Curly Horse Country Blog

LAST DAY TO ENTER!!!!!

2011-09-30T08:25:00.001-07:00

We still haven't met the goal of $300 for the Curly Rescue!!! We need just 3 more photos!!!
ENTER today!!!!! See link below.

FOUR days left to Enter the Curly Ambassador Contest!

2011-09-26T15:50:00.001-07:00

HURRY! Time is running out....See previous post. =]

10 days left to enter the Curly Ambassador Photo Contest!!

2011-09-22T04:05:00.001-07:00

It's HERE!!CHC's 5th Annual Curly Ambassador Photo Contest!

ALL PROCEEDS GOES TO THE CURLY HORSE RESCUE!

Checks/Money Orders and paypal monies will be sent to Curly Horse Country however, Curly Horse Rescue will send out individual receipts to you, for your taxes.

Every year for the past 5 years I have held a photo contest in search of finding curly photo(s) that best represent the curly breed, worldwide! Those photos are then featured at the top of Curly Horse Country's home page for one full year. A great way to promote your farm/ranch and show the world what a curly can do! TO enter your photo is just $5.00 each.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR PHOTO(S)!

GUIDELINES TO ENTER

Voting: Only curly horse owners & breeders qualify to vote this year. I believe a true ambassador can only be determined by those that know, own and love the breed.

1. Your photo must be of a curly horse that is registered with one of the following: ICHO, ABCR or CSI. NO EXCEPTIONS, sorry.

2. Any photos may be submitted that you feel best represents the CURLY HORSE. I personally prefer photos of curlies being ridden or driven, but I'll leave that up to you! Please try to be creative and not use photos that you have had for years that have been already been online and viewed many times before. I would like NEW, FRESH photos!!! ;-)

3. Try to send photos that represent your area or country.

4. Quality photos are vital. They don't have to be print quality, but they should be clear, quality for website viewing.

5. PHOTOS must be in by September 30th! NO exceptions. Send as many photos as you like!

6. Photos will be posted online October 1st, for voting for 30 days. VOTING WILL BE FREE to all Curly Owners and Breeders.

7. Winners will be announced November 1st and posted on my home page for ONE FULL YEAR!
There will be a winner in each category: USA, CANADA and OVERSEAS.

Feel free to ask any questions!!! Have fun!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR PHOTO(S)!

All proceeds will go to the CURLY HORSE RESCUE!

Merry Christmas from Curly Horse Country!!

2010-12-25T04:51:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a VERY Merry Christmas and outstanding New Year! Thank you for your support and encouragement with Curly Horse Country. You are awesome!

Just 11 days to SIGNUP! Ride-A-Curly!

2010-12-21T03:57:00.000-08:00

I know everyone is in hustle mode this time of year...I am right there with ya. But soon January will arrive and the winter dull-drums will kick in! What a great thing to look forward to - a motivating contest that brings people together to share their stories, promote the breed and set some new and fabulous goals!! Come on...join us and be a part of the RAC Team!

No registration required! FREE Tshirt with sign up!

SEVEN (7) divsions and 3 30-day mini contests!

AWESOME prizes!

Check it out here!

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RACcontest_details.htm

2011 Curly Ambassador WINNERS!!

2010-11-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!!

I am excited to announce the 2011 Curly Ambassadors for USA, CANADA and OVERSEAS!!

CONGRATULATIONS to Deb McGahie, Shelly White and Anne Bezdicek!!

*Sandman's Magic
ABC 2962 - CANADA

*SS Ivory Felicity
ICHO 316-D - GERMANY

*Lakota High Socks
ABC 3894 - USA

Click here to view the results!

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/2011curlyphotocontest_results.htm

This year we didn't have as many voters due to the fact that I restricted it to only curly owners. But I so appreciate those that took time to vote and be involved. This was an awesome contest with amazing photos!!

The winning photos will be placed at the top of Curly Horse Country's home page for 1 full year!!

Please visit Curly Horse Country often! Updates daily!!

2011 Curly Photo Ambassador VOTE!

2010-10-09T02:14:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Don't forget to vote for your favorite photo!

