|
|
|
|
|
HoofPrints Newsletter
|
March 4, 2016
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Folks who are friends with me on Facebook (if you're not, send me a request here) know that I quote Anna Blake - A LOT. So I am thrilled to announce that I have her latest book Relaxed & Forward here on the shelves at HoofPrints. This softcover book is just 301 pages, but it might as well be a million, for all the wisdom contained therein. Each chapter is short; just a few pages, but every single one contains profound words like those above, words that summarize a powerful, complex concept into a memorable, eloquent sentence or two with losing any of the meaning. Anna talks a lot about observing horses carefully, and appropriately rewarding their efforts for good behavior, but some of her best words come when she is talking about things going wrong:
 There will always be two stories about horses. One is that they are brainless tools; too crazy or lazy or just not worth the effort. That you'll always be a victim of a horse's whims and habits unless you dominate them to a stupor. The other story is that horses are mythical creatures with brave hearts who lift and carry us in perfect unity. That together, we can break free of earthly limitations.
Both stories actually start the same way. After that, we get just about what we think we deserve."
Each copy comes with a fancy ribbon embellished bookmark that's HAND SIGNED by the author. To read an excerpt click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Are you POSITIVE?
What would your horses say?
How I solved real problems using positive methods:
If you've never tried positive reinforcement training, DON'T do what I did. I viewed it as a curious novelty - but never gave it much consideration. After all - I had kept horses and dogs my whole life - and pretty much had everybody doing what I asked. Without carrying around treats and risking being bitten. (I came from the crowd that thought that hand feeding created biters.)
It wasn't until Allie came along (and I was desparate for something that could help us get along) that I revisited the idea again. My first attempts have been awkward and full of mistakes - but nonetheless - what an amazing breakthrough! The proverbial "light bulb" came on - for both of us. Her distant attitude toward me warmed - and my appreciation for her tries grew. I won't go into method specifics here - there are lots of great references online here. I personally don't use a clicker - but instead substitute a word; "good". The idea is to create a marker that tells the animal when he or she is doing correctly - and that a tasty food reward is forthcoming for a job well done. For the record, I have not been bitten, either. They get pretty excited sometimes - but there are ways to teach them politeness that are effective and still maintain enthusiasm. Plenty of info online about that under mugging for treats. Shown above is our Genuine Leather TREAT POUCH. I have been using the same one for years and it's held up great. The closure is magnetic - so it stays shut AND there is no distracting velcro sound when it's opened. The extra zippered compartment keeps your phone, keys, whatever, separate from the treats. Along with that are two garments from the I TRAIN HORSES TO EAT CARROTS series. All the positive training products are available here
I TRAIN HORSES...
The rest of the story:
Now, these shirts were designed with a tiny bit of sarcasm... as a joke for those of us who want to train our horses using non-forceful methods (treats) and who occasionally encounter less-than-stellar results. It's a whole 'nother story, but I personally found myself a bit lost after I decided to swear off using the option of punishment when working with my horses. I can't always get the results I am hoping for, but I CAN, ALWAYS get them to eat a carrot. It's a lighthearted way of looking at the learning process (both mine and theirs).
A while back I received this email from a newsletter subscriber:
Dear Gina, I have a story to share: There is a local horse rescue that we help out by fostering cases that need more one on one attention than the rescue can reasonably provide. As I'm sure you know, abused horses need to re-learn to trust the humans around them. One of the common traits of abused horses is that they refuse treats like horse cookies, apples and carrots - either because they are unfamiliar or because they associate them with past abuse. The other night, my wife Sue was all excited: "Steve, Lil'Bit took a cookie from me!!" She already has one of your "I train horses to eat carrots" sweatshirts and t-shirts. I got it as a joke at Christmas. She's serious about it though. Her next goal is to get this little abused horse to eat apples and carrots." Thanks to Steve for sharing this lovely story. I am sure, with Sue's kindness and patience, that Lil'Bit will indeed learn to eat carrots! I hope to post an update soon.
|
 Want to learn more about Positive Training? Shown here is Karen Pryor's Clicker Training Kit for Horses. For less than $20. it includes all you need to get the learning started (for both you and your horse) about positive reinforcement training. The kit includes: Getting Started: 40 page clicker training Book, A clicker, An instruction booklet on how to use the clicker, A small sample of horse treats. This is a very basic intro that guides you, step-by-step, through the process. Order here .
And it's not all about doing silly tricks that don't have much purpose. I've used this method with my own to solve a couple problems that were previously unsolvable using all of my lifelong horse owning experiences. (which, as I get further into this journey I am learning don't really make up much...)
My particular horsekeeping situation involves moving the horses from their stalls through the barn aisle and out a door to the pasture. Most days they are only in at night if it is bad weather, and they are eager to dash off to graze as soon as allowed. I don't usually put a halter on anybody - they know the way to the door and it's not likely they'll attempt to go any other direction. However, the charging out of the stalls is troublesome and dangerous. Jack, the Hackney pony, was OK to come out of his stall quietly, but once he got past me a bit he would "launch", and be at a gallop in the three strides it took to get to the door. NOT safe, as he would sometimes throw in a kick/buck along the way.
For years I threatened him to make him slow down. He knew better than to act like that, but if I didn't have a halter on him, he knew I had no control and behaved accordingly. I could put a halter on and force the issue - leading him bug-eyed and prancing to the door, only to repeat the scenario once the halter came off - and often getting a shower of mud in the process as he dashed off. We've had this pony for many years, and the problem never got any better.
A great deal of which I owe to the fact that first thing in the morning is not my best hour for outwitting a pony.
