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HoofPrints Newsletter
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June 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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Only 2 left! A great Father's Day gift idea -
Daddy's Little Helper
by Brenda Murphy. I've sold this print matted and framed (also unframed) for many years. The frame stock we use is discontinued so I'm down to just 2 of these left - and then the framed version will no longer be available.
Framed and unframed versions are available here. Brenda's intricate pencil drawings of kids with horses, ponies and dogs have always been among my favorites. I posted a larger version of Daddy's Little Helper on HoofPrints Facebook Page, and asked Brenda if she could tell me more about the father and daughter depicted in this print. Her reply was delightful:
This is Thane Zufelt and his daughter Kayleigh. Their horse Money is in the drawing too. They live west of Ft. Worth. Thane was a jockey in his earlier years. I met him when he was a drover for the Fort Worth Herd. They ride around the stockyards greeting visitors and drive the longhorn herd down the stockyard streets twice a day for the visitors. Kayleigh is growing to be a beautiful young lady inside and out. She rides and does some playday events. They just adopted a mustang yearling. Good, good people!"
Brenda tells me that she enjoys doing pictures that include children because of their spontaneity - it helps keep the work fresh and honest;
"That moment with Thane and Kayleigh was just that (spontaneous). He picked up Money's hoof and Kayleigh was interested in looking at it. Things like that may seem small, and they are certainly fleeting moments with children, but I believe they make a big and lasting impression on their little minds."
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15 year old Kayleigh is wise beyond her years. Her motto is:
"I walk by faith not by sight, I train from my heart not from my head."
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Of course, I had to know even more... here's Kayleigh with her new mustang yearling. The Zufelts use registered Paints, Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds on their Twin Z Ranch, so the fact that Kaleigh ended up with a yellow Mustang filly is interesting in itself.
Native Sun Dancer is from the BLM holding facility in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, her herd of origin is unknown, but her convex profile and primitive coloring certainly belies her Spanish heritage. She has settled into her new home nicely and has proven to be a quick and cheerful study. 15 year old Kayleigh entered competition with her at the Mustang Million in Fort Worth last fall.
Kayleigh's mom tells me that she's an outgoing and outdoorsy gal, who aspires to be a veterinarian someday. Maybe she'll go on to be a pioneer in the field of equine locomotion and/or hoof pathology studies - all because of the day her dad took a moment and let her examine the bottom of that hoof...
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Father's Day Gift Idea
Sterling Silver Tie Tacks
These sterling silver tie tacks are accurate miniatures of real farrier tools, shoes and hooves. They're designed, and hand cast by an horsewoman in Arizona, USA - who obviously knows exactly what tools, shoes, and hooves are supposed to look like. They vary in size, rasp is 1 3/4" long and the rest are proportional to this as shown. See closeup photos here.
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Buck Brannaman is an example of a great dad who's accomplished a LOT in spite of a not so great start in life.
He's traveled the country for years, helping horses and riders get their act together. Unlike many famous clinicians we see today, Buck does NOT have a flair for drama. He quietly assesses the needs of the horse and the rider, then sets about helping the two better understand each other. And he articulates what he's doing in such a manner that those who are watching can learn, too. Even without the showmanship, Buck's remarkable skills have not gone unnoticed. In fact, the main character in Robert Redford's film The Horse Whisperer was based largely on him, and he served as the director's technical adviser during the shoot. Then later, designer / photographer Cindy Meehl took her troubled horse to one of Buck's clinics. She was so inspired that she she ended up deciding to make a film documenting his teachings. That's a fascinating story in itself, as the resulting Buck film was so well received that Meehl went on to produce the 7 Clinics series , that outline in even greater detail the specifics of Buck Brannaman's teachings.
The Faraway Horses Book is Buck Brannaman's fascinating and poignant account of his life from an abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach to horses.
 These principles are really about life - about living your life so you're not at war with the horse, or with other people," Buck writes. At heart, this rich and rewarding autobiography is ultimately a prescription for living a harmonious existence - whether it involves horses or not.