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/2011curlyphotocontest.htm

You have until October 31st!

Thank you!

FALL FUN Stuff!

2010-08-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

Figured it was time to jump start the fall, just to keep people on their toes and not too sad about the summer's end. =]

There is still so much ahead, with gorgeous riding weather and photo opportunities...so don't put your riding breeches away just yet!

I will be accepting your photos for the contest Sept 1st! Each photo is just $5.00 to enter. ALL horses pictures MUST be registered either with ICHO, CSI or ABCR.

ONLY those that own curlies or are curly breeders may vote. I know it's fun to have the public involved but I think in order to pick a true ambassador, you must understand, know and appreciate the breed quite a bit.

We'll try it this year and see how it goes.

Second...join the RAC in making September the CURLY PROMOTION month! RAC will be holding it's second and final MINI Challenge for the 2010 participants ..details coming next week. Let's band together in taking the horse world by storm and promoting our curlies big time....wear your curly tees/sweatshirts and be ready to chat!

Check Curly horse country daily for updates and details on activities and events. Also CHC is now on facebook. Join today!

4th Annual Curly Ambassador Photo Contest!

2010-07-27T04:09:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Soon CHC will be accepting photos for the Curly Ambassador Photo Contest!

There are a few changes to the guidelines, so wanted to prepare you all.

1. Photos must feature a REGISTERED curly in one of the following registries: ICHO, ABCR or CSI. Registrations numbers will be required. Sorry, no pending papers.

2. The winning photo will be featured at the top of CHC for 1 year and this will promote that particular Curly as the Ambassador. The breeder's website will be noted on the photo featured.

Each photo submitted is $5.00 each to enter. Voting is free.

So get your cameras ready and start shooting! =] And be sure to get your curly registered if you plan to submit photos of them for the contest.

Thank you!

Online Photography Course, just $15.00!

2010-03-12T06:46:00.001-08:00

In lieu of the recent request for quality photos for Curly Horse Country Galleries, it was suggested that I ask Tracy about offering her 4 week basic photography course again this spring. Tracy was happy to do another session.

The details are on the link below. The cost is just $15.

Classes begin April 1st, 2010! Be ready with shooting knowledge as the riding and foal season gets underway!

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/equinephotographyclasses.htm

Needed! Curl - Antics - Action!

2010-03-08T04:01:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Everyone!

I have decided it's time to revamp my "Winter Curls" and "Curlies in Action" Photo Gallery Page. It's been 3+ years since I set those pages up and I think it's time for a whole redo! (where does the time go!?) I think we have all progressed alot in photo taking since then so I am excited to post some new ones. Not only that, but we are doing alot more with our curlies too!

I also created a new page for a gallery of photos that show the "Curly Antics" the Curly Personality. I posted a pic as an example. =]

Breeders this is "FREE" advertising for you if your photo is accepted so get your cameras rolling!

Here are some guidelines:

Please refer to Linda's article on photo tips prior to submitting:

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/photography.htm

1. Photos must be high quality (not taken off video), with a well groomed curly, showing them off in the best possible light. Photos that are blurry, showing dirty curlies, unfavorable backgrounds can not be accepted, I am sorry. Remember, these pages are introducing the public to our curlies, so let's show them off proud!

2. Be sure to include your website if you would like it listed with your photo.

Please don't be offended if your photo is not chosen for the gallery. I am going to have to be very selective in which ones I choose to offer the best variety and quality for these pages. For the winter curls gallery, I would like to have a variety of curly types and curly coat colors. Curlies in Action, please submit photos of your curlies doing something unique, different. BRAINSTORM! If you had to show your curly off and you couldn't use words, how would you do it?? =]

Please submit your photos to: denise.conroy@gmail.com

Lessons from Tilikum?

2010-03-04T05:27:00.001-08:00

Tilikum, the killer whale - we have all heard the news stories over and over.

