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January 22, 2007
Volume 3, Number 2

Hello, Friends! 

I hope everyone is doing fine. Can you believe we are almost at the end of January?  You have caught me between two basketball games on Saturday and I thought I would get this out to you before I leave for our son, Brent’s game. With February looking at us, we are getting geared up for the 2007 Horse Owner Workshops.

Don’t forget our Horseman’s Priority Clinic the weekend after next, Feb.3 & 4th at the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka. It is a great weekend to learn from some great horsemen and fellowship with our friends. You can also make arrangements to bring your horse to ride during the open riding. We have special rates at the Capitol Plaza Hotel located right at the ExpoCentre. We have two great HOW Tours (Horse Owner Workshops) planned for February. Don’t miss the Jody Cunningham, Feb.12 through Feb.17th, and the Van Hargis Tour, Feb. 27th through March 7th. All of the information is in the calendar with the exception of the March 7th Van Hargis HOW event. I talked with Carol Mayo, from Lortscher Agri-Service in Bern, KS, and they will have him scheduled the 7th somewhere in their area. The Jody Cunningham Tour is a joint effort of Purina Mills along with the area Extension Services and our allied partners.

With the HOW events you will get the opportunity to learn about Purina Mills NEW Enhanced Strategy® along with our FeedGuard™ Nutrition System. Simply put, “The Best Just Got Better”.

I want to thank all of you who helped Kim Nunn from Lone Jack, MO find a new horse for her daughter. She had several calls, and they found a horse! This is how Better Horses Network is supposed to work.

Personally, I am keeping my eye out for a mare to lease or possibly buy. I would like to have a cowhorse/reining/cutting bred mare that has produced money earners or is a money earner. She needs to be quiet and easy to get along with. If you have one or know of one, let me know. You can either e-mail me or call me at 785/418-6047.

I just finished up the 2007 Stallion Edition, and you should be receiving it in the next couple of weeks. Total circulation of this issue will be 27,000, WOW! I went ahead and mailed one more copy at no charge and will discontinue mailing individual copies unless you subscribe at $10/five issues. Those of you who have paid will still be receiving their 5 issues mailed, beginning with the Spring Edition. Deadline for ads in the Spring Edition is March 15th. For those of you who wish not to subscribe, you will still be able to pick up a free copy at participating Purina Dealers on the back page along with some other favorite spots in your area.

Let us know if we can help you in any way. For those of you who are feeding Purina, we really appreciate your business, and for those of you who are not, we would love to “Show You What the Checkerboard Can Do For You!”

Happy Trails!

Ernie

NEWSFLASH!

I just learned from John King, Regional Influential and owner of Rocky Ridge Clydesdales in Odessa, MO, that he has had his Clydesdale Hitch on Purina Ultium for close to a year now.  He has just been awarded World Champion of North America Best 4-Horse Hitch at the Denver Stock Show!  Congratulations to John and his team and also to their Purina Dealer who does a great job helping to take care of these beautiful animals.  These Clydesdales love Purina Ultium!

PRINTED PUBLICATION:   BETTER HORSES NETWORK

Reminder:  We will be sending our 2007 Stallion Edition of our printed publication shortly.  However, to continue receiving all issues of Better Horses Network delivered directly to your home, you will need to send your check in the amount of $10.00 payable to Better Horses Network and mail to Better Horses Network, PO Box 722, Ottawa, KS   66067.  You will then be a subscriber and will receive five issues of our Better Horses Network magazine mailed directly to your home. ( If you don't want to receive it in the mail, you can always pick up a free copy at your local participating Purina Dealer or other distribution points, but your subscription will assure timely delivery directly to you.)

Calendar of Events:

January        

February        

March        

April

May

June

September

Crader Farm - Fulton, MO

Crader Farm, 5840 Co. Rd. 438, Fulton, MO is run by Dan and Wendy Crader.  Click Here to view latest flyer.  For more information, contact Dan or Wendy at (573) 676-3037.
 

The Better Horses Radio Show continues to grow!  Tune in to one of the stations airing our show:
              
                Saturday    9:00am - 10:00am         KMDO 1600 am - Fort Scott, KS
                Saturday    4:00pm - 5:00pm          KFRM 550 am - Clay Center/Salina/Wichita, KS
                Sunday      6:00am - 7:00am           WIBW 580 am - Topeka or listen on-line at http://www.580radio.com/
                Sunday      6:30am - 7:30am           KFEQ 680 am - St. Joe, MO
                Sunday      9:00am - 10:00am         KDKD 95.3 fm - Clinton, MO
                Sunday      4:00pm - 5:00pm           KOFO 1220 am - Ottawa, KS

PLUS . . . we've gone cross-country with the Better Horses Network!
  WOCA - Ocala, FL       KMPH - Modesto, CA       WLEG - Lexington, KY        KSEV - Houston, TX      KLAY - Tacoma, WA
 

             

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 classified ads

For rates and placement information,
please click here. 

For rates and placement information,
please click here

 

JUST LISTED!  Stallion For Sale in Stallion Classified Ads -- Just click on Stallion Showcase icon above to see this latest listing (picture included) and contact information.

NEED A RENTAL TRUCK FOR TRAILER TOWING?  Call Interstate Truck Rental & Sales -- For more information, call (800) 900-0532
or visit www.interstatetruckrental.com.    Click Here to view ad

Be sure to check our Classified Ads. Click on the Classified Ad box above and then choose any category you would like to view.

If you are interested in advertising an item or just advertising your business or service, click in the box immediately below the Classified Ad box above for rates and placement instructions.

Please note we also have a Stallion Showcase section which is available for placing stallion ads. (Click the link in the box immediately below the Stallion Showcase box above for rates and placement instructions.)

