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Florida Horse Shows and Equestrian Events
Wellington | World Equestrian Center | Fox Lea Farm | TerraNova |
Jacksonville | Tampa | West Palm Beach
Horse
Shows and Horse Life in Florida
Florida is not only famous for its sunny beaches and theme parks but also for its vibrant equestrian culture. The state's favorable climate, diverse landscapes, and well-established horse communities make it a haven for horse enthusiasts. From competitive show jumping to leisurely trail rides, horse life in Florida offers a wide range of activities and experiences for both equines and their human counterparts.
A Thriving Equestrian Community
Florida boasts a robust equestrian community, with numerous farms, ranches, and training facilities scattered across the state. Ocala, often referred to as the "Horse Capital of the World," is home to over 600 horse farms and some of the finest equestrian facilities in the country. This region is renowned for its thoroughbred breeding and training, attracting top-level trainers, breeders, and jockeys.
The state offers a plethora of equestrian disciplines, catering to all levels of riders and horses. In Ocala and Wellington, you'll find world-class show jumping, dressage, and eventing competitions. The Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington is one of the largest and longest-running horse shows, drawing elite riders and horses from around the globe.
Also, the World Equestrian Center in Ocala has made a significant impression
on the horse show community with its world class horse shows.
For those interested in western riding, Florida offers plenty of opportunities to participate in rodeo events, barrel racing, and cattle drives. The state's vast rural areas provide ideal settings for these activities, with ranches offering training and events year-round.
Leisurely Rides and Trails
Beyond the competitive scene, Florida's natural beauty offers countless opportunities for leisurely horseback riding. The state is home to numerous state parks and nature preserves with well-maintained equestrian trails. Places like
Florida Greenway, Myakka River State Park, and Blackwater River State Forest offer scenic trails that wind through diverse ecosystems, from pine forests to coastal marshes.
Equine Health and Wellness
Florida's climate is generally favorable for horses, providing mild winters that allow for year-round outdoor activities. However, the hot and humid summers require diligent care to ensure equine well-being. Proper hydration, shade, and regular health check-ups are essential to prevent heat-related issues.
Here are 10 tips for
hot weather horseback riding.
The state is also home to several top-tier veterinary hospitals and equine medical facilities, particularly in Ocala and Gainesville. These centers offer advanced medical care, including surgery, diagnostics, and rehabilitation services, ensuring that horses receive the best possible treatment.
Equestrian Education and Careers
For those looking to pursue a career in the equestrian industry, Florida offers numerous educational opportunities. Colleges like the University of Florida in Gainesville provide specialized programs in equine science, veterinary medicine, and equine business management. These programs equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in various equine-related careers.
Additionally, many horse farms and training facilities offer internships and apprenticeships, providing hands-on experience in horse care, training, and management. These opportunities allow aspiring equestrians to learn from seasoned professionals and gain valuable industry insights.
Florid is truly a Horse Lover's Paradise
with an equestrian culture that is rich and diverse, offering something for
every horse enthusiast. Whether you're a competitive rider aiming for the
top, a leisure rider looking for scenic trails, or someone interested in
equine health and education, Florida provides a welcoming and supportive
environment. The state's commitment to equine welfare, combined with its
natural beauty and vibrant communities, makes it a true paradise for horses
and their caretakers alike. So, saddle up and explore the unique and
rewarding horse life that Florida has to offer!
in Florida
Enjoy a beach horse ride along one of Florida's fantastic beaches with expert
guides and seasoned horses to show the way. Florida offers some of the best
beach horseback riding on both the Atlantic Ocean beaches and the Gulf of Mexico
beaches. You can even experience fantastic sunrise and sunset rides.
You can find guided horseback beach tours at Jacksonville's Amelia Island,
at Ft. Pierce on Hutchinson Island, Bradenton in the Tampa Bay Area, and at Port
St. Joe in the Florida
Panhandle. Riding horses on the beach will give you some wonderful memories of
your visit to Florida. All the horses are well trained so you don't have to be an experienced
horseback rider to join the
fun.
You can expect rides of one to three hours depending on your
choice. Occasionally inclimate weather will call for cancellation of a
scheduled ride which can be rescheduled or refunded.
Like horses? Horseback riding is available in every area of Florida.
Rent
a horse by the hour of enjoy a guided trail ride through some of
the finest trails in the eastern United States.
Florida is the horse show capital of the world with top rated FEI show
jumping, dressage, eventing, equestrian driving, and western horse shows.
