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HoofPrints Newsletter
June 20, 2014


No coupons, no codes, just $5.99 shipping on all orders! Just place an order of any size and your shipping is only $5.99. This is a savings of up to $19.95. Limited time offer ends soon so order now!

All Greeting Cards on Sale - HALF PRICE!  
All fall/winter we take calls from budget-minded farriers and other equine professionals - trying to decide if it's worth the cost to send Christmas cards to their clients. If you're one of those - now might be the time to reconsider.

Anyone who has been getting this newsletter for very long probably has noticed that we aren't doing big sale promotions every time you turn around. We pretty much need to sell everything at regular price in order to stay in business. We are not Wal-Mart, and we hope that low prices are not the reason folks shop with us.
 
However, when we DO have sales, I try to make them memorable. And this one falls into that category, I hope. A special reward for those out there who are clever enough to anticipate how many cards they might need at Christmas time, AND organized enough to REMEMBER that they've already purchased them and WHERE they put them. That's not me. But I know you folks exist - I've heard stories...
 
This glorious sale ends June 30, some of the card designs are low inventory and will NOT be reprinted, so make your selections early. To see them click here.

Shown above is one of the all-time favorite FARRIER cards; HO! HO! HO!. It's one of the very first created, and it showcases in a somewhat humorous light the "dark" side of farriery. We all know that yelling "HO!" at a difficult horse is probably not the most effective way to convince him to hold still, but people do it anyway. This one depicts an escalating mele� between horse and farrier with a batman-esque altercation at the end.

Hammering out a greeting card
Here's another farriers' favorite: "Hammering Out A Christmas Greeting"
The photograph by Laura Cotterman - a farrier's wife. Laura waited until her husband was out of town - so she could use his anvil and tools as props! The result is this lovely card with cookies and mil waiting for Santa on the anvil. See them at the bottom of the page here

Also, PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE read carefully the wording options available for the insides of the cards when you order. The website defaults to withOUT "thank you for your business" - but some cards are ONLY available WITH this option, so if you click those, that's what you're going to get. Rejoice! and Peace on Earth are 2 examples of cards that are ONLY available WITH thank you. To get started click here
I am down to the LAST FEW of JUST A LITTLE DONKEY
The publisher has discontinued this favorite Christmas card that features a lovely verse by Rita S. Beer. I don't know Rita - but I'd bet that she's a horse/donkey person based on one line in this poem: 
"I gladly carried Mary through the chaos of the crowd."
Only someone who's worked with equines would know to note how significant it is that the donkey carried Mary safely through what must have been a very scary situation. Consider what it would be like now, if we were all required to travel somewhere far away to pay our taxes in person. Considering all the grumbling that is heard around tax time - the IRS is probably pretty wise to allow us to do it by mail!
Just a LIttle Donkey card
Just a little donkey, 
but on my back I bore 
The one and only Savior 
the world was waiting for.

Just a little donkey, 
but I was strong and proud- 
I gladly carried Mary 
through the chaos of the crowd.

I brought her to a stable 
where she made a tiny bed... 
A place for Baby Jesus 
to lay His little head.

I pray the world remembers 
that special Christmas night 
when just a little donkey 
carried Heaven's Precious Light.

See all the Christmas cards here. 

Floral Cap
Revisiting Hair control ideas for horsewomen After spending the winter with my ears covered by a headband or hat (after all these years I finally listened to my mom and covered my ears) - it's warm enough I can go without. Except every year I forget how annoying all that flyaway hair can be.
How come we never see the long-tressed women in the  action/western movies with bits of their own hair stuck in their eyes and mouth? At my house, you're in the middle of an important task - both hands engaged - and the wind picks up a big clump of hair and deposits it right over your eyes so you can't see what you're doing. Or you open your mouth to say something, and hair blows in. Grrr.
The chin-length bob that looked pretty cute after I chopped off my long pony tail (story here - click 3rd picture for details) defies containment. It's too short to pull back. Too long to tolerate unfettered. Enter the solution: the lowly baseball cap. It contains all those flyaways AND shades your eyes from the sun. If your hair's long enough for a ponytail, there's an opening above the fastener that's just the right placement to poke it through. We've got several caps designed just for women - smaller cut, lighter weight, and stylish. No Elmer Fudd bills, either. Feminine and utilitarian at the same time - while making a horsey statement.
Floral cap side view We had some folks asking about how the back of this floral cap closed. It's got a suede strap and buckle arrangement. Shown here is the floral cotton chintz cap - complete with genuine SUEDE bill. We've embroidered it with our fiery wild mare logo. To see the complete ladies cap selection click here

Billy before and after
IT'S BEEN OVER 5 YEARS! What an adventure this has been... a few years ago on vacation I hatched a kooky scheme to "rescue" a tired trail horse
and I never imagined where that path would take me. For those who've not kept up with the story of Billy, the tired South Dakota trail horse, the beginning is here.

