Ingo features prominently in a side quest in PC port better than Ocarina's Switch Online version. There are many memorable characters introduced in the story and one is Ingo, a farmhand on Lon Lon Ranch who is promoted to its manager when Ganondorf takes over.
During the childhood section of the game Ingo works at Lon Lon Ranch, often complaining about how hard he labors while the owner, Talon, spends his time napping. When Link becomes an adult, he discovers that Ingo has been granted control of the ranch, kicking out Talon, working Talon's daughter Malon very hard, and apparently mistreating the horses. Ingo had planned to tame Epona and take her to Ganondorf, but the horse had proven too stubborn to tame. Seeing the affinity Link had for Ocarina of Time's horse, Epona, and riding in general, Ingo claimed that Link could keep the horse if he could beat him in a race. After Link claims victory in both the first race and a rematch, Ingo becomes irate and traps Link within the ranch's walls.
Link escapes and can later return to Lon Lon Ranch, where Ingo has apparently had a change of heart, accepting Talon back to the ranch and generally acting far more friendly. There is little explanation given in-game for this drastically different behavior. Malon will tell Link that Ingo was worried about Ganondorf finding out about his defeat and loss of Epona, Ocarina of Time's best moment, but that one day he suddenly went back to being normal and kind. This kind of abrupt change implies that, rather than Ingo experiencing character growth, he was being controlled by an outside force and that control was released or broken.
Ganondorf May Have Been Controlling Ingo's Mind
One theory to explain Ingo's change in disposition suggests Ganondorf had been directly or indirectly controlling Ingo for a while, bending him into a crueler figure and using him for his ability to train horses. After Ganondorf found out about his defeat at the hands of Link and loss of Epona, however, Ingo was no longer useful, so Ganondorf decided that he was not worth the effort and released his influence. While it is not strictly canon, the game's manga adaption, which also contains Ocarina Of Time's saddest story not in-game, s this theory by expanding the subplot, having Ingo set a trap for Link due to being mentally controlled by Twinrova.
Ingo's character arc during Ocarina of Time is never truly explained, leaving players unsure why exactly he jumps in and out of villainy. The explanation given in player theories and non-canon expanded universe materials is the closest fans will probably ever get to an answer. Regardless, Ingo's story is one of many character moments that made The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time one of the most beloved games in the franchise.
