Perry County launches Appalachian Horse Center to address free roaming horses

Perry County officials announced on December 22, 2025 that the county Fiscal Court will lease the Miniard Farm in Cornettsville to the nonprofit Appalachian Horse Project to establish the Appalachian Horse Center at Miniard Farm. The facility will sit on more than 80 acres and is slated to open in spring of 2026. Officials say the center will serve as a safe haven for free roaming horses in danger, provide adoption opportunities, and host educational and community programs.

The nonprofit already houses seven rescued horses on the property and plans hands on experiences for visitors, along with potential therapy and job training programs in the future. Bernice Amburgey, a welfare manager with the Appalachian Horse Project, said, "We are so excited that we finally have a place to call our own." She emphasized the animal welfare and cultural dimensions of the work when she added, "Some of those horses need rescued because either their weight issues, their health injuries, or they’re now getting on the roads in many counties right now. So, we’re trying to help with that and we just feel that the support of those horses are part of the heritage and culture of East Kentucky."

Perry County Judge Executive Scott Alexander framed the project as complementary to existing tourism development in the Leatherwood area. "When you go to the off road park, now all of a sudden you instead of just two days of riding, you’ve got a one day off here that you can come and visit the Appalachian Horse Center and see what all is happening there," he said. County leaders expect the center to extend visitor stays and create new day trip activity for residents and tourists.

The Fiscal Court lease of public land shifts responsibility for long term management to a private nonprofit, which raises questions about ongoing oversight, costs, and revenue for the county. Officials have invited volunteers and donations to support the center, and organizers direct interested residents to appalachianhorseproject.org for information. For voters and taxpayers, the project will require monitoring of lease terms, budget impacts, and measurable outcomes on both animal welfare and local economic activity.

As the center prepares to open next spring, residents will have opportunities to adopt, volunteer, or participate in educational programming that connects animal welfare to regional heritage and local economic strategy.