Welcome to Bluegrass Equine Surgery in Central Kentucky

Dr. True Baker

Dr. William True Baker grew up in Woodford County, Kentucky. Dr. Baker was instilled with a love of horses at an early age by working with his father, Dr. Bill Baker, DVM at Woodford Equine Hospital and his stepfather Michael H. Bell, a Thoroughbred trainer at Churchill Downs.

Dr. Baker attended Auburn University where he graduated with honors from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. After graduation, Dr. Baker furthered his education through an internship and surgical residency at the prestigious Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, Florida. After concluding his residency in 2010, Dr. Baker joined his father at Woodford Equine Hospital prior to joining Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in 2014.

Dr. Baker’s professional interests include Thoroughbred sales, orthopedic surgery and upper airway surgery. He has published research on conformation and angular limb deformities as well as equine colic. He is pursuing ongoing research in the equine acute abdomen and the effects of early soft tissue injuries and osteochondral lesions on racing performance. Dr. Baker also continues to have an active interest in Thoroughbred breeding and racing.

When not working with horses, Dr. Baker enjoys spending time with his wife Nalise and their three active boys, Woodford, Smith, and Lawson.

Board Certifications

• Diplomat, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Memberships and Affiliations

• American Veterinary Medical Association Kentucky
• Veterinary Medical Association Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners Kentucky
• Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Club American Association of Equine Practitioners
• American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Lauren Javernick

Dr. Lauren Javernick, a Colorado native, received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2007 from Colorado State University. Following graduation, she completed a year-long internship in ambulatory medicine at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

After the internship, Lauren wanted to continue working in a fast-paced equine clinic and found it in Matamata, New Zealand, working the Southern Hemisphere breeding season with Marks, Ewen and Associates. She continued to work between the two facilities for five years. Dr. Javernick thrived on the opportunities, enjoying the travel, meeting new colleagues and friends, and the accelerated path to better understanding equine medicine.

Since 2012, she has been in private practice at Lexington’s Hagyard Equine Medical and at Bluegrass Equine Surgery. Lauren expanded her areas of expertise to include Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) such as acupuncture, the use of herbal medicine, and food therapy. She is currently working on her Masters’ in Chinese Medicine from Chi University in Florida. Founded in 1998, Chi University has trained more than 9,000 veterinarians from 75 countries and regions in integrative and holistic modalities. Dr. Javernick plans to continue working as an Ambulatory Equine Veterinarian at Bluegrass Equine Surgery Center while integrating TCVM into daily practice.

In her spare time, Dr.Javernick enjoys spending time with her family, Silvestre, Miguel and newest addition Aila Maria. They care for a menagerie of animals including Greta the German Shepherd, chickens, canaries, and fish.