HoofPrints Newsletter
September 26, 2011 - More New Stuff Issue
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In case your wondering... here's a report on the "Boobies Newsletter"
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well, as I suspected, the phrase "Tits to the sky!" did not sit well with some
|  folks. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, click here to catch up.)
However, for the most part I received positive comments from those who thought that my comments on posture were worthwhile and that the story I referred to was pretty funny.
Of course, as a marketer, I always wonder what the thoughts are of folks who DON'T take the time to comment either way. This is a serious consideration, as I've gone down the path more than once - trying to accommodate a clamoring minority that did NOT represent a good cross section of the rest of you all.
With that said, the Boobies Newsletter had the highest open rate that we've had in months. And probably the highest click rate ever. So this tells me that even if folks were disapproving of the subject line, they still clicked on it to see what it was all about. And the unsubscribe/ spam complaint rates did NOT increase from previous editions, so it's safe to assume that once folks got to the actual newsletter, they did not find it offensive enough to request that we stop sending subsequent issues. Interesting stuff. And thanks to everyone who sent their comments - both positive and negative. Shown here is our Horse Goddess Pendant. For a naked gal riding a horse wielding a dagger, she was received remarkably well! We've got a shipment of those due in shortly so those of you who ordered will see yours soon.
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New Christmas Cards for this season
| May your Hoofprints lead you home for Christmas
|  Each year we try to come up with at least a few new holiday card designs . This year I am particularly proud of the results. Shown at the top is the lovely horseshoe gate photo by Montana photographer Allen Russell. We asked for wording ideas back in this newsletter, and subscriber Ruth Lancaster came forth with a lovely verse:
When your journey's long and your day is late Look forward to our welcome gate Come in and share some Christmas cheer - We wish the best for your New Year
Below that is equine photographer Karen Patterson's miniature horse Scooter, asking "Is it too late to be good?" Karen tells me that Scooter is every bit as naughty as he looks. He was an orphan baby with some serious health issuees. As a youngster he was allowed to come in the house with his foster (human) mom, and developed quite a sense of entitlement. Like many orphans, Scooter now has the challenge before him of learning to behave like a horse. In the meantime, his main job is that of photographic model, which he's mastered quite well.
To see this, and the rest of our Christmas cards, click here.
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NEW Freeze Dried Hoof Model
| These make a great teaching aid for farriers, vets, etc
|  It's an actual freeze dried horse's hoof, pastern, and part of fetlock. It's sawn in half vertically - one half is untrimmed, and the other is trimmed - to show the contrast between the two. Also useful for study of the internal structures; the coffin bone, navicular bone and related soft tissue are readily visible. An excellent time-saving tool for explaining not only anatomy, but also the mechanics of hoof trimming. It's hinged in the front and secures shut with a brass hook at the heel.
Also, not to be alarmist, but if you're wanting a Founder/Normal hybrid hoof, we have just ONE left in stock and will not be getting any more for several months. To see these and our other anatomy specimens, click here.
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New version of an old favorite
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Horse Woman Wool Flap Hat
|  These are all the rage in ski country. This one is made specially for us in Vermont, USA of finest quality wool. It's fully lined inside with soft, itch-free fleece. This flap hat is the perfect solution for work in the barn on cold days. It keeps your ears covered and toasty warm, without interfering with your peripheral vision like a hood does.
When working around horses, especially loose ones in a group, it's important to know where everybody is all the time - for safety reasons. And there's that jaunty little tassel on the top - too cool! Hand wash and dry flat.
Our newest version is a lovely chocolate brown and features galloping horses knitted into the design. To order click here
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THEY'RE BACK! HoofPrint Magnets
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We told the rather long story about procuring the perfect hoofprint here
|  and we had developed this cute set of hoofprint magnets using the same artwork. But there was trouble with the magnets. No matter how we explained what they were, and carefully described what they were made of (flexible vinyl) some folks ordered them and were disappointed that they were not made of embossed METAL! And not just one person, either. After a couple years of augmenting the description without much change, I finally gave up and took them out of the catalog. Even though it was technically the customer's fault for not reading the description, it just was not worth it to have folks be disappointed with something they purchased from us - for any reason.
Apparently it's one of those things that you look at and assume it's one way - so your brain doesn't register that it's something else, even though you're told otherwise. Part of the problem was that they were pretty pricey for vinyl - so folks were assuming they were getting something better than vinyl for the old price. But I think we've got that solved now. I found a different manufacturer that's given us a better price. I reduced the size slightly so that helps bring the cost down, too. So at .99 each (set of 12 - $9.95) I think it's more in line with what folks would expect to pay for this type of product. To see our complete selection of horsey signs, license plates AND magnets, click here.
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BUCK dvd tells story of famous clinician/trainer
| probably most of you saw The Horse Whisperer back when it came out in 1998
|  but many of you may not know that the plot was based loosely on the life of real life horseman Buck Brannaman.
