There are more horses and ponies in Carroll County than any other county in Georgia, according to the 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture Census.

The census, which contains the most recent statistics available, report a total of 2,229 horses and ponies in the county, which is 439 more than the second-ranked county, Coweta.

Jo Roberts, general manager of West Georgia Riding Academy, believes the primary reasons for the abundance of horses in Carroll is location and land.

“There is such an amazing combination of properties here, so you can take advantage of all the variety,” Roberts said. “Also, the taxes here in Carroll County are a great deal lower than in other surrounding counties, and there is cleaner air here than the surrounding counties as well.”

Teresa Rogers said a possible reason could be the mix of agricultural and industrial that exists in Carroll.

“There’s beautiful land and great agricultural advantages, but there’s also the input of better business and industrial opportunities. It’s not just pasture, there’s actually civilization here,” Rogers said.

Brian Chase, owner of Chase Meadow Lane Farm south of Carrollton, said the reason his family was drawn from Atlanta to Carrollton was the landscape.

“The rolling hills of Carroll County are very helpful with what we do with the horses,” Chase said.

West Georgia Riding Academy is a fledgling stable located in Roopville. There are 28 horses at the academy.

“We provide boarding and training here on our beautiful property,” said Roberts, general manager of West Georgia Riding Academy. “We’re new in the business, and we’re hoping to bust out and come into our own in the future.”

There are currently 19 horses at Red Horse Stables, a facility located in Tyus that boards and trains horses, as well as hosts shows.

“We used to live in Douglasville, and we were looking for an area that was not as busy or congested, and we just happened to find this beautiful plot of land here in Carroll County,” Rogers said.

Chase Meadow Lane Farm currently keeps 10 horses on its grounds, offering services in boarding, training, and horse-riding lessons for beginning and intermediate riders in hunting and jumping.

There are several expenses that come along with the ownership of stables and riding academies, including veterinary services, diet, water, security and exercise.

Carroll County was also ranked high in Department of Agriculture census in the number of cattle and calves, ranking second just below Franklin County.