Brandy Von Holten

BS Biology, minor in Physics; BA Criminal Justice; Masters Teaching

3rd degree Black Belt:  Represented USA in international competitions in women’s heavyweight fighting.

Science teacher for 11 years

Article contributor to the following magazines:  Horsemen’s Roundup, Mules and More, We Ride Sport and Trail Magazine, and Women’s Outdoor Lifestyle Magazine

Accomplishments

• 2020 – Second children’s book:  Adventures at Von Holten Ranch:  JoJo published, sold in all 50 states.
• 2018 – First children’s book:  Adventures at Von Holten Ranch:  KTM published, sold in all 50 states and 4 countries
• 2018 – Cover Mules and More Magazine and Hoof Prints Journal
• 2018 – Mounted archery national competition advanced division champion from her mule JoJo
• 2018 – Co-Founder of Country Tough Trail Versatility
• 2017 – Current Versatility Trail Program Chair for NASMDA
• 2017 – Benton County Rodeo Queen
• 2017 – Reserve Champion in the Open Division at the Festival for the Horse (North American Western Dressage)
• 2017 – Reserve National Champion, AHCA Lead Line
• 2016 – Reserve National Champion, AHCA Green Horse Division
• 2015 – Cover of ACTHA Monthly
• 2015 – 3rd Overall National Championship, AHCA Open Division
• 2015 – Reserve Overall Champion, UHCA Intermediate Division
• 2014 – Top 6 at EXCA World Championship
• 2014 – Overall Champion, UHCA Novice Division
• 2014 – Co-Owner Von Holten Ranch

Brandy was born in 1979 and raised in Texas, until moving to Arkansas her 8^th grade year.  She graduated high school and obtained her first two college degrees in Arkansas before deciding to move to Missouri.  Her martial arts career started in 1991 and filled her with dreams of going to the Olympics.  This prompted the move to Missouri to train with Terry Gautreaux in Blue Springs. Shortly after moving to Missouri, she met and married her husband, David Von Holten.  They built a home and lived in Higginsville, Missouri for almost 10 years.  It was at this time, Brandy taught middle and high school science.  In 2013, the opportunity to purchase the family farm presented itself and the rest is history.

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• Personal Planners (available in different colors) Please refer to the PERSONAL PLANNER SECTION for a more detailed description.
• Personal Planner Daily Accountability ($30/month)
  Each day you will receive a text or message from Brandy Von Holten and submit a copy of your daily planner.  This is an ACCOUNTABILITY SERVICE to help you stay on track!
• Private or Semi-Private Goal-To-Action Planning (3 hours/$190 per person) and a Custom Accountability Goal Vision Poster (included)
  Short term and long-term goals take time and planning.  This service is set up to help you take your GOAL and put it into DOABLE DAILY ACTIONS.  The posters are personalized and made to FIT YOU AND YOUR GOALS!  Goal TRACKING and SMASHING just got a lot more GLAMOUROUS and EFFECTIVE!
• Goal-To-Action Daily Accountability ($30/month)
  
  Once your custom goal-to-action poster is made and in place, this service is helpful to keep you on track and motivated.
• Confidence Coaching:  customized for client (message, phone call, or face-to-face). Duration and frequency of confidence coaching is determined by the client and their desired outcome.

Topics

• Business Diversity
• Overcoming Obstacles
• Motivation/Education is Never Free
•  Female Entrepreneur:  Confidence:  Big Boss Mare
• Our Story/Tenacious Spirit
• Children and Young Adult Book Author:  Adventures at Von Holten Ranch

Contact Brandy for pricing and availability.  660-668-0880 or vonholtenranch@yahoo.com

Big Boss Mare™ is TWO separate entities:  a leadership book and an educational program.

The book titled Big Boss Mare™ is scheduled for release in late Fall 2020.  Confidence, positive self-image, dealing with bullies, business planning, goal setting, organization, how to do good in the world, and finding and fueling your passions are the topics addressed.

