Appalachian Horse Center opens in Cornettsville, spotlighting Perry County horses

The Appalachian Horse Center opened in Cornettsville with a ribbon-cutting on 80 acres of the former Miniard Farm, turning a long-planned Perry County project into a public site where horses, history and local development now meet on a daily basis.

Located at 330 Kentucky Highway 699, the center sits beside Little Leatherwood Creek and overlooks the historic Leatherwood Battle site, a setting that gives the project a stronger local identity than a typical farm attraction. County leaders have framed it as a place that can serve residents, welcome visitors and help Perry County tell its own story through its horse heritage.

The center began receiving horses in late October 2025 and had a limited opening in November before the public launch on Dec. 9, 2025. Its backers include the Appalachian Horse Project, the KEEP Foundation, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and Perry County, a partnership that ties the site directly to county development goals rather than a private equine venture.

Day to day, the center is expected to do more than house horses. Its long-term plan includes renovating historic farm structures and building an education building that can support equine-assisted learning, therapy, youth camps, after-school programs and workforce development linked to agriculture and tourism. That mix matters in a county where leaders have looked for projects that connect cultural identity with practical economic activity.

Appalachian Horse Project Executive Director Shauneece Wade said the center fulfills a long-held dream for the community, one built around a place where people can learn about, care for and connect with horses and the land. KEEP Foundation’s Elisabeth Jensen emphasized the broader value of Eastern Kentucky’s horses, pointing to both the social and economic role they can play in mountain communities.

Perry County Judge Executive Scott Alexander called the center a symbol of pride and progress for the county, saying it will attract visitors, inspire learning and strengthen the local economy. As the facility settles into regular use on the Cornettsville property, the real test will be whether it becomes a gathering point for families, a training ground for young people and a tourism draw for the Leatherwood area.