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HoofPrints Newsletter
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February 1, 2016
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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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Well here's a fun surprise...
Author Michael Johnson and I were talking about what we could do to get folks excited about his new book and the Audio CDs by the same title. It's always a challenge to come up with a little extra special "something" to entice folks to place an order right away, rather than wait 'til later.
Imagine my excitement when I opened the first shipment of these First Edition copies of The Trials of Joe Ben Black - and discover that
Michael has HAND SIGNED each and every one!
The books are signed inside, and the CD jacket is signed in silver. These early copies sold are extra special, as Michael has agreed to sign them only until May 1. 
AT LAST! A Sequel to Healing Shine -
This sequel to the highly popular Healing Shine - A Spiritual Assignment, The Trials of Joe Ben Black - Confessions of a Rope Horse was intended to be a collection of best practices to start a young roping horse. However, the subject matter turned out to encompass a much larger area.
What is the best way to train our horse? According to Michael Johnson's latest book "The process is far less about training the horse... and far more about training ourselves." Within the pages of Joe Ben Black you will find a collection of best practices to start a young horse... with a twist. A good portion of the book is told from Joe Ben's point of view and from the stars of Healing Shine - the Shine Man and the hilarious Little Blue.
 Joe Ben's story begins with Michael by Joe Ben's mother's side the night of his birth, and chronicles the young horse's adventures en route to becoming a skilled roping horse five years later. The book is replete with Michael's honest appraisal of his mistakes along the way - the same ones we all make. An excellent read for the novice and seasoned horseman alike, there's wonderful humor throughout with stories of hope and clear strategies to improve your horsemanship skills.
Consider this excerpt:
 So, does the horse come on earth knowing how to be a roping horse? Not exactly. I know however, he comes on the earth hard-wired to help man. Like the spider knows how to spin a web, and geese and hummingbirds know where to fly, the horse is instructed to help man. His purpose is encoded when he arrives. Whaterver task we present to him, he watches, he listens, and he learns. Once he becomes aware of what we want, he will do it for us - whatever the task might be. If we give the horse sufficient time, he will do anything we ask. He will launch himself onto spears of the enemy in battle and die for us. He will run alongside a buffalo for us and he will spin for us so we can shoot our enemies from all directions. He will even help us rope cattle. The key is we have to ask him the right way. If we do that, we learn something extraordinary, something almost unbelievable, and something life-changing. And that is, the horse is a cosmic Swiss Army knife made by something grander than we can imagine. Once that awareness comes, the horse knows we know what he is... and he will respond."
This new story is available in paperback here or audio CD here. These are SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR - don't wait to order... the signed versions are available at no extra charge only through May 1, 2016.
If you've not read Healing Shine - A Spiritual Assignment, I highly recommend starting with that. More info about Shine's story below.
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HEALING SHINE - A Spiritual Assignment
This is still one of my very favorite books. It's a rare candid MAN'S account of struggles with a horse that wouldn't comply with traditional riding and training.
In it Oklahoma Cowboy Michael Johnson shares a great deal of the inner dialogue that he has with himself surrounding his struggle with the "flighty, spooky, special needs, mentally challenged" horse - Shine.
The reader finds himself alternately laughing out loud, and shedding a tear as we realize that Michael's words of frustration and anguish are a lot like our own. Here's an edited excerpt from chapter seven:
"Long solitary conversations in the barn were the norm for me in those days, sometimes with the dog - but mostly with my self. I considered options, weighed angles, and most of all, wrestled with that internal voice we find inside us all; the one when someone else asks about, we deny knowing. "What?" we say. "No, I don't talk to myself; that's what crazy people do." I admit to hearing mine, and also that not only did I hear it in that barn, but we argued constantly. Then, to my surprise, I found someone - or something else - in there. I talked to myself all right, but at some point, somebody else butted in. Something - something more than me - started talking too. And by the way, what is that "thing?" That internal voice we all share our innermost thoughts with, that sparring partner we tell things we tell no other.
Who is that?
Is that our "self" or is it the Spirit? Is that Jesus, and does he know where Idabel Oklahoma is? Is that voice the "Comforter" He promised to send? Be it guardian angel or deceased ancestor looking down on us from above, I have no idea - not a clue.
Not only was the voice interested in Shine, it was the only one - considering the number of friends I had alienated - as interested in the topic as me. Indeed, it seemed to want to talk about Shine more than I did. Not just idle chatter, either - this thing had ideas, suggestions, and thoughts I simply could not have generated on my own. And the voice even claimed to have the answer. And the answer was...
"You do it!"
"Best way is - you do it!"
...whatever had lit on the shoulder of my mind just didn't understand. The reason I was in this fix with this horse was due to my lack of knowledge. So why on earth did the answer keep coming to me that somehow the solution was in me? That was impossible."
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"You are like all the rest. You pray for great horse. You say, 'Oh, please give me great horse.' Get one, and what do you do? You say, 'Oh, he's crazy, I can't handle him, I need help, send him to someone else.' HEY! Are you listening? We didn't send him to someone else! We sent him to you!"
On the other hand, Michael received plenty of advice from EXTERNAL voices, too.
