Trail Talk – Page 2

January 27, 2019 By Brandy Von Holten

Country Tough Trail Versatility (CT2V) Kickoff Event is in the History Books

Country Tough Trail Versatility (CT2V) Kickoff Event is in the History Books
by Brandy Von Holten
Country Tough Trail Versatility (CT2V), which is a national association, had their first ever kickoff event July 14-15, 2018 in Mora, Missouri! Talk about a breath of fresh air! Finally, an association that is designed with safety and growth of the rider and equine placed as their top priority. Every competitor present rebooked for the events in August, September, October, or all three.
What is CT2V? CT2V is a versatility that has three elements of competition: ranch horsemanship pattern, obstacles without any points for time, and actual trail. The ranch horsemanship pattern ended up being the most difficult for the competitors, because many of the competitors had never competed in a pattern class before. In the rulebook that can be found at www.vonholtenranch.com under Country Tough Trail Versatility, the patterns are already assigned to each division. Competitors are catching on quickly and I have no doubt that come August, this will be one of the best classes to watch. The obstacle competition proved to be dead-on with the scope of the association. All obstacles were practical, straight forward, and a return to the cowboy. By not awarding points for speed, competitors were able to focus on the task at hand. The trail competition was everything and more than expected. Horses and mules enjoyed the trail in small groups. Every obstacle was natural uninterrupted terrain or maneuvers such as backing around a designated tree. The trail portion of the competition was a time filled with chatter and conversations of people getting to know one another that typically would not have happened at a competition.
In addition to the three competitions, the fun was unleashed with a little quirk! Cowboy Roulette!! Competitors entered an event that they were not aware of what would be required until signups were over. The winner took half! For the kickoff event, the theme for Cowboy Roulette was fishing. Competitors had to move a stuffed fish to a garbage can and then pick up a fishing pole with a magnet. A second fake fish had to be transferred from one bucket to another. The fastest time won!
CT2V is wanting to go above and beyond! The competitors were able to sign up for Equine Soccer. Half of the money went to a charity chosen by the winning team. The Show Me Christian Youth Home was selected for July. That charity was so happy to receive monetary assistance, that they even sent a thank you note.
Before this kickoff weekend, I believed in CT2V, but after the kickoff event, I now know without a doubt that CT2V was needed in the equine industry. It was needed by the equine and needed by the rider. On the entry form it says, “Realistic. Safe. Achievable. Fun. Affordable. Family Oriented.” CT2V was 110% every one of those descriptors.
Here are the first ever CT2V Versatility Champions and Reserve Champions:
Green Horn (equine with less than 10 competitions, no professional riders)
Champion: Erika Tanney from Spring Hill, KS
Reserve Champion: Sharon Philipps from Troy, MO

Wrangler (novice rider)
Champion: Kim Dieker from Lawrence, KS
Reserve Champion: Kathy O’Dell from Calhoun, MO

Bronc Buster (chooses to ride above Wrangler in CT2V)
Champion: Audra Lenhart from Ozark, MO
Reserve Champion: Andrea Caponetto from Olathe, KS

Trail Boss (advanced or professional rider)
Champion: Lisa Bitner from Villa Ridge, MO
Reserve Champion: Chelsea Stebbins from Douglas, KS

CT2V also offers a Youth Division and a Buckaroo Division (Lead Line). Although we did not end up with a versatility champion in the Youth Division, Caitlynn Reuter from Blairstown, MO won two first place ribbons.
The next CT2V competition is August 11-12, 2018 at Von Holten Ranch. Check us out on facebook at Von Holten Ranch.
Here are a few statements from the competitors that were present.
“When I left, I felt like competing in this will teach me how to train my horse to be versatile and do tasks that I need him to do in real life and since he has to be confident in trail, patterns, and real-life ranch obstacles, he won’t be just a one trick pony!”-Audra Lenhart
“This event was both challenging and rewarding for my horse and me. It is something I will definitely compete in again and encourage others to do so, too.”-Kathy O’Dell
“A fun and friendly atmosphere while working with your horse to see how versatile they truly can be with a willing mind.”-Chelsea Stebbins
Photo credits: Megan Acklin from Mora, MO.

