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HoofPrints Newsletter
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August 13, 2012
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ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THIS NEWSLETTERFarriers Greeting Cards was started by Gina Keesling in 1986 (in a very small way) to provide helpful promotional materials for farrier husband Rob. Along the way we became HoofPrints.com, too, adding a selection of fun horse and dog products geared toward women of a certain age. 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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FINALLY! The Blacksmith Calendar is finished.Thanks to everyone who stuck with me as I wrung my hands through this one. It's always a little scary to take on a project after someone else who's done it well. I was able to keep moving forward, thanks to everyone's encouragement and help along the way. The last two pages were the hardest (NOT shown above) - there was an extra spread after December - so no holiday to theme it around, etc. Here's some of what I came up with:
 "In reviewing hundreds of images from a variety of sources, I was stunned at the similarities of the faces - century old and modern came to look the same. This was my first year to attempt to repeat what my friend Gill started over a dozen years ago; I am so appreciative of all the kind and encouraging words offered to me by the blacksmithing community. And I am honored at the confidence placed in my abilities by folks I've never met. As I spent many an hour looking at all these old pictures, it seemed even the men and women in the pictures were cheering me on, too, as I endeavored to share their legacies.
Shown on the left is Bill Miller of Rochester, Washington. Bill's a longtime horseshoer, and a Farriers' Greeting Card customer since our beginning. He started shoeing horses in 1947 and continues doing so to this very day. Bill graciously loaned me his entire collection of vintage photos for consideration on this calendar project. Next to him is an unknown blacksmith, a lookalike for sure, from a hundred year old postcard.
The calendar is at the printer now, and should be completed and shipping to those who pre-orderd within a few days. If you've not already ordered, you can do so here.
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 UNSOLICITED ADVICE - ANNOUNCEMENT #1: If you post a cool picture the internet - PUT YOUR CONTACT INFO ON IT! Shown here is a cropped version of a lovely photo that showed up on my Facebook newsfeed a few weeks ago. It had been posted by another commercial page, but they were not the owner. I thought it would make a nice addition to the Blacksmith Calendar February page (being Valentine's month and all...) so I set about finding the source. It was NOT easy as the page that originally had copied and posted it did not respond to my inquiries. We resorted to searching the entire web - as Facebook itself doesn't have an image search mechanism. Finally, we located Mr Steve Fleetwood of Leeds, UK. Steve had originally made these shoes as a wedding gift and is a bit surprised at all the attention they're getting. You can see a larger version of Steve's picture here - and see how we fit it into the calendar here.
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UNSOLICITED ADVICE: ANNOUNCEMENT #2
What to do with Raptors in the yard... There's never a dull moment around HoofPrints. Here's a picture of a young Redtail hawk that I rescued from the dogs. This guy was flying low, circling like they do, over the pasture. My Jack Russell Lucy went running out there, and I thought for a minute he was going to go after her. Then the Labs went in pursuit as the hawk swooped around the front of the house. When I got around where I could see, the hawk was on the ground on it's back with it's wings spread wide, motionless. Dogs were going bananas around it. Try leading 3 excited dogs with two hands! It took some doing, but I got them all put up so the bird was safe. It was quite an experience. Very strange - he (or she) seemed so calm - almost serene. It just stood there for the longest time looking at me... and I was only a few feet away, sitting on the ground. I took a lot of pictures until the hawk quietly spread it's wings and flew away. I posted the pictures on facebook and quickly received this informative comment from my friend Linda, who actually has apprenticed in falconry:  Oh, Dear. It is a young Redtail hawk. The mortality rate for 1st year redtails is over 70% under the best of circumstances. With the drought there is a shortage of food, i.e. grasshoppers, mice, voles and rabbits. Always call a wildlife rehab org if you see one down. If you are able to get close, something is very, very wrong. Once they get weak from lack of food (and water), it never ends well unless humans step in. To safely handle it in order to take it to safety until help arrives, wear heavy leather gloves, throw a towel or t-shirt over the head until it quiets, (if its eyes are covered they become very still), and approaching from behind push the wings against the body, and making sure to keep the eyes covered lift it and take it to safety. A dark covered space is best, like a box or plastic tub with airholes. Always keep the talons pointed away from your body, don't carry it up against you! Anything touches the feet, those weapons of mass destruction clamp closed like a bear trap! :>) But if you keep the head covered so the eyes cannot see anything, he won't use the beak at all. So sad. I had my apprenticeship as a falconer years ago, but was never able to finish due to health problems. I love them so much and have seen so many raptors dying or dead this year. Breaks my heart. Whenever you see one be sure and send a prayer and a wish of "Good Hunting, Godspeed" out to it."Another facebook friend, who lives on the other side of the state (Indiana) commented that someone she knew also had posted a photo of a large hawk that had landed on the ground and appeared to be unafraid of people. She later reported that he was unhurt and eventually flew away on his own.
