of the quality of the event, they felt that the entire eventing community, especially those on the East Coast of the United States, needed to make this event a... more

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Matt Varney - Ocala Horse Properties

Advocating for the Preservation of Ocala Farm Land

Ocala Horse Properties & Horse Farms Forever advocates for preserving the character and culture of Ocala/Marion County for future generations. By founding endeavors like Horse Farms Forever, we have helped the horse industry create more than 21,000 jobs in Marion County with an overall economic impact of $2.3 billion dollars. But beyond the... more

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Ocala Horse Properties Design Center

We Are Opening A New Office in Ocala!

“Our office, which should be opening in March, will be more than just a real estate office,” he says. “In essence, it will be a one-stop shopping experience for anyone in the market for an Ocala luxury home or Ocala farm “ready to go”, or a property that needs some updating. We will be positioned... more

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Horse Farms Forever Summit Balances Conservation & Growth in Ocala

Horse Farms Forever, is a conservation minded non-profit organization which was founded in 2018 in response to the steady growth and threat of encroaching road development in Marion County. Since its inception, Horse Farms Forever has received enormous support from farm owners, community leaders and businesses in Ocala who share the same passion;... more

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Terranova Inaugural Event Dominated by Ocala Equestrians

Florida equestrians celebrated the opening of another top class competition venue at the inaugural 4* Event at Terranova, a new expansive 225 acre equestrian facility located in Myakka City, Florida. Myakka City is located just a few hours from Ocala, Florida and minutes from downtown Sarasota.  Ocala Horse Properties was honored to sponsor the... more

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World Equestrian Center Acquires Ocala Jockey Club!

The Roberts family continues their massive support of horse sport in Marion County through the recent acquisition of the 950 acre Ocala Jockey Club. Proving their long term dedication to the equestrian industry in Ocala, WEC plans to continue to host eventing competitions at the already established property of the Ocala Jockey Club CCI4*L 3-Day... more

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WEC Delights Equestrian Competitors and Spectators Alike!

The World Equestrian Center, Ocala opened this past winter season to rave reviews. Marion County horse enthusiasts were treated to an exceptional horse show experience at this country’s finest new state of the art equestrian sports complex. Due to mileage rule complications over winter show dates with the USEF, The World Equestrian Center (WEC)... more

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Three Stellar Performances by Liz Halliday-Sharp at The 2021 LRK3DE!

As the 2021 eventing community began the season with cautious optimism, Liz Halliday Sharp kept her head down and continued to focus on the spring competition season leading up to The Land Rover Kentucky 3 Day Event. History appeared destined to repeat itself in early 2021, when the event organizers announced another cancellation due to... more

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Halliday-Sharp Finishes All 3 Horses Inside Top 5 at Liftmaster’s Grand-Prix of Eventing!

This past weekend, Ocala Horse Properties traveled to Aiken, South Carolina as a sponsor of the Liftmaster’s Grand-Prix of Eventing, and to cheer for Liz Halliday-Sharp and all of our friends and clients hailing from Ocala. This was an incredible USEF sanctioned event, which offered $50K in prize money to top eventing athletes looking for... more

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Client Spotlight: Nancy Ditty’s Family Legacy of Producing Champion Quarter Horses Thrives in…

At Ocala Horse Properties, one of our most satisfying experiences as Marion County realtors is getting to know our clients and community members. The Ocala equestrian world is a diverse one, representing multiple breeds and disciplines, which is what makes “The Horse Capitol of the World” so unique! Our clients who have purchased farms in... more

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Ocala Horse Properties Hosts 2021 USEF Eventing Training Sessions at Hampton Lane

Ocala Horse Properties recently had the honor of hosting the USEF Elite and Pre-Elite Training Sessions, held February 1st-4th, at our own Hampton Lane equestrian facility in Ocala. Hampton Lane, a 29 acre farm located across the street from the new World Equestrian Center, offered the perfect location for this gathering of world class athletes.... more

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Hands Above the Rest

What makes someone a true leader in their industry? Some would argue that it’s a person who helps others by providing guidance and insight of their knowledge. This is precisely why Ocala Horse Properties’ Matt Varney is continuously recognized as the areas top agent. The latest recognition was highlighted by Ocala Style in an article... more

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World Equestrian Center Ocala

World Equestrian Center Ocala – A look inside an equestrian masterpiece

I’ve visited the World Equestrian Center Ocala just a few months ago and multiple times throughout the construction, and my wife Courtney and I were again immensely... more

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Halliday-Sharp Awarded USEA Rider of Year Breaking 39 Year Streak for Men at…

Liz Halliday-Sharp has had a phenomenal year since taking the leap and relocating with permanence to the United States in 2020. Producing a massively talented string of horses, Halliday-Sharp earned the most accumulated points of any rider in the USA, breaking the 39 year streak for men topping the USEA leaderboard. Liz’s rise to the... more

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Ocala Tops List of Small Businesses Per Capita in the USA!

Marion County has yet another reason to celebrate, topping the charts of a recent article by AdvisorSmith, shining a light on Ocala’s robust small business community! The report, released by AdvisorSmith, revealed that Ocala is ranked #1 for having the largest volume of active small businesses located in a mid-sized city. The population data was... more

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Halliday-Sharp Concludes Incredible 2020 Eventing Season at Tryon National Championships

The 2020 eventing season is a wrap, culminating with an incredible adventure to the Buckeye Nutrition USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship at the MARS Tryon International Three-Day Event. For Ocala Horse Properties, the weekend was a true testament to the teamwork and camaraderie that makes the sport of Eventing so unique and rewarding. The... more

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OHP Supports WEC & Encourages USEF Resolution

Ocala Horse Properties has been fortunate enough to sponsor some of the best horse shows in the country, many of which are USEF sanctioned events held right here in Ocala, Florida.  We love Ocala and believe that no other area in the world is more suited for equestrian enthusiasts. From an Ocala business owner perspective and... more

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Ocala Garners Top 10 Rankings – US News & World Report!

For 30 years, US News and World Report has been an expert resource offering statistical rankings on the nation’s top regions for real estate, schools, healthcare, automobiles, investments, and vacation destinations. Ocala Horse Properties is proud to announce that US News and World Report has just released its annual rankings, and Ocala has made... more

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Ocala Horse Properties’ Deniro Z and Halliday-Sharp Bring Home Wire to Wire Win…

Fresh off her incredible record breaking win with Ocala Horse Properties’ Deniro Z at Great Meadow International, Liz Halliday-Sharp came to Unionville with the plan to repeat that performance. With her entire team of owners present from Ocala Horse Properties and the Monster Partnership, a weekend in the scenic countryside of Pennsylvania was... more

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Halliday-Sharp and Ocala Horse Properties’ Deniro Z Set CCI 4* Record at Great…

The 2019 eventing season wrapped up on a positive note for Liz and Ocala Horse Properties’ horse Deniro Z, with an incredible 15th place finish at Burghley last September. The original plan was to give Niro a well deserved break in Ocala before tackling the 2020 eventing season, but then the world went on hold.... more

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Outdoor Restaurant Spaces

The greater Marion County region is home to wide open agricultural spaces, with a plethora of options for outdoor recreation and entertainment. The beauty of our region is that residents can enjoy a day in the great outdoors, and an evening of dining in downtown Ocala! These are certainly unusual times, but the team at... more

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