Florida hosts some of the most prestigious equestrian show venues in the world
including Wellington International, the World Equestrian Center, HITS Ocala, and
the Florida Horse Park in Ocala, FL. Additionally, Fox Lea Farm in Venice
Florida, and TerraNova Equestrian Center near Sarasota, FL offer rated horse
shows all year.
Florida hosts numerous professional rodeos throughout the year in including the
Silver Spurs Rodeo near Orlando, the Saturday Night Rodeo at Westgate River Ranch,
the iconic Davie Rodeo, and the Ocala Shrine Rodeo. Here is a list of various rodeos throughout Florida, including dates and locations for events such as bull riding, roping, and
team riding.
Barrel racing, a fan favorite, can be witnessed throughout Florida with prize
money attracting both female and male riders to these weekly events. These fast
moving horse races involve both speed and agility on the part of the horse and
rider. There is a barrel racing venue in virtually every community as well as at
Florida's many rodeos.
Florida is now host to the United States Polo Association, headquartered at
the National Polo Center, Wellington, FL. Polo is a
great spectator sport at any
one of the active polo clubs throughout the state. Check out this
link for a comprehensive listing of
Florida Polo Clubs and their playing schedules.
Buying and selling horses is part of the horse culture and Florida is no
exception. In addition to the normal horse inventory, Florida has many horse
breeding farms that sell horses through direct sales and auctions. Also, many
horse show participants bring horses for sale to the horse shows.
Many
Florida horseback riders like to hit the numerous horse trails that dot the
state. Horse trails are featured in many
state and national parks such as Ocala National Forest. Riders can choose from
guided trail rides or riding on their own horses.
Horseback Riding Trails in Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida includes riding trails near Naples, Fort Myers, Venice, and Sarasota. Southwest Florida offers numerous scenic horseback riding trails, perfect for nature enthusiasts and equestrians alike.
Myakka River State Park features extensive trails winding through diverse landscapes, including wetlands and prairies.
Babcock Ranch Preserve provides guided trail rides through its lush, preserved lands, showcasing native wildlife and plants.
The Caloosahatchee Regional Park offers equestrian trails along the Caloosahatchee River, perfect for a leisurely ride.
Horse Creek Trails in Punta Gorda is another fantastic option, offering serene trails through beautiful, natural settings. These trails provide a unique way to experience the region's natural beauty on horseback.
Horseback
Trail
Riding in South Florida
Includes trails Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Horseback
trail riding in South Florida offers an incredible way to explore the
region's natural beauty.
Everglades National Park provides unique trails where riders can experience
the stunning subtropical wilderness, spotting diverse wildlife along the
way.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park offers miles of equestrian trails, with
picturesque views of rivers, pine flatwoods, and mangroves. These trails
provide a peaceful and immersive experience, showcasing the diverse
landscapes and ecosystems of South Florida from the back of a horse.
Horseback Trail Riding in East Central Florida
Includes trails in Brevard County, Indian River County and Volusia County in
Florida.
Horseback Riding Trails in Orlando,
Florida
Includes riding trails in Orlando, Claremont, Lakeland, and Apopka in
Florida.
Trail riding in state parks in Orlando and Central Florida is a great way to explore the natural beauty of the region. There are many state parks in Central Florida that offer trail riding opportunities.
For example, Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont and offers over 20 miles of equestrian trails. The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including alligators, deer, and bald eagles. The trails at Lake Louisa State Park are well-maintained and offer scenic views of the park’s lakes and wetlands.
Horseback Riding Trails in Ocala,
Florida
The Ocala National Forest is one of the largest state forests in Florida and offers over 100 miles of trails for horseback riding. The forest is home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, wild turkey, and black bears.
Wekiwa Springs State Park is another popular destination for trail riding. The park has over 13 miles of equestrian trails that wind through pine forests and along the
Wekiwa River.
Horseback Riding Trails in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville and Northeast Florida offer some of the most scenic riding
trails in a cooler part of Florida.
Julington Durbin Creek Preserve Yellow and White Loop is an easy trail, rated 4.5 out of 5, and is one of the top trails for horseback riding in Jacksonville.
Cecil Field Recreational Trail is another easy trail, rated 4.4 out of 5,
and it's a popular choice for horseback riding.
Horseback Riding Trails in the Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle is one of Florida's most visited locales, mainly for
the fantastic snow white beaches and clear blue water of the Gulf of Mexico.