As much as this behavior made me want to kick his bratty little butt, I decided one day to try an approach using treats. He got a treat in the stall doorway for waiting quietly, another one after taking a few steps at a walk, another after a few more quiet steps... and finally a handful at the barn door where he usually took off. At that point, I was the one that ended the interaction - leaving him standing there hoping for another treat - instead of showing his butt and throwing mud at me as he dashed off. Within a few days the problem was solved. I was able to phase out the frequency of treats to one at the end for good behavior, then finally substitute just a pat and a word of praise and
sometimes a treat. The positive training books teach us that once a behavior is learned, and OCCASIONAL reward is more powerful in maintaining it than getting a reward every single time. Sort of like playing the lottery...
My other horse, Allie, wanted to leave her stall as if it were a starting gate.
As soon as the door came open she was ready to dash through. Which was really bad if she tried before it was all the way open and couldn't fit. It was easy enough to "get big" (as some of the trainers teach) so she'd back off and wait for the OK, but then it seemed I was just replacing my body for the door - and as soon as she was given the OK I got the same rush through. Unlike Jack, after that her walk out was sensible.
To solve this one, I used treats to teach her that leaving the stall was only allowed after she put her nose on the opposite side of the door frame
, and kept it there until given the OK. This put the ball in her court - the door was open, but she wasn't to go through until she used self control and completed the required task. Sometimes we'd repeat the "wait" command more than once, just so doing that and getting a treat was more interesting than going out. In time, getting to go out BECAME the treat and I didn't need them any more.
Both of these problems were solved so easily once I changed my way of thinking about how to manage them. Instead of correcting the wrong behavior, I stopped focusing on that and instead put my attention on rewarding the right behavior. It really was almost like magic.
|
In keeping with the
MULTIPLE PRODUCTS ALIGNING THEME...
this week I was greeted by this lovely Christiane Slawik photo of a woman rewarding her horse.
Want even MORE details?
You'll find them in the Clicker Training For Your Horse Book
In this remarkable book, author Alexandra Kurland shows you how and why to use techniques of positive reinforcement and shaping, with a horse. She leads you through the new methodology of clicker training step by step, so that you can do it for yourself. And she makes one of the biggest benefits crystal-clear: Clicker training is not just effective: it's FUN!
No matter where you begin, or what happened in the past, you and your horse can learn to work more smoothly together and enjoy each other more. Step-by-step instructions are profusely illustrated with black and white photos. To order click here
|
Only $1.00
while supplies last!
2016 Horse Women
Wall Calendar
This beautiful, large size glossy calendar features 12 different photos of a woman and her horse, paired with an inspirational quote. Each month shows a different facet of the relationship between women and their various horse breeds. Western riding, English riding, ground work, just hanging out - and more. The photos are a big 12" x 12", and are so striking that you could frame them up after the year is over, or use as background images in a scrapbook.
To order the Wall Calendar click here
2016 What Horses Teach Us
Day Planner
This was new last year and is one you never saw promoted. This sweet little inspirational planner made it's debut in the flyer HoofPrints mailed last fall. It was brand new and I was conservative in my sales projections. That's usually not a bad strategy - UNLESS the supplier RUNS OUT of product. Which is what happened. I never got a chance to rave about how cool they were - because they were all gone! Not one to learn any lessons from actual data - this year, I hoarded up way more than I needed and ended up with a LOT of extra on hand. The week-by-week format includes to do lists with extra planning pages in the back to help organize your busy life. 106 pages, 6.5" x 8.5", printed on high quality, sturdy paper. Includes moon phases, U.S. and International holidays. To order, click here.
WHAT ELSE IS $1.00?
Check out the new DOLLAR SALE page here Now - I don't want HoofPrints.com to become known as the Dollar Store of equestrian accoutrements, but 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
|
|
|
|
Here's what we talked about last time
Last newsletter is here ALL newsletters are here
|
|
These just in...
Check out new products here
|
|
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
|
|
ADULT
COLORING BOOK
Art Nouveau Animal Designs Adult Coloring Book here
|
|
ADULT
COLORING BOOK
Color Your Own Great Horse Paintings Coloring Book here
|
|
Horse Eye Necklace
Available in four colors here
|
|
DON'T do it yourself
FARRIER COASTERS
No farriers were harmed in the making of these coasters. To order click here
|
|
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
|
|
PONY GIRL'S ON THE LABEL!
Horse Woman's Balm
A great product that DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO!
Order here
|
|
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
|
|
HoofPrints
BARN BLADE
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly
Order here
|
|
NEW! Horsey Gift Wrap Assortments
These awesome gift wrap collections were designed by a lifelong horse owner, whose career happened to be in packaging design - so all the details are just right! More info here
|
|
MADE IN USA
Tooled Leather Bracelet
Features braided rawhide, engraved heart and fancy buckle. Only $19.95 here
|
|
It's Back! HOLLYWOOD HOOFBEATS
New updated version includes 10 more years of horse movies - to order click here
|
|
HALF PRICE AND PRINTED IN USA: "Pharaoh's Horses"
20x26 Print with history and trivia article included is available here
|
|
PRINTED IN USA:
This Hug's For You
Equine Sympathy Cards here
|
|
Silver Dog Whistle
Solid Sterling Silver Whistle on waxed cotton cord here
|
|
Message
I love hearing from customers. You can contact HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling via email at gina@hoofprints.com |
|
GINA'S BLOG
Fun on the Farm
read the latest happenings in the Keesling household, involving construction, destruction, remodeling adventures and general wreckage here
|
|
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 |
|
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.
|
|
Share our emails
| |
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)
|
|
|
|
|
