Staff

The Best Teaching Staff In the Industry

Mitchell L. Taylor,  CJF, AWCF, APF

KHS Director of Education

Mitch is the Director of the Kentucky Horseshoeing School in Richmond, KY, and received the AFA’s “Educator of The Year” award for 2007, 2011, and 2022, as well as the Clinician of the Year award for 2012. In addition, Mitch was named the 2015 Rising Star Instructor by the Kentucky Association of Career Colleges, chosen from among 200 instructors in every field of career education. In 2015, Mitch was inducted into the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed on only the few considered the Elite throughout the industry. Among his many successful students Mitch is proud to count 10 members of the AFA U.S. National Horseshoeing Team, along with two coaches of the AFA U.S. National Horseshoeing team.  Former students have earned positions with various US equine teams, leading veterinary hospitals, university veterinary schools and have even shod Kentucky Derby winners. Mitch is an active judge at national and international farrier competitions and currently works worldwide as a noted clinician in the field of equine limb anatomy and biomechanics. In Taylor’s work as a clinician in the field, some of the more notable events include being an featured speaker at the NAEP annual conference on lameness, teaching race-horse short courses for the Turkish Jockey Club in Istanbul, Turkey, serving as the Keynote Speaker and Judge at the Mexican National Horse Congress in Mexico City, speaking at the International Veterinarian and Farrier Conference in Bergamo, Italy, served as a Judge at the Ayreshire Shoeing Competition in Ayreshire, Scotland and as a clinician on several occasions at Stoneleigh, England as well as presenting original research and findings at the International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot and Mitch is the only farrier to ever present original research to the AAEP at (American Association of Equine Practitioners)  National Convention.   Recently, Mitch was given the opportunity to serve as the Director of Podiatry at the Equine Veterinary Medicine Center at Al Shaqab in Doha, Qatar.

Mitch Taylor began his farrier training in 1975 and has been an AFA Certified Journeyman Farrier since 1982. After receiving his primary farrier training at Colorado Mountain College, Mitch served his apprenticeship in Southern California specializing in jumping and dressage horses. Mitch moved to Kentucky in 1985 to pursue a Masters Degree in Animal Science at the University of Kentucky. While at UK, Mitch was fortunate to study under Maxwell Gluck, one of the premier experts in the field of equine lameness and anatomy.

During the length of his career, Mr. Taylor has served as the President of the Registry of Professional Farrier Educators, as a member of the AFA Equine Research Committee, served on the AFA Board of Directors and served as Chairman of the AFA Education Committee. Mitch has also been chosen to be a part of the panel presenting technical seminars as a part of the KTOB/Keeneland International Emerging Markets program. He also serves on the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit Shoeing and Hoof Care Committee. Currently Mitch is serving as a consultant for HISA, helping to develop national standards of farrier education.

Working with researchers worldwide and alongside his students at the Kentucky Horseshoeing School, Mitch is able to continue his interest in the area of promoting sound farrier principles to all horses. Midway College, one of the first in America to establish an equine science program has invited Mitch to teach their lab course as an adjunct professor. 2010 was the first year, and it was a resounding success. A noted author, Mitch publishes frequently in Professional Farrier, the official publication of the American Farrier’s Association, and served as the primary author of the AFA’s Education Manual; he has published extensively in numerous other farrier publications, including the American Farrier’s Journal. Working with researchers worldwide and alongside his students at the Kentucky Horseshoeing School, Mitch is able to continue his interest in the area of promoting sound farrier principles to all horses.

"The school (KHS) is well known within the industry for its superior academic and practical standards. Not only is Mitch an instructor of immense knowledge, but an example of impeccable integrity for his students. Mitch is a sought-after clinician around the country. He is also well known in farrier competition circles, where he excels in both farriery and blacksmithing skills."

Meet The KHS Team

Javier Jimenez

CF Farrier Instructor

Nate Smith

CF Farrier Instructor

Wade Tubbs

CF Farrier Instructor

Hailey Gillette

CF Farrier Apprentice

Ted Herr, MS

Campus Director / Student Placement

Sarah Taylor

Financial Aid Director

Katy Silver

Admissions

Jack Etters

Chief Financial Oficer

KHS Adjunct Faculty

Wayne Hipsley, MS
Providing expert testimony upon examination and assessment of horses, ponies, mules, donkeys and facilities to legal counsel can be accomplished at any location, at all times of the year. While working with veterinary professionals, assessment of a horse’s condition, state of health, and potential for recovery can be determined. Perhaps nearly as important is the assessment of the physical facilities and environment under which the animals are maintained.

Expertise: Animal Welfare and Safety


Robert Coleman, PhD,

Professor of Animal Science

University Of Kentucky
 
Dr. R.J. (Bob) Coleman is an Associate Extension Professor in teh Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the Unviersity of Kentucky. Dr. Coleman teaches adn advises i nteh Equine Science and Mangement program and is the advisor for the Unviersity of Kentucky Equestrian Team.  He was awarded the 2019 ASAS Distinguished Teacher Award.  Dr. Coleman serves on the AQHA Research committee, is  a board member of the Midwest ARPAS, the Esecutive Director of the Equine Science Society, and the President-Elect for the Certified Horsemanship Association.
 
Expertise: Equine Nutrition, Horse Welfare and Management