But, it also host some of Florida's most interesting horse trails through
slash pine and shaded live oak hammocks.
Horseback trail riding in the Florida
Panhandle offers a unique way to experience the
region's natural beauty and diverse landscapes.
Blackwater River State Forest features
well-maintained trails through lush pine
forests, providing riders with scenic views and
opportunities to spot local wildlife.
Torreya State Park offers challenging
trails with stunning vistas of the Apalachicola
River and rich, dense hardwood forests.
Eglin Air Force Base allows limited
access to its extensive trail network, where
riders can explore vast tracts of undeveloped
land.
Coldwater Gardens near Milton offers
guided trail rides through their expansive
property, featuring serene woodlands and open
fields.
These horseback trails cater to all
levels of riders and provide a peaceful escape
into nature, making the Florida Panhandle a
great destination for equestrian enthusiasts
seeking adventure and tranquility.
Horse Shows in Florida
Florida
hosts several of the world's most important horse show venues that offer rated
horse shows all year. These include Wellington International in Wellington, FL, Fox Lea Farm in Venice, FL,
Ocala, FL, often called the Horse Capital of the World, features the World Equestrian Center, HITS Post Time Farm, Florida Horse Park, Southeastern Pavilion, and Majestic Oaks.
Wellington International hosts major FEI international horse shows during the winter and spring seasons.
Featuring, the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and the Global Dressage
Festival (GDF.) During the remainder of the year Wellington Classic Dressage and
Gold Coast Dressage sponsor horse shows almost every week.
Riders from all over the world compete in the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and Global Dressage Festival (GDF) in Wellington which has
become one of the premier horse show events in the world. Additionally, horse jumping
competition levels range from FEI CSI*2 - CSI*5 events and dressage shows
feature levels CDI*2 -CDI*5.
White Fences Equestrian Center
at Wellington - Loxahatchee, FL
The Ridge at Wellington Groves at Wellington, FL
National Polo Center at Wellington, FL
Palm Beach County, Florida
Wellington is located in Palm Beach County, Florida which is also home
to:
Jim Brandon Equestrian Center,
West Palm Beach
Jupiter
Park Farms Equestrian Center in Jupiter, FL.
Things to Do In Wellington, Florida
Ocala is known as the horse capital of the world because of its world class horse show venues
and numerous horse farms. Ocala is home to hundreds of horse breeding farms that produce many champion thoroughbred race horses and sport horses.
Additionally, Ocala has several important horse show venues that attract
horse riders from all over the world.
World Equestrian Center Ocala (WEC) is a very impressive horse show venue in
Ocala, Florida. Featuring, five climate controlled
riding arenas, plus a fabulous five star hotel overlooking the oversized main show arena.
The World Equestrian Center has attracted many top level FEI horse shows and is
becoming an international destination for equestrians.
HITS Ocala at Post Time Farm conducts the twelve week
winter USEF sanctioned horse jumping circuit draws top riders and riding fans during
its January - March season. HITS
Ocala features some of the largest prize money awarded in the United States in show jumping contests.
Florida Horse Park is operated by the State of Florida and hosts multiple horse shows
including dressage, eventing, cutting horses, and pleasure shows. The park
allows horse riders to practice at available times.
Wellington Classic
Dressage offers shows here several times a year at Florida Horse Park Ocala.
Horse Shows in the Park
Florida Horse Park is also home to the
Ocala Polo Club, a men's and
women's polo club that plays throughout the year.
Majestic Oaks is just north
of Ocala in Reddick, FL and is popular cross country and eventing site. Majestic Oaks is open daily for schooling, clinics, schooling shows, and three-phase horse trials.
Venice, Florida is home to Fox Lea Farm, an increasingly important horse show
venue in Florida. Furthermore, the venue
features horse shows all year around including CSI* rated horse jumping shows.
The Venice Equestrian Tour runs from January into March each year and
features USEF Regional Hunter Level 3 Jumper shows. Other horse shows are held
at Fox Lea almost every weekend throughout the year. Fox Lea Farms also provides
a unique summer camp for kids with all levels of equestrian skills and features
USEF level shows with large cash prizes.
TerraNova Equestrian Center is a multi-discipline equestrian competition facility in Manatee County, near Bradenton and Sarasota. TerraNova provides a beautiful backdrop for all levels of a range of equestrian disciplines.
Especially, top international, national, and regional competition in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere with many amenities.
Jacksonville Equestrian Center
Tampa Fairgrounds Boby
Thomas Equestrian Center
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