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HoofPrints Newsletter
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May 13, 2015
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Quote from the Inspirational Book: DESIDERATA for Horse Lovers by Max Ehrmann
Consider this interesting background about the poem from the introduction: "I should like, if I could, to leave a humble gift - a bit of chaste prose that had caught up some noble moods." These wistful words are Max Ehrmann's, a prolific if unheralded author and poet from Terre Haute, Indiana who lived from 1872 to 1945. His creative wish was finally fulfilled in 1927 when he penned this lovely and timeless Desiderata, a latin word for the term "things that are yearned for." But Ehrmann would never enjoy the accolades ensuing from his sole masterpiece, for the poem was not popularly published until 1948, three years after his death, in a collection titled, The Poems of Max Ehrmann.
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 Even then attribution and wide recognition for the work eluded Ehrmann. The book garnered little national attention, but one Maryland reader, the Rev. Frederick Kates, was sufficiently impressed with Desiderata to reprint it (apparently without credit to the author) in 1959 as a handout to his congregation. The letterhead atop the poem read, "Old St Paul's Church, Baltimore A.C. 1692" (the date noting the year of the church's founding). And so began decades of confusion as copies of the poem carrying the letterhead were widely circulated. This eventually lead to the urban myth that the poem was originally written in 1692 by an anonymous cleric of Old St Paul's Church - a notion since debunked by scholars as well as attornies representing Max Ehrmann's literary estate.
The mistaken assumptions regarding the timeline and source of the poem are perhaps understandable, for the enduring, serene message of Desiderata crosses centuries and generations. In fact, in this special edition the words transcend mankind itself as Max Ehrmann's humble gift is presented to you in unique gallery of memorable equines. This book makes an inspirational gift (for yourself or another) as it pairs on each page a few lines of the verse with an appropriate equine photo. The verse in it's entirety is reprinted again in the back few pages:
DESIDERATA by Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy. To order click here
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Revisiting an embarrassment...
Remember the sensitive Arabian mare that I've talked about in previous newsletters - the major diva / drama-queen that over reacts to everything I try to do with her?
I confirmed her notion that I am not to be trusted
last year by lunging her. Through a nest of bees.
Here's what happened:
A local online friend who raises black Arabians had been posting amazing pictures on Facebook of herself and her gang. Two online friends of hers are aspiring young photographers and I was impressed at the images they'd captured. Ya' gotta love Facebook for facilitating all these connections between horsey gals who'd probably otherwise have never met...
Anyway, here on the farm, the field beside our pond had produced a bumper crop of both sweet clover and red clover - the yellow and purple together made a lovely colorful contrast against the trees in the background. I hatched a scheme - to hire these ladies to come and take some pics of me with my horses out in the flowery field. It was a business endeavor - I need a new selfie for the newsletter to replace the one with the Clydesdale that I have been using for years.
So - arrangements are made and the gals arrive, cameras in hand, to capture myself, the horses and the scenery. Things go great with Billy, and it sets the tone for a fun and productive session. But - then I bring Allie out. I've worried in the days preceding this appointment that she'd behave badly, and she obligingly fulfills my premonition. She's distracted, fidgeting all around and whinnying for her herd mates. The gals were hard pressed to have gotten any shots of the two of us that didn't have me looking rather grim and sweaty as I tried to manage my frazzled mare. (The upside to all this is there are numerous photos of her posing high-headed and mega alert, like you see in the fancy Arab magazines.)
And so it went...
 Finally, I stopped trying to contain her forward momentum and just let her trot in a small circle around me at the end of the lead rope. The whole time I was thinking
"Why can't you just trust me for a change?!"
I was feeling embarrassed, frustrated and a little angry at her silly behavior in front of these gals I'd just met. It seemed that the lunging was a good decision as she struck up an animated, photogenic trot. The photographers were talking amongst themselves as they snapped pictures, the dogs were splashing in the pond, and the other two horses were calling from the barn - but through all this other noise I heard a rushing / roaring sound - almost like wind - even though it was a calm day. Then, I notice my horse spooking at something on the ground in the tall grass. The next round she spooked in the exact same place. By the third round, my not-so-swift brain finally realized what it's been hearing. Bees!
By the time I get the photographers' attention - and manage to blurt out that we may have a problem, I've forgotten all about my horse (who is the distracted one now?) I notice that she's no longer fidgeting and pulling on me. She's behind me, stock-still, with her forehead pressed against my back. Hiding. She may not trust me much, but I guess enough to be her shield from angry bees? Fortunately no one was stung. The bees ended up being bumblebees, which are alleged to be relatively unaggressive. Whew!
Allie did some pretty fancy trottin' over those bees! And we did some pretty fancy trottin', too, away from there once we figured out what the noise was. The photographers captured some great images that day, including the one at the top of this newsletter. Even though she was rattled and distracted, dear Allie was STILL willing to give me a HORSEY HUG after the bee incident. You can see more of their work on Facebook ; Brittany Henderson Photography and L Duncan Photography  This is not the first time I've shared my embarrassment. In fact, it's happened on a fairly regular basis.
