Welcome to the Horsemanship With Brandy Blog

The mounts that are used by the Mounted Police must be desensitized to everything!  That is exactly what Celeste Bennett and Brandy Von Holten did this summer while attending the National...

When I was a child, I cantered my horses everywhere!  Fear never entered my mind.  For at least three years of my life as a child, I wanted to become a jockey.  Now, with my plus...

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...

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...

I remember thinking my mom was the best horseback rider in the WORLD.  If my Shetland pony would not let me catch him, she would catch him by his tail.  If my Welch pony ran away with me,...

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...

With owning a trail riding facility and instructing clinics and lessons, I encounter the same dilemma faced by many aging riders.  They compare the rider they once were to the rider they are...

Amberley Snyder is a professional barrel racer from Utah.  Some of you may know her from the Netflix movie released earlier this year called Walk. Ride. Rodeo.  You see, in 2010, Amberley...

Meet JoJo!   He’s a Missouri Fox Trotter mule that forgot to be gaited.  JoJo belongs to myself, Brandy Von Holten.  My husband and I own a trail riding facility 14 miles...

As a host, you are not going to be perfect.  As soon as you can come to terms with this inevitable truth, you will regain hours of sleep and find a peace of mind that is priceless. ...

There are ways to design your course for your competition to run smoothly and time efficiently.  Understanding the two major types of obstacles will help you begin designing a course that...

My husband and I own and operate Von Holten Ranch, a trail riding facility in Mora, MO.  We have  hosted over 70 events a year.  When people view our life looking from the outside...