The horizon control system is the key technology in the automation of a shearer. The achievement of accurate shearer cutting path plays an important role for horizon control. A mathematical model of cutting path in the local geographic coordinate frame was built. Error analysis based on genetic algorithm (GA) was studied to guarantee the accuracy of the shearer cutting path. Parameters from a MG1000/2660-WD shearer and data from a working face were used to obtain the shearer cutting path with reference to the local geographic coordinate frame. Also, with error analysis based on GA, the desired sensors were chosen, which allowed coordinate position errors of a shearer’s cutting path to be less than 0.01 m. The desired accuracies of the inertial navigation system and encoders mounted on the different shearers used in thin seam, medium-thickness seam, and thick seam were calculated.