Western / Reining in Florida

Florida's horse country hides in plain sight behind the beaches and theme parks. The rolling hills around Ocala in Marion County, the region calls itself the 'Horse Capital of the World' and has the farms to argue it, sit a couple of hours from the ranchland running through the central peninsula near Kissimmee and Okeechobee. Trails cross cypress swamp, pine forest, and coastal hammock, and a rider can pass through three ecosystems before lunch.

Flat does not mean uniform here. The Ocala National Forest alone holds long trail networks through sand pine scrub and flatwoods, and at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park you can ride within sight of wild horses and bison. That range of ground supports the full spread of the sport: lazy guided trail rides, serious show circuits, and breeding operations that ship horses worldwide.