Wonderful farrier. Very knowledgeable have witnessed horesemanship clinic as well. Knows the ins and outs of horses

I would like to have been able to post a good review for Evan Bonner. But, unfortunately, I can't. I left with no idea what, if any, training my horse received. Evan was not forthcoming with any information on what exactly he was working on with my horse; and, if I asked I received an evasive reply. The couple of times that I saw him do anything with my horse was a for few minutes during a couple of my so called lessons. I call them so called lessons because Evan either sat and stared at his phone during most of the lesson, or he went off on a nonstop talk that had nothing to do with the lesson or my horse. I also went to a clinic thinking I would learn useful exercises to do with my horse. As with my lessons, he seemed pretty much disinterested, and frequently went off on one of his endless lectures that was not at all related to the clinic. He even said he got bored attending horsemanship clinics put on by other trainers. We did get a nice lunch, though. After two months, I was a few thousand dollars poorer, and not at all sure my horse had improved or learned much. I left with the belief that Evan is totally burned out with horse training, and would rather be spending his time with his new interest of becoming a ferrier. Carrie his wife, however, is very pleasant and accommodating. And, the facility is a good place for boarding. The horses are fed good quality alfalfa, there are automatic watering devices, the stalls are cleaned daily, there is a nice wash rack area, there is daily turnout in large areas, and the facilities are very clean. In all, the horses are very well kept. read more

I sent my young horse to Evan Bonner to get some ground manners, which she definitely lacked, and I needed help installing them. There are many things I appreciate about Evan. For one, he's a great trainer and an even better person. As a trainer, Evan's ground work program is foundational and thoughtful. He never once forces the horse to do something. He asks questions and gives the horse the chance to reply. Sometimes, it's not always the correct answer, but after a mistake or two, it's so much easier for the horse to understand the correct answer. I see people daily applying pressure to their horse who knows the answer, yet the person has never given them a chance to acknowledge the question. Evan has helped me understand the concept of the horse having its own ideas and letting that horse act on them within limits. Every horse needs a job, not necessarily a discipline, but a task to carry out in that exact moment. Whether lunging, walking, yielding the hindquarters or driving, there are a million things to do with a horse so that their body is moving and their mind is too. I never understood any of that before working with Evan, yet he was really good at expressing and explaining things to me. Horses act differently around different people, just as we act differently around others, and this is why I absolutely loved being able to work with Evan and not just have him working with my horse while I twiddled my thumbs. I believe we never stop learning and this was an incredible educational opportunity. I'm so glad I could take my horse to Evan. Thank you, Evan and Cassie Bonner for a wonderful learning experience. I hope to get back out to you very soon. read more

Evan Bonner Horsemanship - Horse Boarding Near Me

Left my horses with Evan for 3 months.. they were rescues and I needed someone to assess their abilities and work with them to see if they have potential. He had them for almost 3 months at $1,200 per horse per month. If he wasn't busy going to clinics or vacations, maybe I would have found out. Instead, what I found was my horses left in their stalls most of the time, dirty and thin. One of them had a bad, bad cough and he never told me about it. No call or text.. nothing. I had to have the vet come out and check on him since Evan had no clue what was going on. I asked Evan if he was going to try and get on them and he essentially send "no, I've been bucked off of too many horses. They just need ground work. We're not there yet" In other words, I need to keep collecting checks from you a little longer. I never saw him pet my horses.. but there was a lot of aggression and "rope" work. So I grabbed them, unannounced, and brought them to another trainer in Redmond. IN ONE HOUR.. he was sitting on one of my horses, walking around. He was able to assess their situation and came up with a plan to get them going. I was in tears..I couldn't believe it. My horses love him because he's calm and respectful and actually loves horses. My horses hated Evan. I can't blame them. Don't buy in to Evans outfit and "resume". He talks about Pat Parelli and Buck Branaman as his mentors.. but he's nothing like those trainers. He has a long way to go to understand what a trainer needs to do to work with the horses AND clients. His communication skills are atrocious. read more