Yesterday, I was watching Dr. Oz after a long work day and he was interviewing Julie
Scardina from Sea world about the tragedy. Something she said resounded in my
head. She said, the trainers don't take risks, every second they watch the
animal and if they see "anything" that makes them think something is off, they
don't get in the water. She said, maybe it is how they flip their fin that makes
them think, "humm..that was different today...maybe something is wrong." -
According to Julie, this is how close the trainers watch these animals and
access their risk. It is assessed constantly, minute by minute, not day by day or
week by week.... EVERY single second they are in that animal's presence.

So obviously I was stunned to read this on another website shortly after watching this show. A 72 year old onlooker (Skaggs) was interviewed and it was written:

"Skaggs said he heard that during an earlier show the whale was not responding
to directions. Others who attended the earlier show said the whale was behaving
like an ornery child."

It made me wonder if Dawn overlooked the warning signs? Had she not been
careful enough, observant enough, paying attention? Could this have been
prevented had she noticed, heeded the warning? Or could she have thought too confidently? Pride get in the way?

That of course lead me to our horses, working, handling and training them. (yeah, maybe not 12,000 lbs, but certainly big enough to hurt even kill nontheless). HAVE WE educated ourselves enough to learn warning signs of our equines? Every animal is different, so it means knowing EACH animal...inside and out. How do you tell your horse is having a bad day? How do you know he is intune? How do you KEEP him in tune?? How do you know his attitude that day? Are his eyes different? Did he respond different while lunging today over yesterday? If so, how? Can you
feel when he is not listening to your cues? Ignoring? Do you ignore the warning
signs when you see them??

For me, this made an impression because it is everything I am learning these
past few months with my curly gelding Reese. Things I ignored and didn't learn or chose not to learn. THESE are the very things that put you in DANGER.

To own horses and be 100% fufilled, you MUST learn to train, you must learn to
ride well, and you MUST learn horse behavior to read and understand them well.
period.

It has always made me wonder why there are so many horse women crippled with
'fear?' Could it be based on a bad experience where they ignored the signs?
Assumed too much risk, not knowing their mount? I think we can all say we have
been there! Maybe more times than we care to admit. =] I know for me personally, every single negative incident in my past was because I failed to see, heed and respond properly to the warnings.

As we approach this year's riding season, let's all be ever so mindful and respectful of our equines. Seize the opportunity to gain as much information as you can to become fully aware of your horses so the outcome does not end like Dawn's. Be safe, be smart and most of all do not let your pride get in the way of your safety.

Congratulations 2009 RAC Champions!

2010-01-17T02:24:00.000-08:00

Proudly announcing winners of the 2009 Ride-A-Curly International riding competition!!!

Youth: 12 and under
Grand Champion: Jadie Dennis
Reserve Champion: Kendahl D'Uva

Youth: 13-17
Grand Champion: Catherine Perreault
Reserve Champion: Cara Duncan

Beginner/Novice - all ages:
Grand Champion: Robin Mathison
Reserve Champion: Bernice Rueli

Adult:
Grand Champion: Carol Baldwin
Reserve Champion: Tom Baldwin

Professional:
Grand Champion: Zoe Lirakis
Reserve Champion: Tammy Denault

Ground Division
Grand Champion: Linda VavRosky
Reserve Champion: Angie Gaines

INCENTIVE AWARDS:

Metals are given for logging riding miles of: 150, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500 etc. Miles are rolled into the following RAC if you continue to pay to be in the program. More about the Incentive Program

Dian Williams: 150 miles
Robin Mathison: 150 miles
Laurie Bryan: 500 miles
Angie Gaines: 250 miles
Betsy Lirakis: 750 miles
Zoe Lirakis: 1250 miles

Congratulations to all!!!

Best Little Camera Ever! =]

2009-12-29T02:30:00.000-08:00

Since I believe that taking great photos is essential to promoting the curly breed, I just HAD to share with all of you the link to a fabulous, very inexpensive camera that I just purchased! =]

*** feel free to share yours as well in this discussion***

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

Not only does it come in really nifty colors, but it is so fun to use. Fast shutter speed, great zoom, quality pic and really high reviews overall. It even has manual settings..which I haven't played around with yet.I paid $137 w/ discount, free shipping and free 4G memory card! Pretty cool, eh?

