Ocala , in Marion County, was named after the extinct Timucuan Indians who called their village Ocala, commonly thought to mean “Big Hammock”. Today, many of Ocala’s streets have historical Indian names, while others have Spanish names from old land grants.

Ocala was developed as a result of the Indian Wars in which Fort King played a strategic role. Today Ocala is known as “The Horse Capital of the World”. With a beautiful, mild climate all year long and soil rich with limestone calcium for strong bones, Ocala/Marion County is home to more horses than anywhere else in the country.