This new documentary film debuted this summer only at select theaters, so most of you may not have had an opportunity to see it. BUCK is a richly textured and visually stunning film, following Buck Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach with horses. A real-life horse-whisperer, he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment. Buck possesses near magical abilities as he dramatically transforms horses - and people - with his understanding, compassion and respect.
It's a truly American story about an unsung hero and one of the most successful documentaries of the year, BUCK is about an ordinary man who has made an extraordinary life despite tremendous odds. To order click here.
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Horses & Hope Calendar project gains momentum
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HoofPrints partners with award winning photographer Sarah K. Andrew
|  I've raved about Sarah and her amazing pictures multiple times in the past. I am thrilled to announce that she's authorized us to produce a big, full color calendar using her auction horse images.
This calendar illustrates the remarkable accomplishments of a group of folks who saw a very big problem, and set about solving it. Each week, dozens of nice horses were being sold at an auction house. Trouble was, most nights there were more horses than bidders, and the bulk of the herd was being sold to the feedlot. These horses collected in a pen until there was a truckload, then, unfortunately they were "shipped".
Instead of sitting around complaining about how awful this is, a group of dedicated women jumped in and did something. Award-winning equine photographer Sarah K. Andrew makes time to photograph every horse sold to the feedlot. Volunteers evaluate the horses the best they can and a large network of horse people distribute photos and descriptions of the horses, from Facebook to feed stores. They work with the owner of the auction to resell the horses who didn't get a high enough bid to leave the sale. Since the effort began in November 2009, no horses have shipped to slaughter from the auction house, and well over 2,000 horses have been purchased out of the feedlot.
The photos in this calendar were taken of the horses at auction and in their new homes. 100% of the profits from the calendar sales will be donated to a dedicated fund with One Horse At a Time, Inc.; the funds will be used for the aid of horses in need.
Gina's note: The most astonishing thing about all these lovely photographs is how much "soul" you see in the horses. Shooting pictures in this environment is incredibly challenging. The lighting is bad. The animals are stressed and unpredictable. The quarters are cramped - it's hard to get far enough away and/or at the best angle. There's undesirable clutter in the background. The list goes on. But, you look at these - it's like Sarah's got angels helping her out. They're truly divinely inspired, and HoofPrints is proud to be a part of this project. These are in production now and will be ready in a few weeks. If you reserve yours now, it will let us project our quantities even more accurately, and get a better price from the printer - meaning even more profits going toward the horses. To order click here.
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Recap - From the last newsletter
| Here's what we talked about last time:
|  BARN Girl Bales again! here
Pink products for breast cancer research here
Protect this HORSE medallion here
NEW Hill Country purse & wallet here
Oh, What Fun it is to Ride T-shirt here
Trail Boss's Cowboy Cookbook here
Life is Short, Play with Your Dog here
Snuggly Turquoise Thermal Jacket here
KEEP CALM & HANG ON Sweatshirt here
Pink Heart Riding Gloves here
Copper HoofPrint & Bone Bracelet here
PAST NEWSLETTERS - See what you missed! Click HERE to catch up on the news.
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| More about HoofPrints - and miscellaneous ramblings from Gina | | Check out our NEW "GOOD STUFF" links at the bottom of this section! |  ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THIS NEWSLETTER
Farriers Greeting Cards was started by Gina Keesling in 1986 (in a very small way) to provide helpful promotional materials for farrier husband Rob. This newsletter is emailed to subscribers a few times a month, depending on how often I have something to share. Watch for special sales, interesting stories, uplifting quotes and more.
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This week's quote:
"A happy life is just a string of happy moments. But most people don't allow the happy moment, because they're so busy trying to get a happy life." from Abraham-Hicks publications -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Thanks everyone, for reading!
Gina Keesling, owner
Contact Information
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Share our emails
| Viral marketing... it sounds bad, doesn't it?
| You can ask my husband - a frequent topic around here is that of forwarded emails - and the psychology behind them - just WHAT prompts people to decide; "I am going to send this to everyone I know!".
We receive a lot of them. Some are pretty good, and others are dumb. Dumb in a myriad of ways... Alarmist email rumors that have been around forever - that folks keep sending "just in case it's true" Pictures of someone's butt (or worse) - don't even get me started about the firecracker butt - but at least that one was timely when it showed up around July 4. Christian messages that are uplifting - until you get to the end and you're threatened "if you're not ashamed that you love Jesus, forward this - if you are, then delete." Pictures of cute puppies and kittens (awww)
I enjoy writing these newsletters - and sharing all this stuff with you all. But the fact is, it's also a way to help us stay connected with customers and sell products during the time between catalog mailings (which is only once a year) So I really, really like it when someone new stumbles upon the newsletter and is excited to "discover" our company and the products we offer.
In all my efforts to make the newsletter interesting and forward-worthy - it never occurred to me to JUST ASK you all to send it! Duh. Sometimes the obvious is elusive, I guess. So here goes - my request to ask you to forward our email newsletter to your horsey friends. All we ask is that you please be judicious and only send to folks who might be interested. Otherwise we are no better than the "firecracker butt". Click to get started. (please note - using this form does NOT subscribe anyone to our list - it is a one-time only forward) |
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