If interested, Linda Vavrosky wrote an article to help all of us take better photos - here is the link for that as well.http://curlyhorsecountry.com/photography.htm

If you have a camera that you recommend, feel free to list it here.

Last Call, Ride-A-Curly Sign up Ends Dec 31st!

2009-12-28T04:05:00.001-08:00

HURRY!!

Time is running out to sign up for the Ride-A-Curly, 2010, 4th annual international riding competition! (Wow, that was a mouthful!)

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RAC_entryform.htm

FREE tshirt, great prizes and most of all fun & inspiring!! See you there.

Email with questions: denise.conroy@gmail.com

Follow CHC on Facebook & Twitter!

2009-12-17T04:54:00.000-08:00

I figured it was time to network a bit more & get up with technology!

So....Curly Horse Country is now on Facebook and Twitter. I will also be updating this blog from time to time with interesting news, thoughts and insights. Also with special news as well.

FACE BOOK

TWITTER

See you there!

New Curly Locator Map - Find a Curly Near You!

2009-12-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

New to Curly Horse Country! An interactive Map that allows visitors to search for a curly horse in their area. Many people with horse allergies are curious about the claims of Curly Horses being hypoallergenic and would like to visit a Curly Horse in person to test to see if they react before persuing their endeavor to find the perfect curly horse for their family. Others have never seen a Curly Horse in person and would simply enjoy visiting one near their home.

CURLY LOCATOR MAP HERE

This Locator Map Page lists curly owners as well as curly breeders who are willing to open their barn doors to invite you to experience the wonder of the Curly Horse. There is no registry affliation, just people who love their curlies and wish to share them with you.

Another cool benefit to this page is that maybe you are a curly owner or curly breeder on vacation and you want to visit curly owners in the area just for fun. Skip onto the Locator Map and wala! Curly Horses may be just a few miles away! Plan a trip and visit Curlies along the way...the benefits of this Locator Map are numerous. I hope you enjoy it! Select your region below by clicking on the map. Each listing states if the farm can accommodate visitors with allergies, how many curlies they own, if they are a breeder or owner, breeder website links and any other specifics they wish to share. Be sure to check back frequently as new listings will be added often!!

Do you own a Curly Horse? If you would you like to welcome visitors to see your curly (s) & help promote the breed simple click on the sign up text below! It's easy and simple.

SIGN UP - ENTER YOUR FARM

Photo Contest & November Riding

2008-11-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

Our Curly Horse Ambassador Photo Contest is underway! Please be sure to stop by and vote. There are some amazing photos and many have special stories behind them. So please take your time and pick carefully. The 3 winners will be featured at the top of Curly Horse Country for 1 full year as our international ambassadors! Pretty cool, eh? BE SURE to vote for 3 in EACH category. Deadline to vote is November 30th. Winners announced Dec. 1st!

Trail riding during November, hunting season. Most of the country changed their clocks back this weekend. It sure was nice to get an xtra hour on Sunday morning to fool with my website. But boy, it sure cuts into riding time! Every day it seems that more and more hunters are in the woods up here. Rabbit, Partridge and also bow season for deer is going on right now. I found this cool site to help protect your horse during hunting season. Check it out. Riding during hunting season, protect your horse. Our rifle season starts on the 15th, so this was probably the last weekend to hit the trails for a while. Dec 1st, we are clear to go again. Last weekend a few of us gals headed out for a nice 15 mile ride and had a pot luck afterwards. It was such fun! *Note the orange we are wearing. ;-) SO, be safe as you hit the trail this month everyone!

And don't forget to check in on our Ride A Curly Contest riders! We'll see how they fair for the month as we watch their blog. Til next time!