The educational program titled Big Boss Mare™ involves goal-to-action planning, business cross “pollination”, and confidence building.  Each class will directly link to the message and topics covered in the leadership book.

It’s not the size of the mare, it’s the size of the BOSS!  Big Boss Mare Up!

Personal Planner

Focus on starting each day with a positive mindset by completing three actions:  write a good memory from the day before, write three things you are grateful for, and a sincere thank you to someone in your life.  There are also sections to track food, water, and exercise.  The main focal area is centered around three sections:  overall goal, professional development, and the master of the mundane tracking/the main nuts and bolts of your day. 

Each planner is spiral bound, has a clear cover, and comes with several color options for the cover page.  A personal planner has enough pages for 5 days a week for a year.  Each planner also comes with numerous pages to track personal goals. 

If you would like to have some accountability while getting started with using the personal planner, those services are also available.  Check out pricing in “Custom Goal-To-Action Mentoring, Coaching, and Accountability”.

Go to the Country Tough Mercantile site to purchase a personal planner.

Equine Logbook

Each equine logbook is divided into four sections.  The first section is designated to track progress in lessons, clinics, competitions, and training.  The second section is designed to help monitor health care of your equine with tracking for chiropractor, dentist, deworming, farrier, veterinarian, and any other health-oriented care.  The third section is to track feed, supplements, and medication.  The last section is to include an equine biography focused on the positive attributes of your equine. 

Each logbook is spiral bound, has a clear cover, and comes with several color options for the cover page.  Each section is divided with goal pages that are the same color as the cover page.

Equine logbooks can be used for one equine per book or multiple equine per book.  It is up to you and your tracking needs!

Go to the Country Tough Mercantile site to purchase an equine logbook.

Adventures at Von Holten Ranch is a six-book series designed for children and young adults.  Each book features a different equine from Von Holten Ranch and has a character development lesson.  With Brandy’s educational background and her firsthand work experience as a school teacher, she realized a need for a character development series to better connect with children and young adults.  Incorporating the horses and mules from the ranch invites the reader to connect on a personal level.  Brandy’s goal is to have a character development series that can be utilized by school districts nationwide. 

Adventures at Von Holten Ranch/KTM

Character Development Lesson:  The Power of One Positive Person

Released in October of 2018.  Within three months it was in all 50 states and four countries!

Meet KTM the main lesson horse at Von Holten Ranch!  Listen to him as he takes you through his life journey from childhood, a world championship, and proving he is good enough to become a lesson horse.  His life’s mission is to help children fall in love with horses to ensure the safety of future generations.  He might be one horse, but he believes in the POWER OF ONE!

Adventures at Von Holten Ranch/JoJo

Character Development Lesson:  Differences are Strengths

Released in January 23^rd of 2020; by February 29^th just one month and 6 days later it was in all 50 states.  This is less than half the time of Brandy’s first book.

JoJo is a mule with many quirks and oddities!  He struggles to find his own way in life as he figures out his strengths.  Come along as he joins the herd at Von Holten Ranch and transforms from a misfit to a champion in the hearts of many.  JoJo faces numerous difficulties and prejudices with looking different than a horse.  He is sure to win you over with his humor and positive attitude!  JoJo finds his true calling in the sport of mounted archery!

Adventures at Von Holten Ranch/Chalkboard

Character Development Lesson:  Your Past Does Not Define You 

Scheduled for release Summer 2020

Chalkboard had a rough childhood and had to learn to take care of herself.  Join her on a journey of becoming a working member of the herd at Von Holten Ranch.  She struggles to learn how to trust again and overcome her childhood.  Chalkboard may appear as strong as steel, but underneath her tough outer     emotional shell she has a gentle side that has been guarded too long.   Watch Chalkboard let go of her inner emotional prison and transform into the horse she was destined to become.   

Adventures at Von Holten Ranch/Glamour

Character Development Lesson:  Your size does not define you!

