Equine Oasis offering rehabilitation, retraining, retirement & hospice
A boutique program for horses and humans, to reconnect with nature and decompress in order to heal NOW OFFERING BOARDING
Meet the Avalon Horses Team
Sonya
Sonya is the Founder and Director of Avalon Horses. She is an experienced rider who has been riding all her life and trained and competed on the NW Eventing Circuit under Kim Novak.
Sonya specializes in working with physically and emotionally challenged horses, doing whatever it takes to bring them back to their best selves, as well as caring for injured and hospice horses to ensure they are given the very best treatment and care, whatever that may entail.
Karla
Karla is Avalon's Barn Manager and lives on site with her little family. Karla's attention to detail and demand for perfection is exactly what Avalon needs to ensure the very highest quality of care for all our horses and humans alike.
Rest assured that with Karla at the helm, Avalon's barn facility will always provide the very best care, with no detail overlooked. Your horses will never want for anything, repairs and upgrades will be made before they ever become an issue and Avalon will remain the beautiful Oasis we all love.
Gary
Gary is the backbone of Avalon Horses - truly the man of many talents. Gary's ability to create a genuine connection with each and every Avalon horse is awe-inspiring and allows him to have special and deep relationships with each and every horse.
Gary specializes in working with Avalon's "foster kids" - those horses that have come to Avalon when their former owners either could not or would not care for them any longer. These foster horses have their baggage and individual issues, but Gary is able to connect with each one in a heartfelt and honest way, enabling him to facilitate rehabilitation and/or retraining and give them their best chances at finding that "fur-ever" home.
Dakota
Dakota "Kota" brings to Avalon years of horse knowledge, training and expertise. Kota grew up on a farm, learning how to care for and train all types of horses, from leadline ponies to Amish carriage horses, from barrel racers to hunters - no matter the horse, no matter the discipline, Kota brings her wealth of knowledge, her calm mind and cool hand, allowing her to work with even the most difficult cases.
Kota specializes taking the Avalon horses to the next level of their training. Laying a strong dressage foundation, then moving on to ranch and trail work, in hand liberty training and ground work, all in an effort to allow each and every Avalon horse develop the minds, bodies and skills necessary to find their best "fur-ever" homes.
Steph
Steph is a lifelong horse woman with a loving heart and willing hand - she is also the official Mini Foster Mom to our very own Princess Vanellope von Patches!
Steph is always there with a smile on her face and treats in hand. No matter the task, she is up for it. A true asset to Avalon, the animals and humans alike are blessed to have her in our lives.
Christine
Christine is also a life-long horse girl, that has been riding and competing all her life. Christine has a unique ability to "talk" with the horses and connect with them on a very deep and real level, allowing her to then work with them on their emotional, physical and/or training issues.
Christine specializes in rehabilitating injured horses - at times extremely injured. Her steady learned hand and breadth of knowledge and experience give her the right combination of skills to facilitate healing of even the deepest of wounds.
Ashley
Ashley is our "pony whisperer" - taking these tiny equines under her wings and into her heart. Ashley's soft hands and gentle nature are just what these little ones need in order to heal properly, regain their trust in humans and rediscover their happy, silly little selves.
Ashley's patient and caring nature enables her to work with even the most scared ponies - to teach them to trust again and in turn allow them to heal, emotionally and physically.
Stephi
Stephi is a former jumper turned horse whisperer. Despite her hours long commute to our facility, Stephi is there with bells on each and every week, working with those horses needing a little extra hands on care in order to work through their emotional and mental traumas.
Stephi's amazing ability to connect with these traumatized horses is beautiful and amazing to behold. She is able to help them to learn to "horse" again, so they can then move on to the next stage of their lives, whatever that may be.
Hoofbeats & Happiness