Favorite Online Tack Shops

2008-10-29T17:19:00.003-07:00

If you are like me you like to shop online for the best deals. But I really don't have a choice as I live in a very remote area and the nearest tack shop is 4 hours away. ;-) I wouldn't have it any other way though. Finding that perfect saddle pad or grooming brush is part of the fun and part of the hunt for the best bang for my buck. (oooo, that was a pun! Aren't I clever?)
Anyway....I recently dealt with a really great store called Action Rider Tack inc. (http://actionridertack.com/) I was not only impressed with the items they carried but how informative they were when I called. They use what the sell and it's awesome! Not only that but after I placed my order they confirmed it, sent me a thank you, then sent me a delivery confirmation and then a follow up! I love a company that communicates well! They got an A+++ from me!
One thing I bought that I really like is the Bear Bell. It was just $7.95 and it comes inside a net with a magnet at the bottom. So if you want it to stop making noise you just tuck in back inside the little netting pouch. I went on a nice ride tonite with Reese and it was awesome. It just gave me a little comfort having a noise maker with me. I was also covered in orange too so I wouldn't get shot by the partridge or rabbit hunters. My dogs were also covered in orange tape. It was too funny. Anyway, back to the bell. In the spring I will be glad to have it. Very easy to put in your bag. I usually find I shout from time to time when riding alone to make sure the mama bears here me coming. It works, but I think the bell will save my voice. lol.

Other great things on that website. Check them out!

What is your favorte online Tack and why?

Curly Community Raises $500 for Curly Horse Rescue!

2008-10-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

In an effort to promote the Curly Horse, CHC hosts a Curly Ambassador Photo contest each fall. This year, I decided to donate all the proceeds to the Curly Horse Rescue. A small but vital resource for curlies in need. Photos started coming in 4 weeks ago and when we reached the $200 mark I was thrilled! Then $300....then $350. I was in awe! 50,60 and 70 photos filled the contest gallery in the matter of a week or two. Lovely photos of awesome curlies representing the powerful traits of this unique breed, ie handicapped & therapy horses, jumping, dressage, curious, dog like and people friendly photos....and so much more.

At the close of the deadline to submit photos for the contest, a last call was made for 3 more photos to reach a goal of $500. AND the Curly Community rose to the challenge and MET that goal! Whooo Hooo! Congrats and thanks to all of you that participated...and now the fun part starts. VOTING!

The photo gallery for voting will be posted November 1st. Visitors will have the opportunity to vote for the entire month of Nov. Each email address gets a 1 vote per division. USA, Canada and Overseas. At the end of the month, the winners in each division will be posted at the top of Curly Horse Country as our Curly Ambassadors for ONE full year!

So stay tuned - !

Treeless Saddles for your Curly Horse

2008-10-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

It is often said that Curly horses are very hard to fit to a good saddle. For the most part, many have low withers and very well spring ribs. I purchased my first Bob Marshall Original endurance saddle while shopping for a lighter weight saddle for my husband, Tom and his curly Zig. I found a great deal on ebay on a BM and took the risk. It was the best purchase I could have made! Not only did Tom love it, but Zig moved so fluid in it too. I tried it out and had to have one myself! I rode in it for 4 years with great comfort.

However, while training for a competitive trail ride, I noticed my curly gelding, Reese was experiencing some soreness. He also had some white hairs on his back in one spot. Red flags went up and I started researching. I thought I may have to go back to treed saddle which I hated to think about. THEN I found the Freeform! Reese in his Liberty Dressage Saddle below along with a HAF pad which is necessary for proper protection.

Jeremy Reynolds won the 100 mile Tevis in 2007 riding in his Freewest Freeform so that says something about the construction of these treeless saddles. They offer a Y shaped girthing system which distributes the riders weight and also a molded foam to protect the spine.

I rode Reese in a Freewest Freeform in his last two CTR rides and he had no soreness on the 25 mile. It was a great saddle! I have sensed decided to purchase the freeform liberty for the knee rolls. I noticed on the down hill that my knees needed support while trotting them.

New they are around $2K with pad. However, I found both my Freeforms used on the treeless group archives, endurance.net and tacktrader.

More about the styles Freeform offers, here: http://freeformusa.com/

(Photo above: *Prairie Espresso Dream, Aka Reese sporting his new Freeform Dressage Liberty Treeless saddle & HAF pad)

If you have an experience with a treeless saddle I would love to hear from you! There are many wonderful options on the market now.

Fall Already?

