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HoofPrints Newsletter
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April 6, 2015
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Why doesn't HoofPrints carry more USA made products?
The fact is; this perceived lack is MY FAULT for failing to designate which items are, indeed, MADE IN USA.
This latest project is my attempt to rectify that problem. It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time, but when I set up the all-new website last summer, I was in the throes of overwhelm. It was hard enough to learn how to set up product listings using the new system. My aging brain just couldn't seem to retain all the multiple steps required to get each product and it's pictures onto the site. Getting up from my chair to check product packaging to validate country of origin would initiate a disaster of minor proportions - as I would TOTALLY FORGET what I was doing, and what the next step was. After several rounds of this frustration, I learned that my best course of action was to keep my butt parked in the chair - and to stay the course, working on one product, then the next, so as to repeat the steps sequentially without interruption. Otherwise I was NEVER going to get done. Happily, the repetition of entering hundreds and hundreds of products finally did create some new neural pathways in my brain - and I can add/edit products successfully without taking all day (usually). So I've embarked on the arduous task of verifying the country of manufacture on ALL the HoofPrints products. The page that showcases them is here. I've gotten a good start, but what you see now is only a FRACTION of the American Made items. I will keep adding as time permits. You can still find them all in their respective categories, too, and each will have the MADE IN USA designator logo with it so you can see at a glance that your purchase is supporting domestic workers.
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WRITTEN & PRINTED IN USA:
***NEW!***
Joe - The Horse Nobody Loved
by Vicky Kaseorg
This is a story that was 50 years in the making. All these poignant, vivid memories stayed safely tucked away in Vicky's brain, until the time was right for Joe's story to be told. One of Vicky's other books I'm Listening With A Broken Ear (below) is one of my all time favorites, so I was beside myself with excitement when I learned that she was penning a horse story. I had no idea what the plot was - but I knew it would be good! Each day, for months, I'd check Vicky's blog to see how progress was coming on her writing. Some days, she shared, the words poured out by the thousands, even though she had the major distraction of traveling through terrible weather from her home in the Carolinas to help out at her parent's house in frigid New York, where her mom was recovering from a serious surgery. That, my friends, is a story that WANTS to be told; one that makes itself easily written at the end of a harrowing day, every day, until it is finished. Having written thirteen books before this one, Vicky tells me that Joe's story had sat there in her memory, quietly waiting for the right time to be told. And apparently, this is it.
I had the honor of serving as one of her beta readers, as well as helping with the cover layout. This story is sweet, poignant, funny and very, VERY real. Anyone who was ever a horse-crazy kid will come away from this book with insight, compassion and maturity that will make your heart warm. To order click here.
I'm Listening With a Broken Ear
by Vicky Kaseorg
This book is 426 pages, and once I started I couldn't put it down (except for essential distractions like work and animal care) until I was finished. It's that good. In a nutshell, the author finds a pathetic, nearly dead dog abandoned in a parking lot. She brings her home and nurses her back to health. Somewhere along the way the family realizes they are in way over their heads as the dog has behavior issues that they can't manage. Dangerous behavior issues. It's hard enough to find homes for dogs who behave perfectly, so rehoming this one was NOT an option. Vicky spends a lot of time online trying to solve the problem, and ends up getting hooked up with a rescuer named Malta. Malta supplies Vicky with a horse whip. And teaches her how to do the "alpha roll" when the dog gets out of line. Now, before you run screaming, thinking you totally don't want to waste your time reading a work written by someone who keeps a whip in hand and rolls her poor dog - give this one a chance. You WON'T be disappointed. I guarantee it. It's thoughtful, spiritual, laugh out loud humorous - and the ending is so very good you will probably cry. Or cheer. Or both. There's a more detailed description and a couple excerpts to read here. This book, along with Vicky's others, is self published. That means the whole load was (is) on her to decide if a story merits the idea that others would like to read it. Then to type out and edit all those pages, clarifying and refining the story as you go... And then send it off to a publishing house that facilitates such projects - before she ever knew for sure that anyone would buy a single book. That takes some real guts. She took her "good deed" (rescuing a stray dog) and documented how it all went wrong, multiple times, as well as sharing her own role in the goings-wrong... and turned it into a story that makes you want to cheer - well that's an All American endeavor that's well worth appreciating. To order click here |
MADE IN USA:
Protect this Rider... and the Horse she rode in on
Pewter Pendant from Sweet Bird Studio is made in USA, and hangs on a beefy ball chain. Sweet Bird's stuff is awesome, and I have fawned over it for a long time, but she works in sterling silver mostly, and with found objects, antique imprinted tin, stones, baubles, etc - so her stuff is expensive AND one of a kind. More appropriate for an upscale boutique where customers can see in person than for catalog sales. So, I was delighted to learn that this hand-stamped PROTECT THIS RIDER medallion is being produced in pewter. This is a great little company and we are proud to support them.
