This is an excerpt from an article by Joe McAdory which appeared in the Opelika-Auburn News on 12/26/04

Not far up the road lies some of the most disciplined horses in East Alabama. Twin Lakes stables not only trains horses, but also boards them -- with 17 inside the stables.

"People bring them in here to have them trained, " said Gary Tyson, who manages Twin Lakes. "Some people want to have a place to keep their horse. I've been around horses since I was 7 or 8 years old. We break (train) them from the time they are colts."

The animals are well-kept, brushed, washed, fed and given plenty of room to stay. They learn to trust people and go from wild to tame. The stables house all types of horses from thoroughbreds to palominos to standing stallions.

One thoroughbred, Billy Fred, didn't make the Kentucky Derby, but he raced anyway.

"He raced in Texas until he was 4," said stable hand Cheryl Hicks. "He was too slow, so he came into the hunter/jumper world."

Horse also learn reining, cutting and show techniques.

"You don't know what they're going to do when you climb on their back," Tyson said. "You have to teach them to understand 'whoaa'."

"No horse has the same personality. All ride differently too. That one (pointing to his left) bites. Pete turns his head sideways when he wants something to eat."

Tyson said the most enjoyable part of working with the animals is "Making a bond with a horse."

"A horse has to have a lot of trust in you. You have to spend time with it, let it know you won't hurt him or her."