Our subscriber list has grown to over 6,300+ recipients -- almost entirely horse-owning households!  Our ad service is a great way to reach those people.  We hope our Ad Services are are an informative and beneficial addition for our readers!

Horse Management Tip

Finding the Right Horse (Part 1)

Does shopping for horses get your adrenaline pumping or scare the horse pucky right out of you? Finding the right horse will be one of the most satisfying decisions you will make if you arm yourself with the information to make a wise choice. Knowing what you are looking for, the resources available, the physical condition of the horse chosen, and the right questions to ask can make this process run much smoother.

First, know what kind of horse you would like to have. Decide if you want to be competitive with you horse or ride for fun, such as trail riding. If you would like to be competitive, know what events you want to participate in. Choosing a prospect that has talent for your chosen events is important. For example, a short-legged, small horse will not have a big extended trot to compete strongly in hunter under saddle. A horse to compete in both western and english may be stronger in one than the other, so know which one you prefer. If you are going to be trail riding, be sure to purchase a horse that does not spook easily.
Knowing your own riding ability is also important. A child just learning to ride needs an older horse with experience, while an older person with experience may want a green horse to work with. Please do not fall into the trap of letting the horse and child grow up together. Young horses require the instinct and knowledge that is only attained through experience. Placing a child with a horse that has experience will speed development, and increase the confidence of the child. The same applies for adults who are learning to ride. Being honest with yourself about your capability, amount of time to work with the horse, amount of money to spend on board, lessons, training, and maintenance will help to find the right horse.
 
Now that you know what attributes you are looking for, the next step is to use all the available resources in your search. Several options include the internet, magazines, local newspapers and word of mouth. The Internet can give you a huge selection across the country. Keep in mind the costs associated with travel and transportation can add up. Several regional magazines provide prospects that may be located closer to your home. A great way to save time and travel costs is to ask for a video. Many sellers have videos available, and it can be a great tool to know if you are truly interested in the horse before going to try the animal.

Reviewing the videos with a trainer can be a great way to learn about what to look for when purchasing a horse. A trainer will have more experience with dealing with possible training challenges and with different horse personality types. Your trainer will also know your skill and what kind of horse will work best for you. For example, if you tend to be nervous while showing, a more “laid back” horse may help calm you in the pen. If possible, take your trainer to ride the horse with you, as they may be able to foresee problems that you have overlooked.
 
The next installment (Part 2) will continue with discussion on meeting sellers, trying the prospective horse, and the pre-purchase exam.

Horsey Treat Recipe

Horse Oat Cookies for a Winter's Day

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup bran
1 cup water
1 tblsp. salt
2 tblsps. brown sugar
1/2 cup of molasses

Mix ingredients together, grease a sheet of foil, and place spoonfuls on foil.  Bake until hard on the outside.  Leave out to dry and cool.  Refrigerate any cookies that are not eaten promptly.  A delicious winter treat for your horse!

"Add-A-Friend" to receive the Better Horses Network . . .

Remember, if you have a friend or neighbor who would enjoy receiving our  twice-a-month Better Horses Network electronic newsletter . . . sign them up on the registration form provided on the Better Horses Network web-site.


(Click here for detailed instructions)      - OR -      (Click here to go directly to Registration Form)

Timely Reminder

When it comes to Equine Research, Purina Mills is the company that can say . . .

“WE FEED OUR FEED TO OUR HORSES, BEFORE WE ASK YOU TO FEED IT TO YOURS!”

Useful Websites for Horse Owners:

Questions & Comments:

We at Better Horses Network would love to hear any questions, comments or suggestions you might have, and we are always looking for items to add to this publication.  To contact us, please send an e-mail to Ernie.Rodina@agbusinessmail.net.

For placement of stallions in the Stallion Corral section, please contact Connie at the following e-mail address: Connie.Rodina@agbusinessmail.net.   For Classified Ad placement, please send an e-mail to JoAnn at JoAnn.Riggs@agbusinessmail.net .

Be sure that you don't miss a single issue of the Better Horses Network E-Newsletter!  Please add Ernie.Rodina@agbusinessmail.net to your address book, especially if you are a Yahoo!, America Online or Hotmail user.  This will help ensure you'll receive all deliveries from us in a timely and consistent manner.

All past issues of the Checkerboard Corral and Better Horses Network and all associated event flyers can be viewed on-line by clicking here.

If you wish to unsubscribe to this publication:
                    Please send an e-mail message to Unsubscribe-CC@agbusinessmail.net
               and indicate you wish to unsubscribe to the electronic newsletter.

Our Partners:

  

(Click on the images above to visit their website)

Contact Information:

To submit any information you would like us to consider for publication on our website, in the printed publication or on this newsletter, e-mail your information to associate editor, Joann.Riggs@agbusinessmail.net .  Also, we are always interested in hearing your ideas about the value of this newsletter or whether you have any problems downloading or viewing this document.

If you are not currently receiving our printed publication of Better Horses Network and would like to be on our mailing list, please send your check in the amount of $10.00 payable to Better Horses Network and mail to Better Horses Network, PO Box 722, Ottawa, KS   66067.  You will receive five issues of our Better Horses Network magazine mailed directly to your home. ( If you don't want to receive it in the mail, you can always pick up a free copy at your local participating Purina Dealer or other distribution points, but your subscription will assure timely delivery directly to your home.)

Remember, if you have additional e-mail addresses of friends or contacts that you would like to add to our electronic newsletter subscriber list, see section above entitled "Add-A-Friend" to get them on our e-mail mailing list -- or you can always contact Ernie.Rodina@agbusinessmail.net or surface mail to:

Better Horses Network
10715 Kahlmeyer Dr.
St. Louis, MO  63132

Happy Trails Everyone!

Ernie Rodina

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