I was reflecting back - on all the things I have learned - and am amazed at the fact that I have been so influenced in this past year by the happenings surrounding an old, battered, used up trail horse that I rode on vacation. I learned:

1. Expect the best from people - and you will usually get it. The seller and the transporter were total strangers, and each could have easily taken my money and not fulfilled their obligations. Instead, they both went above and beyond - and because of their efforts Billy arrived safe and sound in Indiana - just days before South Dakota was hit with a record-breaking winter storm. After I talked about Billy in the newsletter  - the outpouring of kindness and well-wishes was just astonishing. A huge number of people took the time to write and send kind words and encouragement. With all the bad news we are flooded with each day - it's easy to forget the good things that are happening. I choose to believe that the world is basically a good place.

2. I do not know nearly as much about feeding horses as I thought. Even though I am a lifelong horse owner - getting Billy to gain weight and look healthy again was not as simple as I thought it would be. I was pouring pound$ of senior feed to this horse, the weeks turned into months and he really wasn't looking much better.

Which brings me to #3. I don't know as much about parasite control as I thought, either. I de-wormed him as soon as he arrived. Then again about 30 days later. That should have been enough to do it, I thought. It's a good thing I use Horsemen's Lab - or I would have stopped there. And as he continued to look thin and ratty - I would have assumed that he had something else, possibly something serious, wrong with him. His fecal counts continued to come back positive, and it took SEVEN TIMES of de-worming before it came back clean and his appearance started to improve.

4. Sometimes, in solving horse problems, the best thing to do is NOTHING. When I began riding Billy in the spring, he tried numerous "spoiled horse" tricks. He poked along when leaving the barn and then wanted to dash for home whenever he got an opportunity... He tossed his head and fussed whenever I asked him to stop and stand still. He acted like he didn't know any cues. In my earlier horse owning days, I would have addressed each of these indescretions aggressively - as I knew that he knew better than to act like that. But these days I don't ride with as much confidence as I did back then - and I didn't want to start a rodeo I couldn't finish. So I did nothing. I continued to ride him - and for the most part we did what I was asking. Conventional wisdom would predict that he would continue to be difficult - as he was "getting away" with misbehaving. But the exact opposite happened. Each time I rode him he got better and better. It was really quite amazing. Now I am thankful that I didn't resort to punishing him, it was much easier just to ask nicely and wait for him to comply. Really.

5. You never know where a search will lead you. In my efforts to locate Billy's papers, I met a variety of interesting people. One of which was  John Hauer - the gentleman who formerly owned (and had branded) the distinctive halter that Billy was wearing. John is the author of one of our new books The Natural Superiority of Mules. Another is Holly Clanahan, editor of America's Horse who was helpful and supportive along the way. The original story about another retired ranch horse named Billy - that inspired me to take this leap of faith - was of her making, and she was delighted to learn that it influenced the plush (but well-earned) retirement of another Billy. She totally understood why it was important to me to learn about Billy's past and his AQHA heritage. The owners before me, however, thought I was nuts. As soon as these down-to-earth western livestock owners got a sniff of the idea that I might be one of those wacky "animal rescuers"... the information dried up. It was certainly a turn of events that I never would have predicted. And their paranoia that I might have ill intentions saddened me - as it is likely a product of over-zealous animal welfare advocates.

6. The Big Stories hunt for the right people to tell them. I didn't go on vacation intending to buy a horse; the idea just popped into my head as I rode along. This is not a typical course of action for me - I usually do NOT do impulse things. Author Robert Moss says it best: "Sometimes a Big Story seizes us through a riff of coincidence we simply cannot dismiss. When we are seized by a Big Story, our lives are different. We have the power to cope with everyday dramas with greater courage and grace, because we are aware of a deeper drama. We now travel with a sense of mission, we draw different events and people and opportunities toward us." 
 
So, to conclude, Billy is enjoying his retirement years here at our farm 
I bet he never dreamed, as he was scrambling up and down the treacherous rocky trails of South Dakota, carrying a rider of unknown skill safely through an enjoyable ride, that his good service would pay off. South Dakota ranch horses typically don't experience amenities like pirate-themed fly bonnets, joint supplements, anti-inflammatory meds, chiropractic treatments, snug winter blankets, carrots and peppermint treats.  

Thanks to all of you for sharing the journey. I don't know Billy's age (his front teeth are broken and vets can't determine). He was sold to me as 18, so would be in his 20's now. In spite of his various lumps and bumps (bowed tendon, sidebone, wire cut scars, etc), he is relatively sound and enjoys being ridden. I hope for us to have many more years together.

Clean Up CLOSEUP
Clutter busting continues at HoofPrints
My efforts to clear the warehouse (and my house- house) of accumulated oddball products continues to gain momentum. I've written about it before. The point continues to be, sometimes the space becomes more valuable than the items that are occupying it. So this is where most places say... "our loss is your gain!" Well, check out this super-cheap stuff and BUY IT. And your gain will be my gain, too. Because I need that space on the shelf.