Scheduled for release Fall 2020

Adventures at Von Holten Ranch/Peppercorn

Character Development Lesson:  Bullies need the most love.  Hurt people, hurt people.  Peppercorn’s book will also address anger displacement.

Scheduled for release Fall 2021

Adventures at Von Holten Ranch/CoCo

Character Development Lesson:  Not all scars are visible.

Scheduled for release Fall 2022

Presenting the KTM Award!  This is to celebrate others making a difference in the world! Contact Von Holten Ranch to nominate individuals you witnessed making a positive impact on the world! No good deed is too small to be acknowledged. 

Each winner will receive a certificate and be listed on this website.  Each award winner will also be featured on the Trail Talk blog and in the eNewsletter titled Country Tough Times.

Send nominations to vonholtenranch@yahoo.com Please include their name, age, and an explanation of their action and/or contribution to making the world a better place.

(Attach flier)

(Attach previous winners)

Brandy Von Holten will come to you for one on one or small group training and start from ground zero.  This is an extensive personal training including grooming, hauling, tack, groundwork, unwritten cowboy codes, psychology of equine, hoof care, feeding regimen, mounting, horsemanship with a focus on using your body, your legs, and your hands, emergency preparedness, yearly vaccines, deworming, trail/rider etiquette, and everything you need to know to become a good leader. 

Monday-Thursday or Friday-Sunday scheduling options. 

Inquire about pricing at vonholtenranch@yahoo.com

Our horseback riding lessons are for beginners to advanced, all ages from three through adult.  If you’ve always wanted to try horseback riding, we have classes designed for you!  Toddlers can become comfortable around horses.  Older children and adults can learn riding basics with lessons tailored to their level of comfort.  We have both group and private lessons so you can try it out with your friends or on your own.

Students need to purchase their own helmets after their fifth lesson.

Lesson notes need to be logged by students.  This is instrumental in the learning process.  You can either purchase a training logbook from the ranch or you can use your own version.

Lessons are by appointment – students MUST call to set up scheduled time. 

All lessons can either be on Von Holten Ranch’s horses/mules, or on your horse/mule.

Some of the Skills Offered:

• Groundwork
• Confidence building
• Leadership
• Competition readiness
• Equine care and tack maintenance
• Trail riding
• Beginner roping
• Obstacles
• Ranch riding
• Ranch dressage
• Mounted archery, complete tack and equipment available

Pricing

• 1 hour private:  $40
• 1 hour with 2 students:  $35 per person per hour
• 1 hour with 3 students:  $30 per person per hour
• Lead Line Only (all ages):  grooming and being led while mounted $30/30 minutes
• Private Half Day Clinic/3 hours (4-6 participants):  $400
• Private Day Clinic/6 hours (up to 12 participants):
  • On-site at Von Holten Ranch:  $1,000
  • Off-site:  $1,250 (additional travel expenses may apply)

Coming Soon

The Mounted Archery Beginner Training Manual will help you form a solid foundation in the great sport of mounted archery.  This is an interactive training manual that has progress tracking, areas for notes, and pictures to help guide you when you are practicing alone.

This manual will be available in Summer 2020 and can be purchased on the Country Tough Mercantile site.

Brandy Von Holten is selective about the equine she takes into training. 

Option 1:  Pre-riding Training:  Groundwork, desensitizing all from ground, saddle readiness, trailer loading, picking up hooves, grooming, leading, obstacles from the ground, and/or being ponied.

Option 2:  Riding:  Horses or mules with solid foundation accepted for advanced training, including focus on “Spring tune-up”, trail, obstacles, mounted archery, ranch dressage, and/or general riding.  No “outlaw” equine and/or initial breaking.  Brandy will refer you to another professional for this service.

$650 per month, includes boarding and all feed/hay

Owners are also required to purchase an equine logbook.  The training provided by Brandy will be documented and provided to the owner via the equine logbook.  Equine logbooks are $35 and available at the ranch.