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HoofPrints Newsletter
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February 13, 2015
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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 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.
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IT'S BACK!
After being out of stock for nearly a year, The Ultimate Guide to Pampering Your Horse is now available at HoofPrints.
This book was written by June Evers, and the first time I saw it, I must admit, the title was a bit off-putting to me. My horses have it made. They live a life of leisure, the best food, farrier and vet care, etc. If I read this book... then I might discover more things I was NOT doing for my already-pampered equines. Then I would have to feel guilty.
Instead, I was pleasantly surprised. Interspersed among the goofy Birthday Party Ideas, and the Homemade Horse Treat Recipes, were practical, useful tips and hints that could be implemented by the average busy horse owner. Things like keeping a toilet brush in the barn to scrub water buckets... (and I'd been skinning my knuckles using a regular scrub brush... duh!) This ended up being a fun little book full of both silly AND useful info. It's profusely illustrated in black and white, hardcover, 168 pages. Regular price is $24.95, but in celebration of it's return I've put it on sale for just $19.95. You can order here
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"I got this, really. How hard can it be?"
- A Chapter of My Stubborn Valentine.
February always finds me sharing Valentine's Day stories, and this year is no exception. Most folks view the adjective "stubborn" as a negative trait. And indeed the very first word of dictionary.com's definition is " unreasonably". However, option two and three are much more flattering in that they tell us a stubborn person is: fixed or set in purpose on opinion; resolute
and
obstinately maintained, as a course of action
These describe my Valentine (husband Rob) to a T.
Historically, he's proven his mettle at seemingly insurmountable projects, the house remodel endeavor being one, and the pond construction another. Along the way there have been many, many others. It's not for the faint of heart, I can attest to that as I have stood on the sidelines many times wringing my hands about HOW things are going to get done. While. He. Does. Them.  This latest chapter is not a unique situation. Last time I shared some cool barn photos and alluded that there would be more stories about the barn coming. And the the next installment is here. The third installment chronicles the difficult and protracted process of selecting and preparing just two of the hundreds of pieces of salvaged wood from the West 20 barn where we say things like; "Wash off the poop, but not the patina!" You can read the rest here.
My husband Rob is the catalyst that sparked the beginning of this business
He was a farrier - and as a graphic designer/artist - I was thrilled to finally have a "horsey" outlet for my creative endeavors; he was pleased to have a wife who could get a horse to stand still for farrier work (usually).
What seemed to have been the perfect match of interests and skills would be destined to encounter a few pitfalls along the way. Into every marriage the partners bring with them different ways of dealing with the world - usually based on on what they've observed in their parents' homes. Rob is the BIG thinker in our house. No project is too large or complicated. He plunges ahead and works out the details later. I, on the other hand, creep along at a safe snails pace, accomplishing each task gradually, testing the waters as I go. Had he not come along, I feel sure that my life would not have been long enough for me to get to where I am today - had I been allowed to proceed at my normal "speed". It would be a lie if I claimed that this process of integrating marriage, family and business is not occasionally quite painful for both of us. But, the Bible says "As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17 And that's what we're still doing today - after nearly years of marriage - supporting each other, challenging each other, and loving each other. Thank you, Rob, for being here for me. This excerpt from Morrie & Arleah Schechtman's " Love in the Present Tense" says it well:  You care most for your partner when you demand that s/he become the best that s/he can be. In relationships where mutual challenge is a value, it is not acceptable for either partner to fall into a protracted slump. Each partner holds the other accountable for living up to his best vision of himself and for continuing to grow. Challenge is a vote of confidence, a sign of respect." Here are Five Surprising Valentine's Day Resolutions from Morrie & Arleah
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HoofPrints' BARN Girl spotted in Outer Mongolia!
I love seeing HoofPrints garments on folks out riding their horses - much better than sitting here on the shelves. This one turned up on Facebook and it's got a special story. Shown above are R.T. (center) and Terry Fitch (right) with an unknown guide - in Outer Mongolia. R.T.'s an author, and Terry's an equine photographer, together they make a formidable team as advocates for wild horses everywhere. This trek took them to the unspoiled wilderness of Outer Mongolia - to document the reintroduction of the world's most primitive specimen of the wild horse. I'm honored that Terry chose our sturdy BARN Girl sweatshirt for the journey. More about their adventure is here.  In case you missed BARN Girl, it's an embroidered logo using this cute graphic of a gal hefting a bale of hay - while eager horses rip mouthfuls out - created by talented horse artist Lesley Bruce. Lesley's BARN girl is also featured as the "FEED" check box on our Horsewoman's Long Tall List Note Pad here. The black sweatshirt that Terry's wearing above utilizes a lovely cotton fabric that's printed all over with what looks like a massive stack of hay bales; that's sewn inside the letters B-A-R-N and intricately embroidered with the struggling girl and her greedy horses. The sweatshirt itself is trimmed in coordinating pale gold piping, and the hood is lined in gold. It's pricey at almost $60., but a lot have sold with nothing but praise coming from our customers. And this is not some wimpy number that needs pampering in the laundry. It's colorfast, washer and dryer safe, and it comes out the same size it was when you put it in. You can order that here 
The black BARN girl sweatshirt was a big hit
in spite of the $60 price tag but...