The Half Price Page is here - check this often as they're one-of-a-kind things that will sell quickly and be replaced with whatever else starts to get on my nerves. I am currently going through a large stash of samples* - so many wonderful things, it's hard to choose just a handful for the catalog. And the rest have got to go! Only one of each available so act fast if you see something you like.

*A note about the samples - Someone made a comment on the HoofPrints Facebook page that the samples are free to me and implied should thus be priced accordingly. Just to set the record straight - I pay for almost every sample I acquire. Occasionally an author or publisher will send me a book unsolicited, but I prefer to buy these anonymously so if I review and don't think it is a good fit for the product line, I don't feel guilty about not including it.

Half Price PRINTS are here - there are a lot of lovely prints languishing in drawers here that really should be hanging on folks' walls making them smile and beautifying their homes. Fall/winter is busy season here and I don't encourage print sales then - I don't have the extra time it takes to wrap these carefully for safe delivery. Now that Christmas is past, I've marked them way down now to sweeten the deal.

Copper HoofPrint Pony Bead Bracelets - colors Half Price JEWELRY here 
The more I got to digging, the more I found. Jewelry doesn't take up much room - suffice to say there is a LOT of lovely stuff that needs to find a new home. Then there's that whole problem I have with the beads. It's getting worse. Stay tuned for details on that.

Newest is Half Price Books & Magazine Back Issues here 
This represents a major turning point for HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling. This treasure trove of magazine back issues has been lovingly collected and hoarded for many, many years. It's getting to be a space problem, keeping them all stored AND due to the sheer volume of them, along with my busy schedule, they rarely get any attention. But even now, as I go through them to write sales descriptions, I am feeling sad at the prospect of letting go of this vast collection of pictures and articles about all the things I love - Horses, Dogs, Farriery and Blacksmithing, The West, Pretty Western Clothes and Jewelry, Awesome Country Homes, Recipes for Hearty Food, Healthy Living, Spirituality and more. I'll do my best to mention the content that stands out to me in the descriptions. Prices on these back issues reflect the fact that I am still very much in love with them, however they are at or below what the publishers are charging. The current sales list is small, but I'll be adding more as I am able; going through these is a slow process, as you can imagine, I get sidetracked frequently by all the fascinating content that lead me to hoard these in the first place. 

The Closeouts Page is here
It features items that are being phased out - still lots of good deals to be had there, too.

In This Issue
Greeting Cards HALF PRICE
Look At Life From The Saddle
What to do about the Christmas Lights?
Clutter busting continues
Here's what we talked about last time
What Did I Miss? graphic
Last newsletter is   here   
ALL newsletters are here
Farriers Traveling Desk

Corral your paperwork on the road! And it's HALF the cost of the previous version here
American Farriers Journal Supplies & Services Directory 1�

WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. Shipping charges apply.
To order click here
Mule & Donkey items
Donkey Charm
Check out this brass longear charm and more here
EVERYTHING I Know About Life I Learned From MY HORSE
Everything I Know... book cover
"No, thank you," you say, don't need another horsie,
I've way too many, now don't try to force me!"

"But he's a baby, just nine months old,
Raised on a bottle, a poor orphan colt.

"Dog gentle and loving, you really should
Give him a home, he's so sweet and good."

"No, thank you," you say, "I've plenty of steeds,
More than enough to meet my needs..."
 ~The Gift Horse from Everything I Know... here
BEST NEWS EVER!

BEAUTIFUL JIM KEY movie is in the works! Morgan Freeman has signed on as the star! In celebration, the book is $9.00 OFF here
Cute Thermometer
ON SALE!

BIG 17" tall! Makes a great gift! Durable enough for outdoors!
Order here
This Hug's For You

Equine Sympathy Cards here

Leather Treat Pouch
Leather Treat Pouch
Keep your phone, keys and more with you when you ride
- under $20
here

Use the free Endomondo App on your smart phone to keep track of your riding time, route, calories burned, etc.
WHAT'S NEW?
SALE on Spring T's
3 horsey t-shirts
3 Springy Horsey T-shirts less than $10 each here!
WHAT'S ON SALE?
Hold Your Horses T
Hold Your Horses T
See our T-shirt selection here!
HoofPrints has it! The classic print "FOUND"
Found Print
12x16 Print available here
A HORSEWOMAN'S PRAYER
Horsewoman's Prayer Framed
is printed on parchment, double matted in a fancy mat with a brass Epona Medallion inset in the corner. The frame is an antique horseshoe pattern. You can order here
3rd in the Series!

I Make Horse Calls, More Horse Calls & Call Dr Tebow - She Makes Horse Calls (new) Books about living a dream with horses here
Horsewoman's
LONG TALL LIST
Long Tall List of Things To Do
OF THINGS TO DO here
HoofPrints
BARN BLADE
Barn Blade Pink Knife
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly
Order here
Message

I love hearing from customers. You can contact HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling via email at [email protected]
 
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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
 
Quick Links
Rob shoeing Rocky
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. Along the way the company 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.
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)