 Here's another picture of the young Redtail hawk taken as he flew away after being caught by our dogs. We saw him again the next day - that time flying much higher - so maybe he'll make it. Only on facebook can you tell a story/post a photo and get comments from someone who has a similar story and photo, info and instructions from someone with actual experience in the field, and a link to an awesome local website with a wealth of relevant information and resources ( that's here ) There are some additional pictures in HoofPrints' facebook album here - be sure to "Like" our page if you haven't already so you'll be notified of updates.
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UNSOLICITED ADVICE: ANNOUNCEMENT #3
Concerning Older Women Riding: If you love horses and love to ride, don't stop. I know you're busy - Make time to go to the barn. Saddle up and ride around - even if it's just for a little while at a walk. We all have those days where we feel tired - and it's tempting to use that barn time to get caught up on other projects... All sorts of bad things happen if you let yourself get out of the habit of knowing what it feels like to be on the back of a horse. Your body AND your mind may betray you. Things get harder physically, and scarier mentally. I've heard over and over from women of all ages who've stopped riding for a myriad of reasons - and then struggled when they tried to go back to the way things were. And you're never to old... Here's a little inspiration:Shown above is Last of the Saddle Tramps - the warm and humorous story of a humble American heroine bound for adventure on horseback - written in her own words; a matter-of-fact account of a practical woman on a mission. If you ever feel unconfident and discouraged concerning your interactions with your horses... this is the book for you. No one told this gal that she needed to condition herself and her horse before attempting such a trek. Never mind that she hadn't even ridden in 30 years. She went to a local stable and bought a bargain horse from a rental string. No one told her to choose a breed that would be tough and have endurance for such a long trip - but her description of her new mount sounds like an old-time Morgan. No one told her that she needed special tack for such an arduous journey - and she used what she had; an artillery saddle that was older than she was! She prepared herself, her mount, and her equipment as best she could - and set out to leave Maine in November. Read how this decidedly unglamorous, rather portly woman (dressed in men's clothes) traverses the United States, and ultimately ends up in California. You will be inspired. To order click here. Check out the American Cowgirl blog - a tribute to the spirit of women and horses. And not just young women in sparkly spandex doing athletic things... Indiana has a special Red Hat Society for horsewomen. They are a large, very active group that does a lot of fun things together. Their website is here.
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UNSOLICITED ADVICE: ANNOUNCEMENT #4 How to manage fear: (hint - it's not what you think) And who better to learn from that a woman who's been teaching for 50+ years?! These are books written by a horsewoman who's got, quite literally, horses and teaching in her blood. Gincy Self Bucklin is the daughter of Margaret Cabell Self, renowned riding teacher and author of numerous books on horses and riding. Mrs. Self started her public riding facility in 1929; Gincy began assisting in her mother's riding program when she was 12, and has continued to teach for the next 50 years! A great deal of Gincy's teaching centers around managing something that many women riders (myself included) struggle with. Fear. And her writings are not just repackaged ways of telling you to buck up and deal with it. There's a lot of science behind the mechanism by which we humans and horses transmit our emotions back and forth. And learning about how it all happens is certainly the first step in solving any problems. Here's an excerpt concerning muscular telepathy and fear: At one time or another, all of us have experienced the way horses seem to pick up on our emotions, especially when we are nervous. People will say things like "They can smell your fear," and assume there is nothing we can do about it. Perhaps horses do smell your fear, especially if you're terrified, but transmitting emotions is actually a physical occurrence, and one that can be controlled. It is dependent on two phenomena, one observed and one scientifically researched. The observed phenomenon I call muscular telepathy. The best way to understand it is to think of a school of fish, all scooting along at high speed. Suddenly they all turn almost simultaneously and shoot off in another direction. How did they do that? Obviously the lead fish didn't say to the next fish, "At the big rock I'm going to turn right and go up. Pass it on." No. Something occurs at some deep level in the fishes' brains that enables their bodies to pick up muscle signals from the other fish...
This phenomenon works between species just as well as it does within the species. That is, you and your horse communicate at the muscular level. For example, it has been shown that if a trainer has some serious muscular limitation, such as fused vertebrae in her lower back, the horses she trains will all have rigid backs in the same area.
