We had a great week at work designing new tack. We now have Biothane Padded Breast Collars in Pink, Green and Orange Camo. They are so awesome looking and we are making bridles in it also. We have a Western Bridle and a Traditional Trail Halter/Bridle also. We are going to make reins too so you will be able to purchase a whole set of Camo tack. It really is the coolest looking stuff. We can even make dog collars out of it if someone would want one for say a hunting dog or even just a fashionesta dog. LOL! You will have to stop by our online store and check them out. We don't have the bridles or reins on line yet but hopefully Monday we will be able to get the products made so you can see them also.
We also got in Weatherbeeta winter blankets and they really are great winter blankets. If you have never had one you should really check them out. After hauling 8 head of horses to be shod yesterday in the frigid cold, ok so it was 31 degrees but the wind was blowing so it felt a lot colder, I think my horses appreciated their winter blankets. I know it made me feel better to have them blanketed going down the highway in an open stock trailer. I know there is that whole controversy...to blanket or not to blanket, but that my friends is for another day. Stay warm until next time.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
I wanted to share an experience I recently had while trail riding at Eagle Ranch in Collins, MO.
Every year we go there in October for a Family Reunion Ride, this year they told us that there was an Endurance Race scheduled for that same weekend, that the park had been sold out and it would be rather crowded. But none the less we decided to go ahead and stay with that weekend. So my story begins.
We arrive on Wednesday and the only other people there are the manager of the ride, Jodie and some other woman who was just riding. We introduced ourselves to the ride manager and asked about what trails they were going to use as we were going to try and ride other trails that they weren't going to be on. She told us what trails they would be using and how their trails are marked but then told us to ride where we wanted to because we would not bother the endurance riders at all. I was a little skeptical!
Sure enough by Friday night the park was jammed packed with campers and trailers. Now I have worked for Horse Lovers Outlet and The Distance Depot for going on 4 years but this was going to be my first endurance race up close.
Saturday morning arrived with a bustle of endurance riders getting ready to hit the trail at the crack of dawn which was about 7:00 that morning. We on the other hand didn't get on trail until around 9:30 and with a young horse along to boot. This of course means that the endurance race is in full swing. Anyhow out on trail we go and sure enough we encounter our first group, who let us know they were coming even though we could hear them coming. We informed that group that we had a young horse along and they slowed down and let us get this young horse off the trail so they could go on by. As did the next group and the next group and the next group. Not one group of endurance riders or even one endurance rider just went by us without slowing down. They always thanked us for getting off the trails as we thanked them for slowing so we could get this young horse out of the way.
I have ridden a lot of trails with a lot of different people and I have to say I have never been more impressed with a large group of people as I was with the endurance riders. They were the most polite and trail friendly people I have ever had the opportunity to share trail with. So much so that I wanted to share this with all of you.
Every year we go there in October for a Family Reunion Ride, this year they told us that there was an Endurance Race scheduled for that same weekend, that the park had been sold out and it would be rather crowded. But none the less we decided to go ahead and stay with that weekend. So my story begins.
We arrive on Wednesday and the only other people there are the manager of the ride, Jodie and some other woman who was just riding. We introduced ourselves to the ride manager and asked about what trails they were going to use as we were going to try and ride other trails that they weren't going to be on. She told us what trails they would be using and how their trails are marked but then told us to ride where we wanted to because we would not bother the endurance riders at all. I was a little skeptical!
Sure enough by Friday night the park was jammed packed with campers and trailers. Now I have worked for Horse Lovers Outlet and The Distance Depot for going on 4 years but this was going to be my first endurance race up close.