There was the time I spanked a little puppy for biting my son - and in the process made her AFRAID of a treat that she dearly loved. Had I not seen this with my own eyes, I would have NEVER considered that one swift correction could have such far-reaching negative ramifications. This was a textbook punishment - swift - immediate - almost as the "crime" was happening. And it's effect went terribly wrong. The rest of that story is here. ***Please keep in mind as you step back in time with these old newsletters that some of the links may not work properly and sales/special pricing may have expired***
 Then, there was the time that I set about "desensitizing" my horse to get her over a fright involving a rope. That lead to a multi-part saga of embarrassing decisions and mistakes that I am still learning from this very day. That one took several newsletters to get the story told.
Part 1 is here
Part 2 (with scary pictures) is here
Part 3 (a follow-up that answers the obvious questions) is here
Part 4 saw another "expert" added to the equation, with somewhat disastrous results here
After that, I bragged about my successes using positive training methods to cure my horses from behaving badly when exiting their stalls here. Then I was embarrassed that I'd revealed that I had difficulties managing something so simple as exiting stalls in the first place. So in an effort to redeem myself, I posted my picture with a bunch of horse show awards sporting a Dorothy Hamill haircut here. (Am I the only one who reminisced of those days while watching Meryl Davis and Charlie White skate in the Olympics?)  Not to confine my embarrassing moments to dog and horse training blunders, I branched out to house keeping transgressions here at the same time advising folks that they can make themselves happy by simply cleaning something.
And finally, one of my favorite stories that recounts an extremely embarrassing mistake made processing an order - and probably NOT something I should be sharing to inspire consumer confidence in the company:
Mistakes... - by HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling We made our share this fall... and more than once I found my math-impaired self continually going over the actual statistics: that 99.9% of orders were shipped completely and correctly. Nonetheless it's hard not to be upset/embarrassed over the ones that went wrong. More than once, however, the kindness and understanding of customers went above and beyond what I ever could have hoped for. One evening, I answered a call from a gal who sounded very perplexed. She informed me that she'd received a package from HoofPrints, addressed to her, but that she'd never ordered. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that someone ELSE had called in an order from her town - and mistakenly we had pulled up the wrong customer in the computer and assigned the order to them. It's one of those doozie mistakes that happen when we try to high-speed multi-task (which is pretty much all of Oct - Nov - Dec) So then we were left with the awkward task of rectifying the mistake and explaining to TWO customers how it happened (in a way that didn't make us sound like bumbling idiots) I planned the logistics of getting the incorrect package back from the wrong person - and the correct package to the RIGHT person... Then the dreaded call was made. The husband of the gal who received the package in error answered the phone, and I was prepared for him to be angry at the inconvenience we'd caused them... Astonishingly, he explained that it was a small town, and he offered to locate the intended recipient of the order, and TAKE IT TO THEM!!! Within an hour the package was at the home of it's rightful recipient. Even though this happened a few years ago, I still marvel at the kindness and understanding of a total stranger who covered our butts for us when we really didn't deserve it. That man's act of kindness and servitude made a lasting impression on me - and since then I have tried to follow his example; to display the same graciousness to others I encounter who may need help rectifying their mistakes... Quotes on mistakes;
"Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again." -Franklin P. Jones
"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." -George Bernard Shaw
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." -Scott Adams
"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one." -Elbert Hubbard
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EVEN MORE ITEMS ADDED to HALF PRICE SALE!
Clutter busting continues at HoofPrints
My efforts to clear the warehouse (and my 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 website/flyer. And the rest have got to go! Only one of each available so act fast if you see something you like. The image shown here is what was available at the time this newsletter was sent. All prices on this page are at least 50% off retail. The red SALE! tag doesn't show if a product has size or color options. Don't know why. Don't know how to fix it...
*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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PONY GIRL'S ON THE LABEL!
Horse Woman's Balm
A great product that DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO!
Order here
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The Doctor is In Horse Thermometer
Measures a big 17" tall and under $15.00! Order here
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DON'T do it yourself
FARRIER COASTERS
No farriers were harmed in the making of these coasters. To order click 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
Don't Sell Your Saddle
Don't give up on dreams.
Take time to see 'em through.
There are no easy trails.
Hard work makes dreams come true.
You'll make it through tough times.
Friends will stick like glue.
Don't ever sell your saddle,
Dreams won't give up on you.
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Mule & Donkey items
Check out this brass longear charm and more 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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COFFEE & DOG HAIR
I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEM
16 oz Ceramic Travel Mug with leakproof lid only $16.95 here
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MADE IN USA:
A CRAPPY MUG!
Same sh*t different day
mug here
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SPRINGY HORSEY Ts
3 Springy Horsey T-shirts less than $15 each here!
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Horsewoman's
HAIR CONTROL IDEAS
Sunny yellow embroidered HORSES LEAVE HOOFPRINTS ON YOUR HEART Cap 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
Tooled Leather Bracelet
Features braided rawhide, engraved heart and fancy buckle. Only $19.95 here
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INSPIRATIONAL
Stretch Bracelets
Four fun styles to choose from here
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HoofPrints
BARN BLADE
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly
Order here
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HALF PRICE AND PRINTED IN USA: "Pharaoh's Horses"
20x26 Print with history and trivia article included is available here
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PRINTED IN USA:
This Hug's For You
Equine Sympathy Cards here
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Silver Dog Whistle
Solid Sterling Silver Whistle on waxed cotton cord 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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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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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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