The second, scientific phenomenon was discovered comparatively recently. It was always thought that emotions originated in the brain and were transmitted to the body as various physical tensions or expressions. Now scientists know the transmission is the other way around. That is, the body observes something through the senses and reacts accordingly. The brain processes this reaction and interprets it as fear, anger, joy, or whatever. Putting these two things together, we realize that if you are fearful, the horse's body, through muscular telepathy, will pick up the tensions in your body associated with fear. His brain will then also interpret those tensions, now in himself, as fear - and suddenly you're both in trouble.
"So" you might say, "now I know that the horse and I can scare each other without meaning to. But what good is that knowledge do me?" Simple. Just as there are muscular patterns for fear and insecurity, there are also muscular patterns for confidence. All you have to do is put your body in "confident mode," and not only will your fear dissipate, but so will your horse's. If this sounds like magic, it really isn't and it has proved itself over and over with my students and their horses, some of whom had serious hurdles to surmount."
-excerpt from More How Your Horse Wants You To Ride
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Unique Sterling Silver Jewelry on CLOSEOUT This Entwined Heart Necklace is just beautiful - the craftsmanship is awesome - It's 3D and is carved on both side - the chain feeds through the center of the heart. They are heavy, and have a very expensive feel to them. We've marked them down for quick sale - only one pair of earrings left so hurry if you're interested. Please note that the necklace is on a 16" chain - NOT the customary 18" - so it fits more like a choker. See all our closeouts here
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Three NEW Collectable Girly Horse Sculptures from Enesco
Last time we announced the arrival of 2 Enesco sculptures. A third showed up shortly after that, so here it is! Enesco is known for their high quality collectables. These horse figurines are the first two in a series of several and just became available last week. They're smallish, and a little pricey, but have the look of fine porcelain and are detailed the best - you can see them here
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UPDATE -
COFFEE & DOG HAIR - I Never Leave Home Without Them - MUG
We talked about this last time - our first shipment sold out quickly and now we can't get more until the end of September! If you're still interested in ordering this apparently highly-coveted travel mug, you can reserve on our website here.
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RECAP - From the last newsletter
Here's what we talked about last time:
Rustic Wood BLACKSMITH SHOP sign here
Sleeping Angel Puppy on CLOSEOUT here
Man's Best Friend Framed Stamp Print sale here
Lorenzo Horse Training Book hereGina's disaster of minor proportions story here
Good selection Farrier Textbooks here
Horsewoman's Hair Control hereNEW Breyer Pink Horses hereI Train Horses to Eat Carrots Hoodie sold out at manufacturer - we have some left here Horsewoman's Balm saves hands hereRevisiting a favorite: The Horse Boy book herePAST NEWSLETTERS - see what you missed!
To catch up on the news, click here
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ON CLOSEOUT
Salt & Pepper Dogs
Only $8.95 for the set here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
Breyer Pink Stablemate
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WHAT'S NEW?
Hold Your Horses T
See our T-shirt selection here! |
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CHECK IT OUT!
SALE on Summer T's
BIG sale on Cool Summer weight Horsey T-shirts less than $10 each here! |
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ for Horsewomen ~
Horsewoman's Long Tall List of Things to Do here
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WHAT'S NEW?
A Big Little Life
A memoir of a joyful dog named Trixie here |
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WHAT'S ON SALE?
Paw Print Tissue
Unique gift packaging HALF PRICE here |
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WHAT'S ON SALE?
Horse & Buggy Days
Framed Blacksmith print by Paul Detlefsen here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
Horse Coaster Set
Wood Framed Ceramic Horse Sense Coasters here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
A Dog's Journey
Sequel to best-seller A Dog's Purpose here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
Spiritual Book
Desiderata for Horse Lovers makes a great gift! order here |
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WHAT'S NEW?
~ Christian Book ~
The Invisible Woman - When Only God Sees here |
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WHAT'S NEW!
Underwater Dogs
Order your 2013 calendar here |
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FREE with every order
Inspirational Bookmark
Features inspirational verses & photo of author Tom Moates. See it here |
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Message
We LOVE hearing from our customers. You can contact HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling via email at gina@hoofprints.com |
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Find us on facebook
Be sure to LIKE our facebook page - it's where we announce special sales, breaking news and everything else we find interesting. To see it go here |
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Our Current Catalog
Request your copy of HoofPrints Spring Catalog by clicking here |
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Share our emails
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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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