Saturday morning arrived with a bustle of endurance riders getting ready to hit the trail at the crack of dawn which was about 7:00 that morning. We on the other hand didn't get on trail until around 9:30 and with a young horse along to boot. This of course means that the endurance race is in full swing. Anyhow out on trail we go and sure enough we encounter our first group, who let us know they were coming even though we could hear them coming. We informed that group that we had a young horse along and they slowed down and let us get this young horse off the trail so they could go on by. As did the next group and the next group and the next group. Not one group of endurance riders or even one endurance rider just went by us without slowing down. They always thanked us for getting off the trails as we thanked them for slowing so we could get this young horse out of the way.
I have ridden a lot of trails with a lot of different people and I have to say I have never been more impressed with a large group of people as I was with the endurance riders. They were the most polite and trail friendly people I have ever had the opportunity to share trail with. So much so that I wanted to share this with all of you.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Sorry we haven't posted in a while! Things became quite busy and we fell behind with posting here on the blog. We really appreciate you following us and will make it a point share interesting notes and promotions a bit more frequently with you all.
Happy Trails!
The Horse Lovers Outlet Team
ps: When you have a moment, you must check-out our Nutty November Clearance. We're putting some great stuff in there!
Happy Trails!
The Horse Lovers Outlet Team
ps: When you have a moment, you must check-out our Nutty November Clearance. We're putting some great stuff in there!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Crazy busy!!
FINALLY some rain!! The ground around here was so cracked that it might have been pretty easy to fall all the way to China. We got a good soak last night and still drizzling today! Yay!! I'm sure our horses are happy for the relief from the sun as well.
In other news, we have been having such a good, busy couple of weeks following a successful trip North to Endure for the Cure. This race was at Jim Edgar Panther Creek Park, and I gotta tell you, what a venue!! If you ever have a chance to ride up there, don't miss out! We will be returning to the park for the AHA National Championships in October, and are very excited.
Between unpacking the trailer and keeping up with orders, we have been keeping ourselves pretty well occupied. We are also in the process of adding several new items to our store, so be sure to check our website regularly!
We hope that everyone has a safe and fun weekend, and HAPPY TRAILS!!
Photo courtesy of Google Images
In other news, we have been having such a good, busy couple of weeks following a successful trip North to Endure for the Cure. This race was at Jim Edgar Panther Creek Park, and I gotta tell you, what a venue!! If you ever have a chance to ride up there, don't miss out! We will be returning to the park for the AHA National Championships in October, and are very excited.
Between unpacking the trailer and keeping up with orders, we have been keeping ourselves pretty well occupied. We are also in the process of adding several new items to our store, so be sure to check our website regularly!
We hope that everyone has a safe and fun weekend, and HAPPY TRAILS!!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Endure, here we come!
Let's begin by saying, I hope everyone had a safe and fun Fourth of July! We all enjoyed a nice 4 day weekend, and were all able to get in at least one ride! Back at it again this Monday, our plates have been quite full. We have been busy bees catching up on the weekend orders, preparing to leave for Endure for the Cure, and making tack for the Team USA Endurance riders, who are leaving for France early next week. Here is some of the tack we are sending with them, as sponsors of Team USA!
Restocking the trailer with merchandise this week has been the largest task by far, with temperatures reaching a scalding 100+ degrees, but a task worthwhile, as we are very excited to get on the road for Endure for the Cure. What a great and worthy cause and a great time raising funds for the Susan G. Komen foundation! This particular event has raised over $180,000 since it began in 2001, and we are very proud to be sponsors for the ride!
Restocking the trailer with merchandise this week has been the largest task by far, with temperatures reaching a scalding 100+ degrees, but a task worthwhile, as we are very excited to get on the road for Endure for the Cure. What a great and worthy cause and a great time raising funds for the Susan G. Komen foundation! This particular event has raised over $180,000 since it began in 2001, and we are very proud to be sponsors for the ride!
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| Photo courtesy of endureforthecure.org |
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Just a little Fourth of July food for thought!