Before finding Evan, my horse, a rescue from a kill pen, was extremely spooky, nervous, insecure, had unseated myself as well as my then trainer, whom even today refuses to get on him. My horse spent 60 days with Evan and during this time I drove 2 hours each way every weekend to take lessons and learn what Evan was doing to help my horse to become more mentally balanced. For me, it wasn't about, when will he be safe to ride, it was doing whatever it took to get him balanced in his mind and feet. Since that time, we continue our journey by attending clinics each month, doing lessons with Evan, continue our ground work and ride as often as possible. We all have to remember It takes time, dedication, practice and an open mind to help our horses. Without Evan, and his methods we wouldn't be where we are today. Many thanks. read more

I have had my rescued OTTB with Evan for 90 days now, and I couldn't ask for a better trainer and boarding facility for him. Evan has bothered to take the time to assess not only my horse, but our interactions together. He has a calm, confident, consistent approach with horses like I have only seen in other trainers who are almost inaccessible to the average horse owner anymore. He has been able to competently develop a plan and process for my horse to conquer his anxieties and fears, and the results thus far are impressive. My horse has a long, long way to go as most rescues do, but I eagerly look forward to where he will be by the end of the training journey. I am already seeing the glimmer of the horse that he is going to become and it is a wonderful thing. Evan has also taken a considerable amount of time to help me develop more consistent groundwork and communication strategies with my horse. He has taken the time to become a student of each horse in his care, and has a masterful grasp on biomechanics, relaxation and how to achieve it through many different avenues. I learn something from Evan every time he works with me and it allows me to consider my horse and his abilities from angles I have not previously considered. He continues his own education with other accomplished horsemen, and always encourages me to attend clinics from other trainers that would benefit my horse and our future goals. I have 100% assurance that my horse is safe, appreciated for his own unique quirks, and is in the best hands possible each and every day. The boarding facility itself is beautiful, quiet, and clean. All of the other boarders are extremely friendly and respectful of one another and always willing to lend a hand when needed. My own choice of farriers and body workers are welcomed here, and there is not any pressure to choose someone in particular, like I have experienced in other locations. There are no "miracle" fixes for rescued or troubled horses and by no means should there be a specific time frame in which a horse should somehow magically conquer his or her fears. With Evan though, horse owners who may be feeling like they are ready to give up, lack confidence or skills to get the job done, or are just discouraged, will definitely find hope and honesty with his leadership. As mentioned before, my horse has a long way to go, but I am completely confident he can get where he needs to go with Evan helping him find his way. 5 stars all around and I look forward to many years learning from Evan! read more

I have been to multiple clinics with Evan. I have seen him grow over the years with his clinics and teaching skills. Evan is passionate about his students wanting to know and learn and to seek answers for their problems. He is the type of guy who is quiet, unassuming but will talk your ear off if you talk to him about horses. When he teaches he is deep in thought on how to help each person and each horse. He can not though help you if you don't know what you need help with. He tries hard for each horse and a part of him leaves when the horse leaves his facility. He found me the perfect horse and has been with me through my journey. You will not go wrong with Evan. read more

I went to one of Evan's clinics as I thought it sounded useful and informative and as I'm always looking to grow in my horsemanship practices, I thought it wood be a good opportunity for growth. I've been to many clinics hosted by a variety of trainers over the years and I have never felt like I walked away with absolutely nothing new to add to my toolkit until this one. Evan came across as very disinterested in his own clinic and when anyone asked a question he often came back with a response that sounded condescending and/or snarky. His arrogance did not lend itself well to creating a healthy environment for learning at all. He spent a great deal of time talking "at" us about what he has and can do with horses rather than actually putting his words into any kind of practice we could learn from, or even connecting his experiences in any way that would be relevant to the clinic. I was very disappointed at the money and time I spent attending Evan's clinic but what do you do. Thankfully this is not the norm and I've had wonderfully meaningful clinic experiences with other trainers since. read more