 BUCK DVD - Sale HALF PRICE
- only $12.49! Nearly every week of the year, Buck Brannaman is on the road, conducting horsemanship clinics. Some of what's depicted in the BUCK DVD is a behind-the-scenes look at his life on the road. Can you imagine? Traveling to a new city every week, with your necessary belongings in a camper, and your horses in tow? Each clinic bringing an unknown set of horses and riders, each with a myriad of issues that must be assessed and hopefully a recipe for helping them concocted - all on the fly, by the seat of his pants - and in a manner that keeps everybody safe? Plus, he's expected to talk about what he's doing so the rest of the crowd can understand what's happening and learn, too. OMG, I couldn't even remember everyone's names! Anyway, he does bring his family along on some of his clinics. His wife and three daughters also give their accounts of what life is like for a horse clinician on the road. It's obvious that he's steered his life in a much different direction than did his own father: Abused horses are like abused children. They trust no one and expect the worst. But patience, leadership, compassion and firmness can help them overcome their pasts."
Gina's note: Both the book and DVD (Buck) are based on Buck Brannaman's life and his philosophy for working with horses. Both are fascinating in their own right, but if you're inclined to read - the book fleshes out a great deal of details about the man that the film can't fit in. I recommend both as a set to fully appreciate the story. This is our third year carrying the BUCK DVD - it was immensely popular - I based my fall buying based on previous order history. But when the 7 Clinics DVD Series came out last fall, interest switched to those and we ended up overstocked on BUCK.
To see all the Buck Brannaman products, click here
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The Dollar Sale continues, but this time I've added a stash of ONE OF A KIND ITEMS! I know I just sent a newsletter a few days ago. Please bear with me as I have a bit of a clutter conniption. I promise I won't make a habit of it...
Last month, at a time when most normal people were gearing up for a fun three day weekend, for some reason I was spazzing over all the clutter in the warehouse. In a fit of relative craziness, I've marked some pretty good stuff down to $1.00 or less. A lot of it sold already, but I replaced with more! There are now about a dozen ONE OF A KIND things on the Half Price Page that are insanely good deals at half price or below. Some are discontinued so not to be had anywhere else at any price! To see them click 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 are 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.
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Below are a few phrases that farriers may be hearing in 2015. We've assembled these & more on a collection of hilarious t-shirts.
Things Not to Say to a Hot, Tired Farrier T-SHIRTS - $19.95 here The MUG (makes a great gift!) is only $12.95 here
All it takes to be a farrier is a strong back and a weak mind! He won't stand for me either, but your ad said you were a professional Can you come back? We are home now. Let me get my twitch before we get started. Sooo, when you're finished, do I have to wait an hour before I can ride him/her? My horse hates men. Yep, I put that stuff on their feet right before you got here. Every time we turn him out he throws a shoe. That don't look that hard! Isn't it great to be outside all day? Let me call my neighbors and their 5 kids. They have never seen a horse shod before. It sure is HOT! I used to shoe, and I can tell right away if you're doing a good job. Do those nails hurt him? He's normally gentle as a kitten, but it is the first time I have had a halter on him. Honestly, I DO clean his feet I haven't ever picked up his feet, but he seems real gentle. Can you put these shoes on good and tight so that they won't come off? My vet said for you to call him and he will tell you how to shoe my horse. He kicked the last farrier just like he kicked you. He's never been that bad!! What did you do? The last guy I had won't come any more. Can you come today? I left them out in the field because it was such a nice day. So, how much does your chiropracter run you a month? Sorry - that's my cell phone. I won't let it ring under this colt's nose again. He never does that for me. My horse doesn't kick. ...well he has never kicked before. Are you busy TODAY? Can you make his foot smaller? This is the first time he has EVER lost a shoe. Since he's a colt, will you charge me half price? I used to shoe my own horses, but I could never get the angles right. Do you think you could take a little more off that back foot? My horse is lame. You must have cut him too short. Let me help you clear out a place to work, I've been meaning to get out here and straighten up this old barn... That's not the way the farrier did it back where I come from. Can you save all the hoof trimmings for my dog? Boy, you must have a strong back to bend over all day like that. He's just trying to swat the flies off you. These shoes have been on for only 12 weeks, and they are getting loose.