Another Fourth is upon us. I don't know how your guys are, but this time of year means my boys stick close to home for a week.. Even though we have no immediate neighbors, for about a week prior and a week following the 4th, we will hear booms and bangs from all of the surrounding areas. My horses don't care much for it and will huddle together by the gate, as to say "let me come inside and hide!" Being that that is NOT an option, there are many choices for easing your horse's stress during scary situations. Or, perhaps, you just have a nervous horse. One of the homeopathic remedies is Valerian root. Although you can obtain it in several forms, I would prefer the powdered form. You simply combine one teaspoon of powdered root with 5 oz. of hot water and steep like tea, then mix with your regular feed. Some of the benefits of using Valerian root are that, along with offering a calming effect, it also slows peristalsis, thus slowing the passage of food through the stomach and reducing the risk of diarrhea and other symptoms of colic. Some of the other homeopathic remedies are Chamomile, Vervain Root, and Melatonin (which may make him drowsy). There are also manufactured products such as Confidence Plus and Calm & Cool (I have never used either) that will apparently have the same effects. Keep your horses and dogs in mind during this holiday and remember that they might be a little scared. A carrot a day does a good job too. ;)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Back at it again...
Following last week's accident, I have returned to work. And it's a good thing. I don't think that I could have handled the boredom much longer. However, it was certainly not the vacation that I had envisioned for myself.
Anyway, it is definitely nice to be back amongst the living. We had a huge order waiting for us Monday morning. Turns out, Pebble Beach Equestrian Center needs to re-outfit their entire herd, and have commissioned us to do it! This is pretty neat! So, 13 Halter Bridles and 13 sets of reins later, I finally have time to sit down and look at the social media! Here are some shots of the bulk tack.
It was quite the task, but we did it!
I don't know about where you are today, but it is HOT here!! The heat index is something over 100 degrees today. Yikes. The horses are all hiding from the sun. Keep an eye on your pets this week and when it gets like this! Remember that everyone will be drinking a little bit more water, so keep an eye on that stock tank and don't forget about a drink for your horses and dogs when on the trail!
Anyway, it is definitely nice to be back amongst the living. We had a huge order waiting for us Monday morning. Turns out, Pebble Beach Equestrian Center needs to re-outfit their entire herd, and have commissioned us to do it! This is pretty neat! So, 13 Halter Bridles and 13 sets of reins later, I finally have time to sit down and look at the social media! Here are some shots of the bulk tack.
It was quite the task, but we did it!
I don't know about where you are today, but it is HOT here!! The heat index is something over 100 degrees today. Yikes. The horses are all hiding from the sun. Keep an eye on your pets this week and when it gets like this! Remember that everyone will be drinking a little bit more water, so keep an eye on that stock tank and don't forget about a drink for your horses and dogs when on the trail!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Life can really throw you some curveballs.. WARNING: Mildly graphic content.
It has been a while since my last post and I gotta tell ya, it's not been the best week. But, now that the painkillers are wearing off, let me tell you a little story with several morals.
We, as horse lovers, care for our horses unconditionally. They are our loves, our lives, and often our confidants. We grow so close to them that sometimes it's hard for us to remember that they are still animals, and it only takes a second for us to be quickly reminded how strong they truly are.
While in the pasture putting on fly masks last Saturday, one of my horses spooked on God only knows what (we ALL know how that goes) and planted his big forehead on my nose with great force. A great white light flashed and I knew that I was down for the count. Thankfully, my brother was there to witness the whole ordeal and was able to usher me out of the pasture before I went down. I knew what was coming. It was like someone had opened the floodgates. I decided that I didn't need to rush to the ER to have them tell me what I already knew. My nose was surely broken. I could tell that immediately by the amount of blood that was rushing out of it.. An hour later, I had swelled to such a point that you might have thought that I had gone toe to toe with Rocky Balboa. And lost. Badly. By morning, with my nose still bleeding, I decided that it was time to get a professional's opinion. I drove myself to the ER and, two CT scans later, got the bad news. It wasn't just my nose that was broken. I had four fractures in the bones surrounding my nose, a severed septum, and "subcutaneous air" leaking from a fracture to the soft tissue under my eye. The doc then informed me that the swelling was actually holding my nose in place. "Great", I thought, "I'm going to look like a monster." He set me up with a consultation with an ENT surgeon and sent me on my way with scripts for pain killers and some heavy duty antibiotics to treat this rampant air.
