Meet the Mascot
Meet the Horse Behind the Road Apple
Some mascots are dreamed up in a conference room. This one has a little more history behind him.
A Little History
Why a Horse?
I grew up on a Thoroughbred farm in Kentucky, so horses were simply part of everyday life. I rode, spent my childhood around the farm, and grew up connected to the equine side of agriculture long before I ever thought about building The Road Apple Company.
When my family moved to Ocala, Florida, that connection followed us and so did my childhood horse.
My father went on to play an important role in the local Thoroughbred industry and in establishing Ocala/Marion County’s identity as Horse Capital of the World®.
So when it came time to create a logo and mascot for The Road Apple, a horse just made sense.
We were building a company rooted in agriculture, starting right here in Horse Country, and I wanted something that connected where I came from, my family’s history, and where The Road Apple was beginning.
“My horse’s name was Scat. I didn’t even learn that ‘scat’ meant dried animal poop until a trip to Alaska in my mid-20s. Years later, I'm starting The Road Apple. Apparently, the universe had jokes. You can’t make this stuff up.”
The Name
But Why “Road Apple”?
If you grew up around horses, you probably already know.
A road apple is an old-fashioned, slightly more polite term for the little piles horses leave behind on the road, trail, pasture…well, pretty much wherever they feel like it.
Yes. Horse poop.
And once you know that, the name makes a little more sense.
- It is agricultural.
- It is memorable.
- It has a sense of humor.
- And it is very hard to forget.
But there is another layer to it too.
The Road Apple is about helping people follow the trail back to where their food, products and local experiences actually come from — farms, producers, growers, markets and agricultural businesses.
So our horse isn’t just a mascot. He’s our guide down the trail.
Home
Born in Horse Country
Launching The Road Apple in Ocala/Marion County feels a little like bringing several pieces of my life full circle.
From growing up around Thoroughbreds in Kentucky, to riding horses as a kid, to my family becoming part of Ocala’s equine community, agriculture has always been somewhere in the background of my story.
Now we’re using The Road Apple to help tell the stories of farms and agricultural businesses across Florida — and eventually communities throughout the country.
And our horse gets to come along for the ride.
Same farms. Stronger communities. Brighter tomorrows.
Horse Capital of the World®
Why Is Ocala Called the Horse Capital of the World?
There’s quite a story behind how Ocala and Marion County became one of the most recognized equine communities in the country — and it happens to connect directly to our own family story.
Read the Story