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Have you ever driven down the road and seen a group of cowboys riding horses? It’s not a dream, and you didn’t time travel to the Wild Wild West – what you’re witnessing is the Peterson family taking a stroll.

The Peterson Family has ridden horses for over 30 years. Lewis Peterson grew up with horses because his grandfather had them. Peterson’s family originally hails from Boykin, Georgia, near Colquitt. His grandmother moved to Bainbridge before he was born. Growing up with horses, Peterson learned the ins and outs of horse training, grooming, and feeding. He currently owns six horses.

For work, he trains horses for different plantations for quail hunting and trail riding. So, if you see ten or fifteen horses in his pasture, they aren’t his own. He’s trained over 500 horses for plantations from the Carolinas to the Midwest and Florida areas. Currently, he has four horses in training.

All the horses have abbreviated names given by Peterson. He stated, “Every horse I own and train is given shorter names than their actual names. For instance, a horse’s legitimate name might be World of Honors, but I simply call the horse ‘Honors’ for short.”

There are several breeds of horses, but Peterson mainly deals with Tennessee Walking Horses.

Afterward, Peterson provided detailed information about common behavior and riding awareness. He stated that horses are like any other animal—they have distinct personalities and behavioral patterns. “A horse’s behavior is based on how a person reacts to them. Like most animals, horses can sense hesitation, fear, and love. Also, the more a horse is ridden and allowed to interact with other horses and people, the more mild-mannered they will become. Riding them regularly is important.”

A behavioral issue to be aware of in horses is “standing still.” Horses are designed to be in motion, so if a horse is stationary for too long, this can be a sign of discomfort, pain, or some form of health condition. Peterson explains that some ways to correct the behavior are “using hobbles, getting on and off the horse several times, and most importantly, having an incredible amount of patience.”

Riding a horse is a skill that must be learned together. Some of the common challenges when riding horses are, according to Peterson, “staying on top of him, learning to ride, and overcoming fear. Horses are huge animals, and it’s common to be afraid of them. Another challenge is communication. Communicating with your horse can be difficult. However, once you both learn to understand and respect each other, it makes for a beautiful friendship.”

Owning a horse can be fun and adventurous, but it comes with significant expenses, including feeding, veterinary visits, stable maintenance, and horse grooming. Peterson stated, “Boarding a horse can cost from $450 to $500 a month. If the horse is untrained, it can be anywhere from $650 to $850 to train them. Also, if you plan to take them across state lines, they must have health certificates for each trip. This is provided for a fee from the vet.”

Feeding can also be expensive. “Buying hay can be expensive. They also eat sweet feed or other brands of feed,” Peterson said. Paying to have a horse groomed can add up as well: “Their hooves must be trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks, and the cost can range from $50 to $65 depending on the horse’s needs. They must have their mane maintained. A horse’s upkeep can involve much work or money, depending on whether you can handle some of these tasks yourself.”

Overall, Peterson concluded that “having horses is not all fun and games. It requires a lot of hard work and discipline. Before getting into this business, be aware of the financial cost, labor, and time.”

Despite the labor and cost of owning horses, it has become a cherished tradition with many memories for the Peterson family. So, if you see cowboys and horses in Bainbridge, you’ll know about Peterson’s family equestrian journey.