When my husband broke his pelvis falling from my horse last summer, his immediate response was that he was never going to sit on a horse again. MY immediate concern was that it is going to be several weeks before I can ride again. The passion of a true horse lover to return to your animals following a traumatic event, be it a fall or just a freak accident as I suffered, is undeniable. We horse people are some of the toughest and most determined (and often hard headed) of humans who walk this planet, not to mention our ability to be so forgiving. We know of the inherent risks, yet we still insist that this is where we want to be. The rewards far outweigh the risks.
So, here I sit. In my bed. Feeling pathetic. Waiting for the pills to kick back in. And before they do, I will get to these aforementioned morals. Never take for granted the strength and unpredictability of even the most gentle horse, and always have someone around when you enter your beloved creatures territory, for it is THEIR domain.
I can't wait to return to work next week and get back to sewing tack and continuing to pursue my passion. And even more so, I can't wait to get the green light to get back on. Because that is what it is all about. Getting back on. Life's curve balls can knock you down, but it is up to you to decide to get back up.
-Erin
P.S. I give great thanks to Kristen (our fearless leader) for delivering my laptop to me yesterday so that I may continue my online work! And Happy Birthday wishes to her as well!!
Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
We, as horse lovers, care for our horses unconditionally. They are our loves, our lives, and often our confidants. We grow so close to them that sometimes it's hard for us to remember that they are still animals, and it only takes a second for us to be quickly reminded how strong they truly are.
While in the pasture putting on fly masks last Saturday, one of my horses spooked on God only knows what (we ALL know how that goes) and planted his big forehead on my nose with great force. A great white light flashed and I knew that I was down for the count. Thankfully, my brother was there to witness the whole ordeal and was able to usher me out of the pasture before I went down. I knew what was coming. It was like someone had opened the floodgates. I decided that I didn't need to rush to the ER to have them tell me what I already knew. My nose was surely broken. I could tell that immediately by the amount of blood that was rushing out of it.. An hour later, I had swelled to such a point that you might have thought that I had gone toe to toe with Rocky Balboa. And lost. Badly. By morning, with my nose still bleeding, I decided that it was time to get a professional's opinion. I drove myself to the ER and, two CT scans later, got the bad news. It wasn't just my nose that was broken. I had four fractures in the bones surrounding my nose, a severed septum, and "subcutaneous air" leaking from a fracture to the soft tissue under my eye. The doc then informed me that the swelling was actually holding my nose in place. "Great", I thought, "I'm going to look like a monster." He set me up with a consultation with an ENT surgeon and sent me on my way with scripts for pain killers and some heavy duty antibiotics to treat this rampant air.
When my husband broke his pelvis falling from my horse last summer, his immediate response was that he was never going to sit on a horse again. MY immediate concern was that it is going to be several weeks before I can ride again. The passion of a true horse lover to return to your animals following a traumatic event, be it a fall or just a freak accident as I suffered, is undeniable. We horse people are some of the toughest and most determined (and often hard headed) of humans who walk this planet, not to mention our ability to be so forgiving. We know of the inherent risks, yet we still insist that this is where we want to be. The rewards far outweigh the risks.
So, here I sit. In my bed. Feeling pathetic. Waiting for the pills to kick back in. And before they do, I will get to these aforementioned morals. Never take for granted the strength and unpredictability of even the most gentle horse, and always have someone around when you enter your beloved creatures territory, for it is THEIR domain.
I can't wait to return to work next week and get back to sewing tack and continuing to pursue my passion. And even more so, I can't wait to get the green light to get back on. Because that is what it is all about. Getting back on. Life's curve balls can knock you down, but it is up to you to decide to get back up.