In the words of the owner Nancy Anderson: "Stand for something. Release the brakes. Be your own hero. Tell kids they have the power to change the world. Go outside and get dirty. Rethink the idea of cool. Remember when cool meant different? Turn off the cell phone and have a conversation with the person next to you. Legalize freedom by causing a riot in your soul. Write your own eulogy. NOW live it. And when you're going through hell, keep going. Via Con Dios..." -Nancy
Since my office and warehouse are here on the farm in central Indiana, there are some weeks that I never leave the place. But I get to vacation "vicariously" via friends like Cherri.
Shown here is Cherri's horse Gilbert - he's wearing a PROTECT THIS HORSE medallion on his bridle. Cherri is gracious enough to share her awesome trail ride vacation pictures with her Facebook friends, and from the looks of some of those challenging trails, she and Gilbert certainly needed their medallions!
These make great gifts - more than just horsey jewelry - but a reminder that the giver wants the recipient(s) to stay safe from harm. Something they'll think about every time they wear it. To order Protect This Horse & Protect This Rider medallions click here. are here.
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MADE IN USA: DC Metals' Hand Forged Steel Cross
This pendant is hand forged by an Ohio blacksmith. He takes a single piece of recycled 1/4" square stock, splits it in two different directions and hammers it into this unique cross shape. The result is lightly wire brushed to maintain the unique quality of the steel, then coated with automotive clear for durability. If you look carefully at the picture - the different planes will remind you of one of those brain-teaser pictures that can't physically exist - like the works of M.C. Escher as seen here.
The cross is 1 1/2" tall, leather cord is hand tied with a special adjustable knot system that lets you choose your perfect fit from choker length to about 26". Click here to watch a video showing the forging process (beware - he makes it look EASY!)
This makes a great gift for a man, but it's not too big for a woman to wear, either. To order click here |
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PRINTED IN USA: FARRIER INVOICE PADS
HoofPrints uses a local printer for our 2-part carbonless farrier invoice pads and he'd absorbed the increase in paper costs for a lot longer than he should have. He warned me that there was going to have to be an adjustment... you know - like having to pass on the increased price of shoes, nails, and shipping - after you finally sit down and realize how much more they are costing you vs how much the customer is paying for shoeing;you've given yourself a PAY CUT by not raising prices as materials increase? Anyway, that's what happened here, too.
The official increase took effect with the last catalog. However, I've held the old price ($9.00 per pad) on invoice pad ASSORTMENTS. With the assortment option, you get to choose the "A" or "B" body style, but I pick the logos that you get. If it's important that your invoices match your business cards , then this might not be for you. But if you're wanting to save money, then here's a way to do it. The price is $40. for 5 pads - which is a savings of $1.00 per pad! To order, click here
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MADE IN USA:
Copper Jewelry from Karen DeMarte
Karen makes rustic jewelry in fine pewter and copper. After working for 12 years in a stressful job that wasn't for her, she decided to make a change. Her Etsy page tells us about that;
"I ran away from that job in Jan 2007 and haven't looked back. Now, I work from my old farm house in rural northwestern Pennsylvania where I can look out and see my horses in the pasture and my dog Kalli supervises daily happenings in the studio."
Karen's pieces that HoofPrints carries are made of Copper, and the history, legend and lore of copper use by humans is long and varied... dating back nearly 10,000 years with multiple applications. Copper is, in fact, humanity's first metal and shows up in Sumerian and Egyptian metallurgy circa 3900 BC. (more here) Copper is said to have healing and medicinal powers in humans, but did you know that a copper deficiency in horses can cause all sorts of problems? Copper is necessary for all sorts of functions; formation and regeneration of bone, cartilage and connective tissue, it is also an anti-oxidant, and is involved in pigment in the hooves and hair coat of the horse. One of the signs of a copper deficiency is a coat that tends to get sun-burned, and another is hoof wall separation. So that bay horse with the bad feet and the red tips on his mane and tail may need copper. And it's not just a matter of adding more copper to the diet. The synergistic effect of other minerals play a role in assimilation. Science is just beginning to understand how this all works. One of my favorite experts on the subject is Dr Eleanor Kellon. Shown above are Karen's charm on the Copper HoofPrint Healing Bone Bracelet* - click hereCopper Horseshoe Cross Necklace - click hereWild and Free Copper Horse Necklace - click here*Note: the bone portion of the bracelet is NOT made in USA
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PRAY FIRST, THEN RIDE - This unique and rustic cut out steel sign measures 15" wide x 6" tall. It does NOT have hangers on the back, so plan for that - but the open design allows for a variety of nail placement, or a clever person could fasten some twine as a hanger for an even more country look.
Gina's note:
 I love the variety of ways PRAY FIRST, THEN RIDE can be translated. Does it mean your horse is such a maniac that you need to pray before you mount up? Does it mean you place the Creator before recreation? Are you asking for blessings for a safe and enjoyable ride? Whatever the reason, it is good to be aware of and inspired by a force bigger than yourself."
And it's ONLY $19.95! To order clic k here .