2008-10-17T04:32:00.000-07:00

Wow! Where did the time go? I am back to updating my Curly Horse Country blog but it is hard to know where to start. So much has happened, so many new updates and articles. To begin with, CHC is hosting a Curly Ambassador Photo Contest and all proceeds will go to the Curly Horse Rescue. Enter your photo by October 25, 2008. Photos desired are those that you think best shows off the breed in look, attitude, performance, versality etc. Voting begins November 1st and will go for 1 full month. Be sure to check back to vote on your favorites!

Secondly, is a new article on Curlies and Competitive Trail Riding. A basic intro to my experience with Reese this past season. I hope others will try it with their curlies! Check it out.

Next, I have a new classified section on my website for businesses. I often get requests to advertise on my home page but there is limited space and I just don't want it to get bogged down with ads. Cost is affordable, click here if interested in more info.

There are always new things happening so be sure to check back. Curly Classifieds are updated daily and offer some really find curly horses for sale.

And don't forget to encourage our Ride-A-Curly folks! Check out the RAC blog to see what they have been up to and also congratulation the winners of the MINI contests!

Til next time! Enjoy those Curlies!

Curly Horse Decals & Vehicle Magnets

2008-02-29T13:59:00.000-08:00

By popular demand, I placed a second order for Curly Horse Country decals. This time in both white and black vinyl and also vehicle magnet signs. Those magnets were SO cool! I really need to get some of those. Easy to apply...except, do you think someone at a show or fair would steal it off your truck? I don't know why, I would worry about that. Silly probably. ;-) The magnet signs are made of high quality commerical material, so they will last for years. The vinyl decals is probably what I will use on my trailer..especially after a curly breeder who received two for her truck applied them immediately and said they look great and it was VERY easy to apply. Good for her for just going at it! She has already got comments on it while going to town. Be ready for the silly comments too...she said a guy asked, "is that like Curly fries?" As time goes on, I am sure you will think you have heard just about everything, and you will get pretty witty in your replies back too. Anyway...just a fun way to advertise with curly horse decals and magnets, I think. Very public....too. To buy a curly horse decal or curly horse magnet, visit my curly horse store. ;-)

The Ride a Curly Contest starts it's 3 month tomorrow. The riders have been VERY active this year! Some starting young Curly Horses and others just brushing up on the older mounts. While others are overcoming health issues and/ or fear issues. All very natural in the life of a horseman or woman. They are also sending in lots of pics of their curly horses too!! They are making a huge efffort...some getting pics while mounted..with just the back of those curly ears showing. What a hoot. Good for them..it's so encouraging to see.

Lots of Curly Horses for sale Ads came in this week. You can view a total of 79 curly sales ads on my site now...it's pretty neat. A great selection and really fine quality breeding. Beautiful Curly Stallions at stud as well. Just in time for the spring breeding season!!

Til next time! Keep on riding those curlies!!

Curly Foals Soon to Arrive

2008-02-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

It won't be long and those darling curly coated foals with curly eyelashes will be born all over the US and overseas. It is a very exciting time for quality curly horse breeders. Whether you are registering with the ABCR, ICHO or CSI, if your foals come from proven parents and offer something to the market place, you are bound to sell them easily - even in this dry market.

Last year, Curly Horse country offered a foal nursery page for newborn curly foals and for breeders/owners to brag about their new littles ones. This year it will be the same. When we first purchased our Curly Gelding back in 1997, the variety in curly horses for sale was limited. Chances of finding a well broke curly horse at all was almost impossible. Those that were broke, were often mares in foal - which made it easy for new buyers to start breeding those precious jewels themselves. Nowadays, that isn't the case and I find it exciting. Well broke Geldings abound on the classified sites and offer a variety of versatility as well. Dreamhorse.com, horsetopia.com and equinenow.com are a few of the favorites.

So to all of those with curly foals coming along this year, drop me an email and I will gladly post your newborn on the foal brag page. Looking forward to hearing from you and see those darling curly horse foals.