-Erin
P.S. I give great thanks to Kristen (our fearless leader) for delivering my laptop to me yesterday so that I may continue my online work! And Happy Birthday wishes to her as well!!
Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thursday, June 13, 2013
We have been working hard around here doing a little late Spring cleaning. We have reorganized the warehouse and put in new shelving, which was quite the task. After getting the store back in shape following the Al Dunning clinic, we feel back on top! Look how much storage we have created!!
Now it is time to move on to the shop, and move into the weekend. We are all hoping to fit a ride and enjoy this beautiful weather! Have a great afternoon!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Tuesday
Geez! All this rain is great and all, but keeping up with the mowing is more than a chore. It's starting to cut into our riding time! We had a great busy weekend and played catch up all day yesterday, sewing tack for 8 straight hours!! Keep up the ordering! We love to be busy around here!
Today, we are assessing our travels over the next couple of months. The next stop for us will be Endure for the Cure in Peoria, Illinois. We will be there July 10-14. After that, we will be attending the AETA Trade Show in Prince of Prussia, PA!! We are very excited to be a part of this. The dates for this show are August 15-19. Where would you like to see us this summer? Where are you headed off to? Tell us about your summer plans and what products you would like to see on some of your excursions, be it a show, race, or just a trail ride. Have a good week, and Happy Trails!
Today, we are assessing our travels over the next couple of months. The next stop for us will be Endure for the Cure in Peoria, Illinois. We will be there July 10-14. After that, we will be attending the AETA Trade Show in Prince of Prussia, PA!! We are very excited to be a part of this. The dates for this show are August 15-19. Where would you like to see us this summer? Where are you headed off to? Tell us about your summer plans and what products you would like to see on some of your excursions, be it a show, race, or just a trail ride. Have a good week, and Happy Trails!
Friday, June 7, 2013
Happy Friday!!
Another Friday here at the shop. Two weeks after the event, we are FINALLY done reorganizing and cleaning from the Al Dunning clinic. The amount of dust that accumulated on our merchandise out there would make Texas amazed. The shop and warehouse are clean and put back together! Time to get down to business next week. It is supposed to be a beautiful weekend, and we are all greatly looking forward to riding our own horses and enjoying a little R and R. What do you have on your agenda this weekend? Where will you be riding? We would love for you to share your pictures with us! Here are a couple of shots of the shop, sans the dust. :) Have a great and safe weekend!!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
I wish that I had something more exciting to report. We are (again) being dumped on by rainstorms. Aesthetically, it's beautiful, but we are all feeling a little bit like drowned, trapped rats. Most of us are only able to ride the roads lately, due to the muck. Where are you headed to ride this weekend? What are some of your favorite places to ride? Share with us here, or on Facebook and include a picture. We hope everyone has a great and safe weekend.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Happy Friday!! We are getting totally washed out here in Missouri. It has been raining NON-STOP for days now and I feel like it might be time to buy a canoe.... However, production is great right now! We have been flooded (haha) with orders and our spirits are high. With the weekend on the horizon, forecast is SUNNY!! I hope that everyone has a chance to ride this weekend! ENJOY!!!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Erniestock!!
We have returned from the Al Dunning Experience!! What a great time we had. Being that we have mainly marketed to the distance and trail rider, this was such a great way for us to step out of our shell and make some new friends! We got to see a master at his craft, Al Dunning, teach his willing students to turn quickly, stop quickly, and chase and maneuver cows! Our store was a success and people really seemed to respond to our unique tack. Here are some photos from this weekend....
We look forward to continuing to expand our markets and our horizons! Happy Trails!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Let me start by saying that our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma. Truly a tragic event. While theycan never replace those who have passed, I hope that they can find the strength and means to replace their homes, schools, belongings and begin walking the path toward healing and recovery...
