Horse property in Ocala and Marion County

Written by Heather Stotts, licensed Florida real estate broker and horse owner. Official sources last checked November 11, 2026.

The Hustle & Heart Group has also sold single-family homes in Ocala, so we work the area beyond the barns too. Whether you're buying acreage for horses or a house in town, I can help.

What I check on a horse property

• Fencing and gates. Type, condition and height, and whether horses can actually be turned out safely. Gate width matters when you're moving equipment.
• Barn and stalls. Stall size, ventilation, drainage, and whether there's water and power at the barn. Where hay and feed get stored, and how dry that space stays.
• Pasture. How much of it is usable, how it drains after a hard rain, and what's actually growing in it.
• Arena or riding space. If you ride at home, the footing and drainage decide whether you can ride after a storm or have to wait a week.
• Trailer access. Can you get a truck and trailer in, turn around, and get back out without a ten point turn?
• Water and septic. Whether the well can keep up with animals and the house, and the condition of the septic system.
• Zoning. How many horses you can keep, and whether boarding, lessons or a barn apartment are allowed if that's part of your plan.

Questions I'd ask before you write an offer

• Is the property inside Ocala city limits or in unincorporated Marion County? They have different zoning rules.
• What does the zoning allow for the number of animals and the structures you want?
• Are there deed restrictions or HOA rules on animals, fencing or outbuildings?
• When was the well last tested, and what's the septic permit history?
• How does the pasture and arena handle a week of summer rain?
• Is any of the land under an agricultural classification? If so, what happens to it when ownership changes? The property appraiser decides, and it isn't automatic.

My role, and when you need someone else

I'll help you sort properties by how they'll actually work for your horses, ask for the records that matter, and build the right inspections into your contract. Some answers have to come from other people: Marion County or the City of Ocala for zoning, licensed well and septic professionals for those systems, a surveyor for boundaries and access, the property appraiser for agricultural classification, and your vet for animal health requirements like Florida's Coggins test rules.

Selling a horse property

Horse buyers notice details other buyers don't. I'll help you present the barn, fencing, pasture and access the way a horse person looks at them, and have the answers ready when they ask.

More detail: What to investigate before buying acreage for horses in Florida.

Official sources

• Marion County Planning & Zoning
• Marion County Property Appraiser
• Florida DEP: Onsite Sewage (septic) Program
• Florida Administrative Code 5C-4.008: Equine infectious anemia test requirement