~Evan Bonner's Life with Horses~
Evan and Spook, Summer 2005
Evan Bonner grew up in rural Port Orchard with a love for all things animals, but it wasn’t until summer of 2000 that he took his first solo ride on a horse named Pal during a beach ride at Long Beach WA. “Pal was a Palomino gelding with a bouncy trot is about all I can remember. I remember there being all types of horses mostly with beginner riders”.
Evan’s family later purchased their first two horses fall of 2000. “Our first horses were named Magic and Midge. Midge was a sorrel quarter horse mare, and magic was a black Morgan/Quarter Horse cross mare.” That same fall Evan and his family already set into motion in the pursuit of more knowledge on horse training. We attended numerous Horse Expos and symposiums with local trainers—the most notable of which were clinicians John Lyons and Clinton Anderson. “I remember being able to talk to Clinton Anderson and ask him all the questions I could think of—that’s back in 2002 when he wasn’t very big yet of course”.
Evan’s family later purchased their first two horses fall of 2000. “Our first horses were named Magic and Midge. Midge was a sorrel quarter horse mare, and magic was a black Morgan/Quarter Horse cross mare.” That same fall Evan and his family already set into motion in the pursuit of more knowledge on horse training. We attended numerous Horse Expos and symposiums with local trainers—the most notable of which were clinicians John Lyons and Clinton Anderson. “I remember being able to talk to Clinton Anderson and ask him all the questions I could think of—that’s back in 2002 when he wasn’t very big yet of course”.
Evan proud of his first colt start "Benny", Fall 2005
Next two three things would happen in the next year (2003) that would fill Evan with a passion for horses.
1) March of 2003, Evan’s family purchased his black quarter horse mare Spook for $600.
“She was a little skinny and small—but I was only about 5’3” and weighed little more than 100 lbs at the time. I remember saying—If I can canter her, we can get her, which I did!—Afterward the owners said I was the first kid to ever ride her. And of course she proceeded to buck me off every other week it seemed like for the next few years. I was forced to be in Walk/Trot classes in 4-H because every time I cantered her, she bucked!”
1) March of 2003, Evan’s family purchased his black quarter horse mare Spook for $600.
“She was a little skinny and small—but I was only about 5’3” and weighed little more than 100 lbs at the time. I remember saying—If I can canter her, we can get her, which I did!—Afterward the owners said I was the first kid to ever ride her. And of course she proceeded to buck me off every other week it seemed like for the next few years. I was forced to be in Walk/Trot classes in 4-H because every time I cantered her, she bucked!”
Evan and Spook on the Green Mountain, Summer 2006
2) I saw the “Man from Snowy River”. After that, my parents bought me an Australian Saddle, an Aussie hat and Oilskin Duster. I wanted to be just like Jim Craig. I wanted to be a Horseman!
3) May of 2003 my family went to see a new group of trainers called “The Parellis”. “To be honest they sounded like a circus group or an ice cream brand. But I remember being very impressed with the fact that these trainers have their very own personal Expo”. I was only able to attend the first day because I was out sick on the second. But I took away a lot of good technique and knowledge that would literally become the foundation for Olympic Dream Horsemanship.
3) May of 2003 my family went to see a new group of trainers called “The Parellis”. “To be honest they sounded like a circus group or an ice cream brand. But I remember being very impressed with the fact that these trainers have their very own personal Expo”. I was only able to attend the first day because I was out sick on the second. But I took away a lot of good technique and knowledge that would literally become the foundation for Olympic Dream Horsemanship.
Evan and one of his mentors, Chuck Kraft, Summer 2008
Over the next few years I continued to ride and play with our horses using primarily the Parelli method. I took a variety of Parelli clinics from local Instructors and was eventually able to achieve a certification in Level 3 of the method (in 2009). This level is the entry level to becoming an instructor in the Parelli system.
I was a devoted student of Parelli Horsemanship, as of 2008 and my mom told me about a clinician she has seen the year earlier in 2007. His name was Dennis Reis. I had heard of Dennis Reis and liked a lot of his videos I had seen of him. Unfortunately during the time that Dennis was in town, I was scheduled to work at the local Renaissance Faire. However, due to a change in location, the Faire had to be canceled that year. This allowed me the opportunity to go to the Puyallup Fairgrounds and see this Dennis Reis.