January 27, 2019 By Brandy Von Holten

Training Your Mule for Mounted Archery

Training Your Mule for Mounted Archery
By Brandy Von Holten
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 saddle without a horn. You are at a full canter. You pull your arrow with your right hand out of your quiver, load your arrow onto your bow string, lock it in with your thumb (yes, I said thumb), all by touch without taking your eyes off the target. You draw, release, and the crowd cheers as you score a bullseye! If you noticed, I never mentioned your reins. That is because you are cantering without them! Welcome to mounted archery!!!!
There is an alley way that varies in width between 2 to 4 meters. The narrower the alley way, the better your mule will stay straight. However, I have seen horses go through the alley way, so you will want to make sure and construct your lane with a break away rope.
Until this year, all mounted archery had to be done at a canter. If your equine slowed to a trot for even one stride, that would constitute a disqualification. As of this year, a walk and a trot division have been added, however, there are no prizes awarded for walk or trot other than your name being listed on an international ranking found at www.horsebackarchery.info
Getting my mule, JoJo, to stay straight while we were going down the alley way was originally difficult for him. You see, I have trained my equine to be sensitive to body cues. With every command there are three levels: ask, tell, and demand. For example, when turning to the left the first step is to look to the left, making sure to not have weight going left. This is the “ask”. The “tell” is done next by placing the right calve on the mule while you are still looking the direction of travel. If the mule has not moved, it is time for the “demand” which is the use of reins.
In mounted archery, I basically had to teach my mule to not listen to my typical commands since I am twisting on top of him. There are three basic types of shots: forward, side, and back shot. Now, of course, there are specialty shots, but for most purposes there are three main shots. Now, here is the crazy fact: the forward and back shots are actually side shots with the archer positioning themselves correctly.
All equine are capable to learning, and with mounted archery I had to put a second set of rules on my mule. Before we canter I have started reaching down and grabbing his withers and giving him a specific verbal cue. I have done that for months now and he understands that when I do this his job is to stay at a constant speed and travel straight. Verbal cues are great for mounted archery. When you are putting a verbal cue on any equine, you must be consistent. Do not be a chatter box while in the saddle. This will make it noticeable and clear to your equine.
Not all mules are designed for mounted archery, just as not all mules are designed to pull a cart or barrel race. Seek out a mounted archery instructor and look up MA3 at www.mountedarchery.com , which is the only mounted archery association recognized by the International Horse Archers Alliance in the United States. Von Holten Ranch has created an entire line of mounted archery equipment and has plans already in action to become a hub for mounted archery in the United States.
JoJo and I are paving the way for other mules to join in the fun of mounted archery. In April 2018, I became the first person in the world to be ranked in mounted archery on a mule. Not bad for a mule that had to be repossessed and was formally known as Repo Joe, before being called JoJo!

January 27, 2019 By Brandy Von Holten

The Simple Genetics of a Mule

The Simple Genetics of a Mule
By Brandy Von Holten
Every species has a specific number of chromosomes. Chromosomes are that specific organism’s genetic combination between each parent. Every living creature has genetic information which is called DNA. Not only animals, but plants do, too. Black Mulberry’s have 308 chromosomes, carrots have 18, bats have 44, asparagus have 30, earthworms have 36, humans have 46, horses have 64, and donkeys have 62.
Now there are exceptions to the rules everywhere. There is a subspecies of horse called a Przewalski’s Horse that is native to central Asia that has 66 chromosomes. Zebras have between 32 and 46 chromosomes depending upon the species.
Chromosome number counts can change a couple of different ways. Sometimes miracles happen and children with Down Syndrome are born with a chromosome number count of 47. Sometimes hybrids can occur if species are so closely related that their species can mate. This is the exact case with a mule.
A horse has 64 chromosomes, but only half of those chromosomes will be passed on to their offspring. This means that the egg from the fertile mare has 32 chromosomes. A donkey has 62 chromosomes, but only half of those chromosomes will be passed to their offspring. This means that the sperm from the fertile male donkey, a jack, has 31 chromosomes. When the 32 chromosomes and the 31 chromosomes combine, a mule is created with a chromosome number count of 63. A hinny also has a chromosome number count of 63, just as a mule. However, the role of the horse and donkey are reversed. A hinny is a combination of a female donkey, a jenny, and a male horse, a stallion.
With a mule and a hinny having 63 chromosomes, that number cannot be evenly divided into whole numbers which is needed in sexual reproduction. This is the reason mules and hinnies are sterile. Even though they are sterile, a female still comes into heat and a male can be gelded. Even though mules are sterile, chromosomal abnormalities happen that result in a mule being able to reproduce. But this is so rare, that when it does happen, pictures go up like wildfire in magazines and social media.
Nature has been able to create a gift for humans through the wonders of genetic combinations that continues to find its place in our hearts. Just as combining two gases like hydrogen and oxygen creates a cool and refreshing liquid we need for survival called water; horses and donkeys create an animal that has been proven to be limitless.

January 27, 2019 By Brandy Von Holten

Riding With Grandkid’s From a Competitive Grandpa

Riding with Grandkid’s from a competitive Grandpa

By Bill Hachmeister and Brandy Von Holten

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), because of his thorough thought process skills, his dedication to improvement, and his role as both a competitor and a grandparent to competitive grandchildren. After this sentence, I will hand this article over to someone I admire and respect, Bill Hachmeister.