"Wet saddle blankets are all he needs." "Guarantee you a good ten-mile lope everyday for a week would solve most of your problems." "Hell, just rope on him. All that psychology stuff is messing up your brain. Just rope on him." "Why don't you find a horse that has some sense and will just let you rope and enjoy yourself?"
Click here to order Healing Shine - and read (or listen to) what happens next
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VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT IDEA
It's called a "Secret Box"...
because how to open it
is a SECRET
This is a nifty little wood box. The lid fits so neatly that it's virtually invisible when closed (hence the name SECRET BOX) These are made with contrasting wood and turquoise inlaid on the top, and embellished with a polished silver horse. It's a sweet little jewelry box, keepsake holder - maybe a lock of mane? Made in Rockford, Illinois, USA by Heartwood Creations, it's constructed of sustainably harvested African Padauk wood.Gina's note:
In all the years I have sold these I have only had ONE returned. With it was an angry note:
This is NOT a box!" Apparently the recipient could not figure out how to get it open and thus assumed it was defective. At any rate, this DOES illustrate how invisible the lid on these is - it truly looks like a solid chunk of wood.
It's a great deal at the regular price of $19.95 - it's ON SALE through 2/14 for just $15.96 here
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VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT IDEA
Mary Anne Radmacher's Courage quote:
"courage doesn't always roar. sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'i will try again tomorrow.'"
This quote by Mary Anne Radmacher always resonated with me. I've had a clipping of it taped to my computer for many years - and always referred to it when I was having struggles with my super-sensitive horse that I just couldn't seem to get along with. (I always wondered if she'd have the same thing taped up in her stall if she could?) At any rate, after years of looking at that tattered slip of paper, I wondered how hard it would be to orchestrate applying Mary Anne's inspirational words to a horsey product for HoofPrints. Turns out it was not hard at all! I found Mary Anne's website, and sent her an inquiry. She promptly replied and we sorted out the financial arrangements. So now, you all can enjoy Mary Anne's powerful words with your morning coffee, and she's compensated for her lovely calligraphy and wise words. You can order the mug here. There's a fresh supply of inspiration nearly every day at Mary Anne's Facebook page here
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VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT IDEA
Crazy Horse Gemstone Bracelet
Hand strung and tied right here at HoofPrints!
Iridescent glass pony beads are paired with two pink Rhodonite gemstone beads and a flat oval Crazy Horse Agate Gemstone. Adjusts from about 6" - 9" to fit most wrists. Quantities are limited, expect natural variations in the gemstones. Regular price $34.95, on sale for $29.95 through 2/14/16 or while supplies last here
ABOUT THE STONES:
Rhodonite Gemstone Properties
Rhodonite does for us what paying attention to nature always does for us. It softens our needs. It helps us put petty things behind us. It reminds us that leisure is important and that there's a bigger picture we often lose sight of. We pay attention to small things like the petals of tiny white daisies, the gossamer wings of a dragonfly, or a leaf pressed so long into a stone it has become part of it. That's the experience and wisdom of rhodonite.
Wild Horse Gemstone Properties
Wild Horse Stone is also referred to as Crazy Horse stone. It's a mixture of magnesite and hematite (an iron mineral) and is found in Gila Wilderness Area in Southern Arizona. Basically it got its name because it resembles a spotted brown and white pinto horse. Generally the stone is very white with purple hued browns or rosy browns running through the white magnesite.
Crazy Horse Stone is a very protective and grounding stone as well as a very nurturing and comforting stone. It promotes self awareness and self love and helps us to look within and appreciate our inner beauty and potential. It also supports courage and confidence and gives us the strength to speak out and have personal independence. It can bring upon a feeling of calm and wholeness as well as tranquility, peace and balance within.
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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. The Pink SALE items are here
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 Clutter Busting Continues
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.
*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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These just in...
Check out new products here
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When they're gone - they're gone...
Don't miss one you've been wanting - sadly, some favorites have been discontinued with no replacement - see them 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
HoofPrints Barn Blade
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly
Order 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 immediately 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?" ~Jenne
You can see this, and a sweatshirt that matches, along with all our other PINK SALE products here.
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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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PINK SALE
Sleeping with a Farrier NIGHT SHIRT
It's screenprinted with little horse and farrier logos along with phrases unique to only farrier households:
* How many horses did you do today?
* How did you get that bruise/cut/burn?
* I promise I won't kick you.
* Hoof smoke makes your hair smell good.
* No horsing around tonight.
* Do you want me to rub your back, again?
* It's too bad toothpaste won't remove that blue nail residue from your lips.
* Really, I don't mind the smell of thrush on your hands.
* You're not putting me in cross-ties!
* Did you eat beans for lunch or work on an abcessed foot?
* Gee, do you think that toenail will fall off?
* Settle down or I'll twitch you.
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PINK SALE
Riding for a Cure
See HoofPrints breast cancer awareness products here |
PINK SALE
TUFF CHIX GLOVES
"Best. Gloves. Ever!" ~HoofPrints customer testimonial. More info here
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MADE IN USA
This Hug's For You
Equine Sympathy Cards here |
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BEST NEWS EVER!
BEAUTIFUL JIM KEY movie is in the works! Morgan Freeman has signed on as the star! This TRUE STORY is a fascinating feel-good tale that's loaded with accurate historical details from our country's history. Make sure you've read it before you see the movie! Order 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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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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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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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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