I was a devoted student of Parelli Horsemanship, as of 2008 and my mom told me about a clinician she has seen the year earlier in 2007. His name was Dennis Reis. I had heard of Dennis Reis and liked a lot of his videos I had seen of him. Unfortunately during the time that Dennis was in town, I was scheduled to work at the local Renaissance Faire. However, due to a change in location, the Faire had to be canceled that year. This allowed me the opportunity to go to the Puyallup Fairgrounds and see this Dennis Reis.
Evan with his mentor, Master Horseman--Dennis Reis, Summer 2010
I remember his presentation being much simpler and more modest than Parelli. There were only a few hundred people there (as opposed to a few thousand who usually attend the Parelli events). I had established Olympic Dream Horsemanship earlier that year and was regularly training horses for local clients. I thought that I would maybe pick up a few tricks from Dennis. Dennis worked with a green colt, demonstrated the fundamentals of Refined Riding (something not discussed in great detail in the Parelli method at the time), did a lecture on Bits & Bridles (a lecture I later duplicated in summer of 2011), demonstrated the foundations for bridle-less riding, advanced bomb-proofing, leads and lead changes round penning and ground school. These were all subject that I had some knowledge on, but to my surprise, I took more notes in those two days than I had in all my previous expos and clinics put together. I even had the opportunity to talk to Dennis numerous times, getting answers to all my questions on the problem horses I was working with. While there were fewer people, and it was less flashy, this seminar was the first truly educational, rather than promotional, weekend I had experienced.
Evan in the 2010 Dennis Reis World Colt Starting Challenge
The next Spring I bought Dennis’s Home Study Course and also paid to ride with him during his Endorsement Testing which took place the Friday before the tour stop. I reviewed the material and due to my Parelli training thought I had what it took to get a few easy Endorsements from Dennis. I had no idea what was in store for me. I quickly realized that I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew. My technique was sloppy and unrefined. I lacked the flow and smooth transitions that Dennis wanted to see. I still reviewed 8 Endorsements my first tour stops and I ended up riding with Dennis during the next two tour stops that summer, giving me a total of 10/16 endorsements. Unlike most clinicians who stress that their method is the best, Dennis tells people to “buy everyone’s stuff, and follow who rings true to you”. I quickly began applying the techniques that I learned with the students and horses I was working with. It was the start of my professional career in the horse community.
Evan performing for the crowd in Albany OR, Summer 2010
I rode with Dennis the following year (2010) and ended up receiving another 3 Endorsements bringing my total to 13/16. Passing this many Endorsement Challenges earned me a $1000 belt buckle with an embedded diamond. That summer Dennis gave me a challenge “I want you to pass Course 1 with 9’s. I want you to be invisible” he said. This meant that I needed to pass the basics of his program with near perfect scores before I continued with my Endorsements in the higher courses. This was my challenge. I was able to pass the Ground School portions of the Course 1 program the following week and for my achievements Dennis allowed me to participate in the “2010 Dennis Reis No Dust Tour World Colt Starting Challenge”.
Evan in the 2011 Dennis Reis Colts First Ride World Challenge
I rode with Dennis again, summer of 2011, and demonstrated perfect scores in all the Course 1 tasks, and received 2 more Endorsements, bringing my total up to 15/16. Less than a handful of Reis Ranch students nationwide have achieved this level of horsemanship. I was also able to participate in two installments of the “Dennis Reis No Dust Colt’s First Ride World Challenge” in Salem OR and Puyallup WA.
I now firmly believe that Dennis Reis’s Universal Horsemanship program is by far the most sophisticated interpretation of Natural Horsemanship in the horse industry. It is truly unlike any other system or method. Unlike many other methods, it does not conflict or interfere with most techniques that students are taught by other clinicians. Dennis teaches REFINEMENT pure and simple; Refined Round Penning, refined Ground School and Refined Riding. There is no fluff; only the best blend of horse psychology, classical dressage and the traditions of the California Vaquero. Go to www.reisranch.com to learn more.
I now firmly believe that Dennis Reis’s Universal Horsemanship program is by far the most sophisticated interpretation of Natural Horsemanship in the horse industry. It is truly unlike any other system or method. Unlike many other methods, it does not conflict or interfere with most techniques that students are taught by other clinicians. Dennis teaches REFINEMENT pure and simple; Refined Round Penning, refined Ground School and Refined Riding. There is no fluff; only the best blend of horse psychology, classical dressage and the traditions of the California Vaquero. Go to www.reisranch.com to learn more.
