Evan Bonner Horsemanship & Farrier Services

Home
United States
Camano Island, WA
Evan Bonner Horsemanship & Farrier Services

Natural Horsemanship Clinician and Horse Trainer—Certified Barefoot Trimmer and Certified Farrier with the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization (ELPO)

I have spent the last decade studying the principles of horsemanship and have worked hard to share what I have learned with others. I have been influenced by dozens of brilliant horsemen and horsewomen and I've had the privilege to have ridden with some of the best in the world including: Peter Campbell, Pat Parelli and Dennis Reis. My goal in both my horse training program and my clinics is to le

ave the horse more at peace around people, around his environment and within himself and to leave you with a better understanding of how to communicate, how to build confidence and how to have purpose. I don't teach a specific "discipline", but rather encourage students to develop problem-solving skills, consider the horse's point of view and take his expression and feelings into consideration. To me"Horsemanship" is the habits that humans and horses need to become partners. We define a habit as the crossroads between knowledge (the what and the why), skill (the how to do) and desire (the want for a change). It is based on principles of effectiveness. When you value the principles of good horsemanship you will develop the ability to know where the horse is at and the skill to do what needs to be done. Good horsemanship is not about breaking or training horses, it's about working on yourself and playing with horses nature. You have to allow the horse the time it takes to learn something and when that happens you'll never have to redo it - because you didn't take the horse hostage.

05/12/2026

In farrier science, a functional angle represents a shift away from chasing "ideal" numbers on a gauge and focusing instead on the internal health of the foot.
Here is how that concept fits into the summary:

A "perfect" hoof angle looks great in a photo, but it doesn't always tell the whole story. In modern hoof care, managing leverage and finding a functional angle are the real keys to long-term soundness.

Leverage: The Silent Strain
Think of a long toe like a long crowbar. The longer it is, the more force it takes for the hoof to "break over." This puts massive, unnecessary strain on the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) and the navicular region with every single step.

What is a "Functional Angle"?
A functional angle isn't just a number on a hoof gauge. It is a hypothetical angle that changes depending on the lever forces that can be affected by shoe placement. A long toe creates a long lever arm and a lower functional angle. A shorter toe shortens the lever arm and thereby increases the functional angle. This is why shoe placement is so important—It’s Dynamic: It prioritizes how the horse actually moves and loads the foot.

Internal over External: A functional angle is achieved by bringing the breakover back and supporting the heels, rather than just trimming the wall to "look" right.

The Bottom Line
Don’t just chase a static degree measurement. When we reduce leverage by shortening the toe to its proper position, that reduces the "workload" of the stride and keeps the internal mechanics of the foot happy and healthy.

05/06/2026

What is the best hoof angle for my horse?

Short Answer: there isn’t a single number.

Farriers and owners used to believe that certain breeds needed a specific degree angle but that old-school thinking is actually standing in the way of your horse's comfort.

Forget the Gauge: A specific degree reading on a hoof gauge doesn’t matter as much as "Functional Angle." This is simply how the horse feels and functions with the foot you’ve prepared and is based more on the equilibrium of tension in the soft tissue around coffin joint at rest and in motion.

Every Foot is Different: It’s actually very common for two feet on the same horse to have different natural angles! Trying to force them to match in a "one-size-fits-all" box leads to poor performance and an unwillingness to turn.

Inside-Out Thinking: Historically, we’ve looked at the foot from the outside in. To truly prevent lameness, we need to address the internal structures first. When the inside is comfortable, the outside results will follow.

The "Road Map": Using specific guidelines from the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization (ELPO) helps us find the right orientation for each individual hoof, ensuring your horse stays comfortable and sound.

Stop chasing numbers and start listening to the horse!

04/24/2026

Some of today’s work

04/15/2026

Structured hoof mapping systems—primarily the method developed by the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization (ELPO)—are a very valuable aspect of modern farriery. Not because they’re a fad—but because they deliver precision and repeatability.

Here’s the key principle:

The coffin bone (the largest solid structure inside the hoof) dictates everything.

The hoof capsule, being partly flexible, forms around that internal structure. So even when there’s distortion, flare, or disruption, the widest part of the foot (WPOTF) still reflects the widest part of the coffin bone.

From there, you can reliably map:

• Forward to the tip of the coffin bone
• Back to balance the foot
• And accurately determine proper point of breakover (POB)

Finding the center of the foot always gives us the location of the centre of articulation and this is what we need to know in order to balance the foot and as a result the limb. This method has been confirmed over thousands of radiographs and cadaver studies. Even in cases of trauma - laminitis, fractures, long-term distortion - the internal structure doesn’t randomly move somewhere else. The hoof may be distorted, but the relationship is still there to be read.

Radiographs are valuable tools—but they confirm what good mapping already shows, they don’t replace it.

The takeaway?

A structured mapping system isn’t guesswork. It’s a repeatable way of reading the foot from the inside out, even when things look messy on the surface.

04/03/2026

Here’s an excellent video from master UK farrier Clive Rainger, who provides a brief overview of the history of traditional horseshoeing. He discusses how some long-standing methods still taught today may no longer reflect the needs of the modern horse, having become outdated over time.

Clive also highlights the importance of continuing to evolve our approach—embracing advancements in technology and materials to better support today’s recreational riding horses. He reviews a range of innovative horseshoe designs developed over the past few decades, explaining how they are intended to improve performance, comfort, and overall hoof care.

03/20/2026

In my daily work, steel shoes remain the gold standard for most horses I shoe. They offer the precision and durability that many disciplines require. However, I also believe in staying at the forefront of evidence-based farriery by embracing modern materials when they benefit the horse.

