Luke, the donkey, has hit the jackpot in terms of finding a forever home at our trail riding facility in Missouri. He will have the task of being loved by children and adults during birthday parties and being kissed by brides that want to have unique wedding photos. It is a pretty good gig that is...
Just to think that Country Tough Trail Versatility (CT2V) had 38 participants in 2018, and has 165 members in 2020 is humbling. CT2V was founded by David and Brandy Von Holten in Mora, MO. CT2V is a competition association that is a combination of obstacles without any points for speed, a ranch...
Adventures at Von Holten Ranch is a book series consisting of six books with each book featuring a different horse or mule from Von Holten Ranch in Mora, Missouri! Book number two and six, bring a mule to the spotlight for different character development lessons. Book number two, Adventures at Von...
JoJo, a 9 year old Missouri Fox Trotter John mule, is rocking the mounted archery world! A national mounted archery competition was held Oct 26-28, 2018 in Mora, Missouri. With mounted archery just now making its way into Missouri and Kansas, every competitor present was able to say that it was the...
Bits can be tricky, and you can find yourself disqualified very quickly if you do not understand the rules about bits and training aides.
Before we talk about bits, let’s discuss training aides. Tie downs, cavessons, and running martingales are training aides. They are meant to help in small dose...
As a trail riding facility owner and equine event host, I have noticed trends, highs, and lows. It appears that people want more these days when it comes to their expectations from their equine. There was a huge spike in obstacle competitions in the past, but now there is a transition from obstacl...
Let me give you a brief feel for my absolute favorite sport with my mule, mounted archery. If you are right handed, you have your bow in your left hand. Your stirrups are a little shorter than you are used to typically, but that is ok, because you are lifted out of your seat. You’re riding a sadd...
Tracking your time in the saddle or driving your horse can be exponentially beneficial. Using a tracking system can be fun and rewarding. Let’s explore reasons to track your time and the effects of your efforts, either intentional or unintentional.
Goal Setting
To accompli...
Let me introduce you to Bill Hachmeister! Bill is a serious competitor in equine obstacle competitions, a former serious softball competitor, but he is also a beloved son, father, husband, and grandfather. Bill was selected to be on the national board for the Country Tough Trail Versatility (CT2V)...
The Illinois Horse Fair was held in Springfield, IL March 2-4, 2018! Amongst all the excitement from vendors, clinicians, and spectators, a huge draw was to the breed show. The breed show showcased around twenty different acts from sidesaddle, Appaloosas, trick riders, American Saddlebreds, Mustan...
If you ask 100 people if equine are good on the trail riding, I expect 95% would rave about their horses/mules. What about the other 5%? I own one of those mules. Well, if he is in the middle of a calm group, he is solid, but if I put him in the front, then it is like I am riding a completely dif...
Have you ever had someone demand something when you would have gladly done it if they would have asked nicely? Have you ever had a boss that was too bossy? Think about how much more could get done if every request was asked, then told, and then demanded. This is the basis of earning the trust of ...