Now, it has been storming like crazy here in Missouri! Yesterday, we had hail, thunder, lightening, and some of the hardest rain I have ever seen (and I was in Hurricane Andrew in Galveston)! Thankfully, it has been dry so far here today. But, we aren't going to let a little moisture stop us... We are headed to the AL DUNNING clinic tomorrow!! It's in Cleveland, MO (right down the road..YAY!), and we will be there for nearly a week. We have set up a contest and will be giving away a set of custom made reins (of the customer's choice), one on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If you are in the neighborhood, come on by! There will be dancing, live music, BBQ, and a lot to learn! Hope to see you out there!!
Now, it has been storming like crazy here in Missouri! Yesterday, we had hail, thunder, lightening, and some of the hardest rain I have ever seen (and I was in Hurricane Andrew in Galveston)! Thankfully, it has been dry so far here today. But, we aren't going to let a little moisture stop us... We are headed to the AL DUNNING clinic tomorrow!! It's in Cleveland, MO (right down the road..YAY!), and we will be there for nearly a week. We have set up a contest and will be giving away a set of custom made reins (of the customer's choice), one on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If you are in the neighborhood, come on by! There will be dancing, live music, BBQ, and a lot to learn! Hope to see you out there!!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Happy Wednesday!! It is as hot as August here today! We went to the meeting last night to discuss the specifics of the Al Dunning clinic in Cleveland, MO for next week. I gotta tell you, this is going to be a crazy yet good week. We are incredibly excited for this opportunity to step out of our regular routine and mingle with the people of the Western world of riding! There will be BBQ, line dancing, live music, barrel racing and really incredible people. I will be snapping pictures all week so look for some to be shared soon!! Have a great week!!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Happy Hump Day, ladies and gentlemen! We are furiously making tack and preparing to hit the road again! Well, kind of. We are only going DOWN the road. Cleveland, Missouri, to be exact! Al Dunning is running a 5 day clinic with all sorts of other fun and exciting experiences and we have been invited to go! It will be held at Lone Wolf Arena and the clinic will run 5/22-5/27. I hope to see some of you down there!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Happy Monday, everyone! What a crazy weekend around this part of the country. Snow, rain and ick all over the place. Hopefully we can finally say that winter is behind us... However, the Farmer's Almanac says otherwise... YIKES!
Check out our Facebook page to see the contest that we are running! We are giving away this
beautiful Western Racing bridle to one lucky winner!! Join in the fun and GOOD LUCK!!!
Check out our Facebook page to see the contest that we are running! We are giving away this
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Rain, rain, go away...
It's been raining all morning here and we are now under tornado and flash flood watch. Kristen's horses are hiding in their stalls like chickens. While there is no immediate threat to us here, it will certainly make for a soggy drive to Chicken Chase tomorrow. We are still very excited and looking forward to a good weekend! Even though we will be out of the shop, Sherri will still be here for phone orders and you can, of course, order over the internet! Have a great weekend and safe travels to anyone who is off to a race!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
We are making our final preparations for our trip to Chicken Chase. The store is down to skin and bones, and the trailer is mostly loaded. Gigi has been sewing like crazy getting the Sheer Comfort products stocked up, and Kristen has been sewing tack for days to make sure we have enough for everyone! We hope to see you there!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
It's been a while since our last post, but now that our staff has grown, there is a little more time. We will be adding photos of our customer's horses wearing our custom Beta Biothane tack as they come in. Please "like" us on Facebook and tag us in a photo of your horse in our tack! Let's see how many followers we can get this week!
Also, we will be at the Chicken Chase Endurance Races in Henryville, IN next week! Come visit our mobile store and see our new and exciting new products! Stay tuned for pictures from the races!!
Also, we will be at the Chicken Chase Endurance Races in Henryville, IN next week! Come visit our mobile store and see our new and exciting new products! Stay tuned for pictures from the races!!
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