WARNING - Copyrighted material! We don't mind if others enjoy our humorous quotes - but please include proper credit if you choose to pass this along... �Gina Keesling - www.farriersgreetingcards.com
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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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Look Professional
On The Job
Sturdy cotton golf shirts look and feel great! See our complete selection here
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Embroidered Farrier Garments are most accurate and detailed available
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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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FARRIER TRAVEL MUG
For those whose tool kit includes morning coffee, we have the perfect cup to take on the road. BIG 16 oz capacity, slim shape with no handle fits cup holders without problem. Rubber sealed lid - for leak free fit. Insulated and lined with stainless steel. Imprinted with our Tools of the Trade logo. Order here
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ONLY $1.00!
Farrier Air Fresheners
Farrier Air Fresheners include Money, Leather, and Sport Fresh here
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Farriers Traveling Desk
Corral your paperwork on the road! And it's HALF the cost of the previous version here
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Blacksmith Calendar
2015 Blacksmith Calendar $14.95 while supplies last, plus back issues only $1.9 9 here |
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The Natural Superiority of Mules
Brand new updated second edition covers everything you ever wanted to know about mules. Order here
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Bomber Jacket
~ $10.00 OFF! ~
MORE ABOUT THE JACKET: This one's not really suede of the genuine leather persuasion, but you'd never know by touching it. It's made of a high-tech polyester fabric, velvety mocha suede on the outside, cushy oatmeal-colored sherpa fleece on the inside. The two layers are bonded together so this fits like a dream. Smooth, warm, comfortable. How could it get any better? The fabric is 4-way stretch, AND it washes up great with no special coddling in the laundry. Two-way zipper unzips from the bottom for freedom of movement. Zip pockets hold all your stuff without being bulky. To order click here
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MANURE MOVERS
OF AMERICA - sweatshirt and sign available 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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The latest from Gina's Blog: Looking back...
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Above is a scan of some wallpaper border that we found behind some wood paneling that we tore out in the kitchen of our old house. It was crumbling even as I touched it, but I kept it anyway. I wasn't sure why - this was the era before computers and scanners, so I never could have imagined that nearly 30 years later it would end up a beautiful background in a picture in a thing called a "blog".  All over the internet are quotes about NOT looking back.
HoofPrints even carries a necklace that instructs: DON'T LOOK BACK THAT'S NOT WHERE YOU'RE GOING (that's for sale here).
But in the blog post I wrote today that is exactly what I am going to do.
I am going to look back.
Shown below is our house circa 1988, a few months before we bought it. At this point the nicest thing about the whole spread was the asphalt driveway, which was in surprisingly good shape. Except for the trench that the tenant farmers had cut across it in an effort to keep folks from driving in. People had figured out that it was a good place to dump their trash; everything from used diapers, tires, construction debris. No one had lived here for at least ten years. Before that it was rented to a group of teenagers with a rock band - looking for a place to practice their music that wouldn't disturb the neighbors. Had I not been the one who had to help clean it up, I would have found the amount of beer bottles and cans truly impressive. I was impressed, however, that someone had carefully peeled the labels off bazillions of bottles, and stuck them onto the plaster walls surrounding the windows in the room that was to become my office.
 The west-facing windows were broken AND the plywood boards covering have been kicked out; rain and snow had been blowing in for years. Someone has stolen the garage door, and the big sliding door from the barn behind; the tenant farmer had stopped using it for storage after his equipment was stolen, too. Frustrated with the dumping, theft and vandalism, the farmer was in the process of tearing the place down - a building at a time - as he found time to do it. There's a pile of timber next to the grain bin on the right in the picture above; that USED to be a perfectly good livestock barn - but they tore it down.
Depending on how you want to frame the story, it was either a blessing, or a curse, that we were able to buy the place before they got to the house with the backhoe. Wanna read what happened next? Click 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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"While you're here, would you mind trimming my new BLM Mustang?"