I was born and raised on a farm in Western Kansas and remember riding my pony as a child. Prince would take me anywhere I wanted to go, fishing, riding the river, into the woods and even downtown to my Mom’s business. I would tie Prince up in the alley and go into Mom’s store to get a dime so I could buy a Coke. It never failed, when I would come out, Prince was gone, always to be found back at the barn gate, about a mile away, waiting to get in. One day, when I was about 8, I came out to see him trotting away. In my pursuit, one of the small town’s people asked me if I needed help catching him. I responded “Nope, I am trying to see if I can beat him home.”

That’s the way life was for me, whether it was competing in 4H showing cattle and my quarter horse, playing high school sports, college baseball or competitive softball on a national level. The competitive ache was always there. Still at 60+ years of age, when it comes time to compete on a high level I kick it up a notch, my horse Beau feels it and is ready to join the fun. I have learned to tune it down many notches when competing locally and helping my Grandkid’s riding and competing.

Having Grandchildren is a blast. My now 11 year old Granddaughter Kiley wanted to ride horses at the age of 6. We tried many disciplines of riding, from learning barrel racing, showmanship, to dressage. Nothing seemed to fit and Kiley was ready to give up on horse riding until we came across obstacle racing competition. She was hooked and so was I.

After 35 years of not riding a horse, I thought that I could do this too. My riding “restart” happened 4 years ago, which seems like yesterday. Little did I know what trail this adventure was going to lead us down. We now own 5 horses, 3 of which are used as equine therapy horses, at Hope and Healing Academy.

My Grandson Corbin, at the age of 2, participated in a couple lead line events where I led him in a circle and everyone gets a First Place Blue Ribbon. On his 3rd birthday I surprised him by entering him in a lead line obstacle competition at Von Holten Ranch. He too, is hooked. He likes to trot, which makes Grandpa really work to keep up but it keeps me young at heart.

I have always been a firm believer in setting the bar high and using all resources to obtaining the set goals. Even though I was finishing competitions well, I wasn’t happy with my performance. I felt like I was plowing through obstacle competitions and Kiley had learned some bad habits that needed to be corrected. We turned to Cindy Branham of Rockin RC Horsemanship to learn to ride properly. I have learned that riding should be easier. We are working hard at not working so hard. Cindy’s guidance is teaching Kiley, and me, the fine points of riding by using our seat, legs, posture, and hands properly. If I had only learned this as a child it would be so much easier today.

I felt like we were becoming one dimensional riders and our horses were becoming one dimensional horses. We needed to expand our disciplines. I was really excited when Brandy Von Holten, of Von Holten Ranch, approached me to be a board member for her new national organization Country Tough Trail Competition (CT2V). This national organization is composed of 3 disciplines. 1: Ranch Horsemanship 2: Obstacles 3: Natural Trail Obstacles. Scoring is given in each discipline to determine the overall winner. In order to be competitive in CT2V Ranch Horsemanship, Cindy Branham is teaching Kiley, and me, skills she uses in training herself for Working Equitation competitions. Wow what a difference I see in Kiley and myself.

The last 5 years have brought tears, sweat, blood, concussions, broken bones and surgeries caused from horse riding and competing. Along with this comes the love of Kiley and Corbin forming bonds with their horses, other riders, and Grandparent’s. It is something that can only be obtained by being involved in their life. Yes, it’s hard to get up before the sun rises and drive to a competition before the crack of dawn. All the efforts put into Kiley and Corbin’s relationships will be remembered and appreciated long after I am gone.

I urge Grandparent’s to take their kids riding, rent a horse for a day, lease a horse, or buy a horse. Get involved in your Grandchild’s life. It doesn’t have to be on a competitive nature. Some of our best times are on the trail bonding and building relationships by being together in nature while supporting each other. Once you take the first trail ride, with your younger generation, you will be hooked.

January 27, 2019 By Brandy Von Holten

How My Mother Influenced My Riding

How My Mother Influenced My Riding
By Brandy Von Holten
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, she would ride him and make him mind. My mom always took the worst horse and I never remember seeing her hit the ground. She even had a horse named Dolly May, because “Dolly May Buck”, you just never knew. My mom, Marsha Smith, has seen me cry from hitting the ground, make mistake after mistake, and let me make horrible decisions because I was not going to listen and needed to learn them on my own. Those hard lessons have now proven themselves to be invaluable.
Now that my mother is getting older, the only riding she does is on my horses. Now, I take the worst horse and if one misbehaves I get on and handle the situation. Our roles have switched, but I owe everything to my mother. Her grit and passion allowed us to have horses throughout my childhood. Her passion is evident today as she honors my deceased niece, Kaytlynn Marie Vaughn, by caring for Santana, Kaytlynn’s Arabian horse.