Curly Horse Ads, working with a graphic artist

2008-02-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

I have been blessed to work with an amazing graphic artist over the past several years. Her name is Lisa and she is from New Bruinswick. She breeds amazing Curly Sport horses, under the ranch name of Sterling Curlies. Of course, Lisa is never one to brag or boast about her graphic skills or her success amidst the Curly population - it's not her style. ;-) So, I thought I would do it for her! Hey, what are friends for anyway? ;-)

This ad is for Curly Horse Country for a new 'magazine' called Curly Horse Journal, headed up by Heidi Robinson. I tried to create one myself but it totally bombed! It lacked flare, style, professionalism and resolution. I am too embarrassed to post it! Lisa is extremely busy, but was so gracious in helping me put something together...I always love her work!

Lisa also helped me with a fabulous banner for our OMD Embroidery website. I always try to attempt to do my own curly horse graphics or promotional ads but I struggle everytime. It takes a great eye....What a gift! You will have to click on the link to go and see it --- it's so awesome!!!!

I guess my point of this whole post is that if you want to advertise your ranch, farm or horse related business it is SO important to start with professional looking graphics, ads and logos. Hire someone like Lisa to do it right and make your ad stand out and get the attention you seek. To do anything less is only a waste of space.

I couldn't have done any of this without Lisa's expertise and I just wanted to take a second to let it know publically what a treasure she is to the curly community. There are many, many things she does behind the scenes that no one knows about like donating her time for the curly horse calender and designing websites for free and promotional grapics, logos and ads at extremely low, low costs. I know she doesn't need the advertising though because that girl is major busy, but she deserves just a little notority for her work and skill.

Promoting your Curly Horse

2008-02-08T03:36:00.000-08:00

The Ride-A-Curly Horse Contest has started with a bang and I am very encouraged and excited with this year's group. They are taking this promotioning of the curly horse seriously! Many are blogging regularly which is great and sharing photos, stories and good and bad experiences. ;-) Visit the website to see all the promoting they are doing!!!
http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RAC08_main.htm

The Curly World is a small one but if we work together we can make a huge difference. In the past it seemed that the only ones that had the "promoting the curly breed" hat on was the breeder. I know if we all band together, get our horses trained so we can get out and talk about them, that is going to get our breed noticed! I think it helps if we can all feel part of the whole scheme of things too. Just just living in our own backyard but thinking outside the box. I want to see the quality curly breeders endure for a long time and they need our help. I try to promote the bloodlines of my horses because I know them well....but I also promote the breed as a whole wherever I go. Embroidered apparel is a great way to make a statement in public without spending alot of money - you become a walking billboard. ;-) This is a bit of a shameless plug, but I wouldn't be in the embroidery business if I didn't believe in it. ;-) We promote our curlies here and also our business through embroidered t-shirts in the summer, embroidered fleece in the spring and fall and embroidered jackets in the winter. A great give away item for expos and fairs are embroidered caps with your embroidered logo on them.

Of course, you can always advertise on Curly Horse country too! We have some inexpensive ways to get your farm name out there and advertise your curly horses for sale. Advertising your Curly Horse here.

I now have an easy form you can fill out to list your curly horse with me. Curly Horse Ad Form
You can use this form for the $5.00 Photo ad and the $25.00 Star ad. The Curly Stallion ads and Business Ads you will have to contact me.

For those wanting to get out and show, do expos, we have super resources online to help you! I listed a great Expo Resource page with the help of fellow curly owners/breeders. Also, how to groom your curly for show is a great article for those wanting to get going in the show world.

I think that is probably enough curly tips for today!!! Get out there, enjoy your curlies and let me know if there is anything I can help you with!!

Treating Curly Horse Tails for Growth

2008-02-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

We have talked alot about Curly horse manes over the years, and I wrote an article on my experiment using Dermal aid with awesome success, "Beating the Curly Mane Blues"
But we haven't talked alot about extremes nor the results of treating curly horse tails...so here goes.

Regarding extremes....here is an interesting tid bit.

When we had Katy here, the very extreme curly mare from Pat Wilson, she had hardly no tail hair to speak of....bald patches and the flies were driving her nuts, poor thing. Her tail was going a mile a minute and she had thwark marks on her bum and around her tail head.