Why consider Composite or Polyurethane shoes?
* Reduced Concussion: They absorb vibrations that steel can’t, which is easier on the joints.
* Natural Flex: These materials allow the heels to flex independently and incorporate caudal support which allows the hoof to expand and contract more naturally, mimicking a barefoot state while providing full protection.
* Lightweight Support: Great for performance or rehab where reducing lower-limb strain is a priority.

Every horse is an individual. Whether we stick with a traditional fit or explore a modern composite system, my goal is always long-term soundness and comfort.

Curious if a change in materials is right for your horse? Let’s talk at our next appointment!

03/05/2026

Some subtle changes for this 25-year-old gelding

Here are some before-and-after photos from a new client. This horse is a 25-year-old gelding with arthritis in both knees. He had moderately distorted feet with atrophied frogs that weren’t providing much support.

He had previously been in aluminum PLR shoes. I opted to make a change and went with a Centrefit shoe, which gave him equivalent dorsal leverage reduction to minimize breakover resistance. Unlike the PLR, however, I was able to provide more support in the back of the foot and added a Natural Balance frog support pad (my favorite) using dental impression compound to give him additional caudal support. He seems to have responded well to the change, and we’ll hopefully recheck in about seven weeks.

You can clearly see the added support this shoe provides in the back of the foot, as well as the improved alignment it offers when combined with a balanced trim.

03/01/2026

It’s not about the shoe—But how it’s applied.

Although I don’t use many Natural Balance shoes (there are simply better options available) I do want to clear up the misconception that the Natural Balance shoe is a square toed shoe. Although it does start with a broad toe for better breakover mechanics—the shoe can easily be modified to fit any type of foot.

Natural Balance shoes have gotten a bad reputation at some barns simply because they were not properly shaped and fit for the horse they were used on.

Here’s an example of a Natural Balance shoe most people wouldn’t even recognize. It’s been modified to fit a narrower type of foot—possibility even a hind foot. In this particular shoe I also did hand drawn clips.

02/24/2026

The Third Goal of Barefoot Trimming: BALANCE

When caring for a barefoot horse, balance matters—but it isn’t the top priority. In fact, balance typically ranks third behind protection and support. Why? Because minor imbalances are far less harmful to a barefoot hoof than poor protection or inadequate support.

One advantage barefoot horses have is movement. With regular exercise on medium to hard terrain, many horses can naturally fine-tune small balance issues on their own. When we talk about “balance,” we’re really talking about keeping the coffin joint—and the joints above it—working evenly both when the horse is standing and moving.

Over the past 25 years, the biggest improvement in barefoot care has been reducing leverage. Excess leverage (front-to-back or side-to-side) increases stress inside the hoof. When the hoof is trimmed so weight is evenly distributed around the widest part of the foot, most of those harmful forces are minimized. Keeping the hoof wall an even height relative to the functional sole also helps balance the coffin joint from side to side.

Well-designed trimming systems—such as those taught by the Equine Lameness Prevention Organization—focus on removing distortions through proper heel and toe preparation. When that’s done, balance usually follows.

The good news? If a barefoot horse is slightly off, it’s usually not a big deal. A simple 20-minute walk on pavement a few days a week can correct many minor balance issues. Shoes don’t allow for that kind of self-correction, which is why balance errors are more serious in shod horses.

That said, major imbalances always need professional attention, whether a horse is barefoot or shod.

02/21/2026

Second Goal of Barefoot Trimming: SUPPORT

Why Support Matters

When we talk about barefoot soundness, the real goal is supporting the coffin bone inside the hoof. That support doesn’t come from one structure alone—it’s a team effort.

The hoof wall helps suspend the coffin bone, the sole helps hold it up from below, the bars support the back of the foot, and the frog plays a key role by supporting the soft tissues that stabilize the heel and back of the coffin bone.

Problems start when one structure fails. For example, weak heels or collapsed bars force the frog to take on more work than it’s built for. If the frog and internal tissues aren’t strong enough, pain and pathology can follow. On the flip side, when the hoof wall loses support (like in laminitis), the bars often grow stronger to help compensate.

Healthy hooves rely on balanced, functional structures working together. Barefoot horses are most comfortable when all of these parts are doing their job—but shoes or other support may sometimes be needed to help restore function first. Hoof health always comes first.

02/15/2026

The First Goal of Barefoot Trimming: PROTECTION

Hoof protection is really about one thing: protecting the coffin bone.

That protection comes from two parts of the hoof working together:
- The sole, which protects the foot from the ground
- The hoof wall, which helps lift and shield the foot

A horse’s comfort barefoot depends on how healthy and balanced those two are — and that balance changes with footing, weather, and environment. What works for one horse may not work for another.

Key takeaways for owners:
- Some horses have naturally tougher soles than others, even in the same conditions
- If there isn’t much hoof wall, the sole is doing most of the protecting
- Not all “extra” sole should be removed — some of it is there to keep the horse comfortable
- Taking protection away in one area means it has to exist somewhere else

Bottom line:
There is no single trimming or barefoot rule that fits every horse. Comfortable feet come from maintaining the right amount of protection for that horse, in that environment, at that time — and adjusting as conditions change.

Address

1013 N Mallard Lane
Camano Island, WA
98282

Telephone

+13605513736

Website

http://www.evanbonner.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Evan Bonner Horsemanship & Farrier Services posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Evan Bonner Horsemanship & Farrier Services:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service in Camano Island?