Many of you preferred a full zip hoodie instead of a pullover (the un-zippered front was necessary to accommodate the bazillion stitches that it took to embroider the design.) So, I found one in this lovely celadon green. It's garment washed, super soft, and ladies cut. We've separated the girl from her name, and her rude horses; she stands alone here. And this one's only $39.95! To order click here
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 BARN GIRL is also featured on the Long, Tall List: The original version pictured in the HoofPrints flyer is sold out. BUT - I came up with a replacement!
For a couple years we carried the Long, Tall List pad picturing the bedraggled woman on her bedraggled horse - scanning the list with worried eyes. It was so popular that I brought on board a second pad of similar ilk that features a woman riding, facing backwards: "Some days I don't know if I'm comin' or goin'!" - and bundled the two into a money saving set.
But then, I got the news that the original Long, Tall List pad is sold out at the publisher! So I fabricated this replacement, using artwork by my friend, horsewoman Lesley Bruce. You can see closeups of these diligent women chipping away at their Long, Tall List here.
I think she's captured the feeling that most women experience when they scan their own list of chores! The list is magnetic (so you can stick it on the fridge) measures 9" tall x 4" wide, and has 60 full color sheets for you to keep track of your tasks.
At HoofPrints, we know what it's like to have a long, tall list of things to do. That's why we've assembled this fun group of unique and creative gifts for busy horsewomen. Whether you need to find a thoughtful gift for a horse-loving friend, or a little pick-me-up reward for yourself, we've got you covered. Right down to the long, tall list notepad to keep track of it all. I've placed these, appropriately, in the Useful Stuff category on the all-new website. There are plenty of great products for horsewomen - see them all here.
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Here's what we talked about last time
Last newsletter is here ALL newsletters are here
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Mule & Donkey items
Check out this brass longear charm and more here
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PINK SALE
Woman's Place is on a Horse Vest
Personal climate control! It's on sale for ONLY $23.95 here
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PINK SALE
Heart Zipper Pull
A great way to dress up any vest, jacket, sweatshirt, or purse. Just $3.96 here
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PINK SALE
Thermal Sherpa Hood
Is a customer favorite! It's on sale for $12.00 OFF here
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PINK SALE
Woman's Place Is On A Horse Gift Bag
This metallic pink gift bag is sturdy, durable, and UNDER $4.00! It measures a handy 9 "x 4" x 12" (not counting the handles) When I posted a picture of it on HoofPrints Facebook page, a customer chimed in: "I love this bag! It's just the right size for my lunch, or shoes + a big bottle of my favorite flavored water. And, since I carry a giant tote anyway, it takes up no room to have it folded and available when I need it, Plus -- it's pink; what more needs to be said?"
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PINK SALE
TUFF CHIX GLOVES
"Best. Gloves. Ever!" ~HoofPrints customer testimonial. More info here
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PINK SALE
Courage doesn't always roar...
sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "i will try again tomorrow." To order click here
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PINK SALE
American West Purses
Hill Country Collection here
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PINK SALE
2015 Equestrian Day Planner HALF PRICE!
2015 Gypsy Vanner Engagement Calendar just $8.98 here |
PINK SALE
LIFE IS TOUGH
BUT I AM TOUGHER
See the complete selection of inspirational jewelry here |
PINK SALE
Leather Heart Bracelet
This spiffy leather bracelet is loaded with details without being gaudy. It's rich brown tooled leather, finished edges with stitching, and braided rawhide accents on either side of a floral embossed silver heart. Closes with a fancy silver buckle, complete with silver keeper and tip. Regular price is a bargain at $19.95 - it looks like it should be a lot more expensive. But it's A STEAL as part of our Valentine's Day PINK SALE at only $15.96. Hurry - sale ends 2/14/15. You can see this and the rest of the horsey heart jewelry here
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This Hug's For You
Equine Sympathy Cardshere
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Message
I love hearing from 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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WHAT'S UP WITH THE PINK SALE?
January has historically been the month for HoofPrints Customer Appreciation Sale. For new subscribers, the Customer Appreciation Sale consisted of a storewide discount on every product HoofPrints sells. The sale pricing was activated by entering a simple coupon code in the shopping cart. Easy-peasy, right? Well, not really. My dear subscribers (that's you all) would read about the cool stuff I was featuring, click the links and place their orders. WithOUT remembering to put in the code. No matter how BIG, BOLD, BRIGHT COLORED, whatever, my reminders were - most didn't remember to do that part. Because so many of you have taken the time to send me personal comments over the years, I recognize your name(s) when you order. Soooo - with each order that was missing the awesome discount, I'd go back in and manually apply it when I processed the paperwork.
However, with the change to the new, improved website (details here) it's a lot trickier to be changing up pricing on orders once they're submitted. So, this year, instead of the storewide discount, I'm giving you my VERY BEST DISCOUNT possible on a whole lot of customer favorites.
No coupon codes to apply - all you have to remember is to order BEFORE February 15.
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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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