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MADE IN USA:
Grandview Aluminum Products
This Southern Indiana foundry was purchased by Harold and Georgia Banks in 1965 with a workforce of just four employees. Since that time the company has grown considerably and is now one of the top suppliers of cast bronze and aluminum plaques in the country with distributors in all 50 states and some foreign countries. Even though they've grown rather large, with the operation utilizing over 36,000 square feet of space, they continue to provide excellent customer service. Whenever I call to place an order, all I have to tell them is who I am, and that I want to order the Hitch Cover with the Shoe and Anvil. Personally, I find this remarkable - this is a custom design produced exclusively for my company, out of what must be thousands that they do per year - yet they get it exactly right every single time with just a short verbal description.  The FARRIER LICENSE PLATE is another favorite that's been with us for years. Hand cast at Grandview Aluminum, it's a full 3/8" thick and weighs almost a pound! The black enamel background is baked on for a durable, permanent finish - bugs don't affect it. The part you see that is silver is actually exposed cast aluminum that is machine ground to a smooth finish that's raised above the black. A very elegant and rustic look that should last forever for under $30! You can see the mega-close detail on the new website here. |
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.
Half Price JEWELRY is 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.
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 overstocks, items that are being phased out - still lots of good deals to be had there, too
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Here's what we talked about last time
Last newsletter is here ALL newsletters are here
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GINA'S BLOG
Fun on the Farm
read the latest happenings in the Keesling household, involving construction, destruction, remodeling adventures and general wreckage here
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MADE IN USA
Horse Woman's Balm
A great product that DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO!
Order here
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MADE IN USA
Wood Blacksmith Sign
See this and all our signs here
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PRINTED IN USA: HoofPrints has it! The classic print "FOUND"
12x16 Print available here
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MADE IN USA
Secret Box
Nifty little wood box has a lid that fits so neatly that it's virtually invisible when closed. A real deal at only $19.95 here
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MADE IN USA
Horsewoman's Note Pad
Horse Woman's LONG TALL LIST of things to do here
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MADE IN USA:
A CRAPPY MUG!
Same sh*t different day
mug here
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MADE IN USA
Riding for a Cure
See HoofPrints breast cancer awareness products here |
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MADE IN USA
Pony Girl Charms
Tiny steling silver riders only $19.95 per pair here |
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PRINTED IN USA
Dog Business Card
New business card for dog lovers HALF PRICE to shelter workers and volunteers here
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MADE IN USA
Tooled Leather Bracelet
Features braided rawhide, engraved heart and fancy buckle. Only $19.95 here
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PRINTED IN USA: "Pharaoh's Horses"
20x26 Print with history and trivia article included is available here
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MADE IN USA
Custom Business Cards for Equine Professionals
Full color business cards professionally designed to your specifications - dozens of logos to choose from here
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PRINTED IN USA:
This Hug's For You
Equine Sympathy Cards here
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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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HoofPrints is SO SMALL... 
well, it couldn't BE any smaller than it is
(one person).
Farriers Greeting Cards was started by Gina Keesling (me) 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. Long story here. For years I tried to make the company seem "bigger" - so as to compete with the thick horsey catalogs that showed up in my own mailbox almost daily. But I finally stopped trying to be something I am not. As I have gotten older and less energetic, it's been of paramount importance to streamline the operation so that I can continue to focus on procuring the unique and inspirational products that you all seem to love. Special thanks are in order, also, to my dear husband Rob, and his mom Judy - who help me get the products onto the shelves (folding and packaging) as well as back off and into boxes on their way to customers during times.The all new website is the latest (and one of the biggest/scariest) steps in that direction. It streamlines a lot of data entry that previously took hours, freeing me up for more important tasks. But the "smallness" doesn't stop in the HoofPrints warehouse (which is a pole barn behind my house in the middle of a cornfield). I use an outside call center to answer my order line 24/7. Call Center Plus is not some detached entity in a foreign land that can't do much but frustrate callers. No, CCP is a small business success story of it's own. This company began as a home-based business in a Utah, USA bedroom loft by a single mom with zero business experience - as a means of supporting her children while still being home with them. The odds of succeeding suggest that any one of those factors would be cause for failure. However the odds of success never went up against someone with as much faith, determination, and imagination as Ilene Christensen. When her business outgrew the loft, in order to still be home with her children and to keep overhead low, Ilene converted part of her garage into office space. With shear grit, determination, and prayer, she continued to grow the business. A call center requires the use of sophisticated equipment, so out of necessity she also learned about computer hardware, software, and servers. She became an IT specialist as she learned to build, troubleshoot, repair, and program computers. You can read about the latest news at CCP here . And the "smallness" doesn't stop here, either. It continues with many of the products that HoofPrints stocks on our "middle of a cornfield" warehouse shelves. So, instead of offering discount prices to entice you all to buy, I'd like to share some of my favorite products that come from American companies, and encourage you to support them with your shopping dollars. ~G
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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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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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