For the heck of it, I used Dermal aid on her. I treated her for the first 2 days and her skin began to literally flake - layers and layers of dead skin came off. I treated her for 4 days before it finally stopped flaking. I would use a soft brush and help remove it every day - Katy LOVED it. I also applied swat because with the exposed skin, the flies loved to bit it - easy access to blood, I guess.

After 2 weeks, LOW AND BEHOLD hair started to grow back! I am NOT kidding. Within 4 weeks all the bare areas were GONE. AND she quit tossing her tail so much and those thwark marks started to grow back in too!! I wish I could have treated her longer, but she left after a month. I haven't seen her since.

Here is my assessment: I BELIEVE that when curlies naturally shed their mane and tails, if they are exposed to heat, sun and weather, that exposed skin gets tough, just like elephant skin. If it is exposed for too long, it gets so tough that the hair follicles can not grow through it. I am not saying that they will ever grow a LONG tail, but I DO believe we can make them more comfortable by helping them grow enough hair to protect the bald areas of skin that are exposed.

I think we owe it to our horses to experiment a little. With Zig, (actually Chy too) they don't shed their tail heads bald anymore --- and I only treated them ONE year with dermal aid. Zig still sheds some of his tail, but not at all down to the skin like before.....

So I guess what I am saying is that just because they not 'itchy' doesn't mean this is genetic or something the horse "just is" -- there still is something going on, I feel.

Certainly we can not rule out genetics here for sure. But if we can figure out how to keep our horses at least comfortable, I think it is worth the effort.

Curly Horses & Marketing

2008-01-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

This has been a hot topic on one of my favorite Curly horse groups, so thought I would share a few points on my blog here. The subject in discussion was marketing...why are curly horses ending up in auctions and rescues when you don't see that with other rare breeds. Also why are prices of this rare breed of horse, the Bashkir Curly, American Curly or Standard Curly horse constantly being driven down and how does one price a curly to begin with?

The one thing that everyone needs to remember is that demand increases price, period.
SO, you have to have your pulse on the market and know your audience. Know what they are
looking for -- and quite honestly, this in itself takes alot of work - you have to do your homework. Breeders, Pay attention to the inquires you are getting and pay close attention to what IS selling...and why.

I believe you have to have a pricing plan - a consistent one.
I have said this before so for those that have heard it you can ignore me. ;-)

I feel you should start with a 'base' price.
From there add TO your price based on the qualities of that particular horse that rate it more valuable to THE BUYER...NOT to you. Leave what YOU like and your own emotions out of pricing. This is not only unprofessional but also irresponsible, IMO.

Again if demand increases price, THAT is what your pricing format should be structured under.
When we were breeding some of the qualities that warrented higher prices were: size, temperament, curl, characteristics of keeping mane & tail were also a plus, and of course conformation (good solid working conformation, not based on any style persay). Age added $, as well as training of course. In essence, you ADD to your base price like you would options on a car - I don't mean to sound inanimate but it's the only comparison I can think of right now.

From there -- you then deduct things from the horse such as, older age, infertility, health issues, behavior issues, etc. that would be hindrances to that particular horse or would be negatives to the buyer.

Base Price + Buyer seeking Qualities MINUS the negative attributes = Market Value.

You see if you have a simple formula, there is no second guessing..your feel good about your price because you have done your homework. You are INFORMED about the market, you look intelligent when people ask you about your price and you feel confident about whether you want to dicker or not. I believe it says you are a responsible and professional breeder.

I was thinking last nite a bit more about this topic. One thing that kept mulling over in my head is the constant comparison we make between our Curlies and Friesians and Gypsy Vanners. ie. Why don'tFriesians & Vanners end up in auctions & rescues is simple IMO.First of all they are in imported breed with an amazing foundationfor excellence. The registry is extremely strict and for anyonewishing to breed there is some pretty tough criteria to follow. Ifthey don't, their animals are NOT registered. Those papers mean $$$for any breeder and they are not going to gamble on crossing justanything to their mares. Right from the get-go, anyone wanting toget into the breeding business had better have knowledge and somepretty good cash to fork the bill for starting with PROVEN lines.This is no room for mistakes & experiments.Vanners have only been in the US for 12 years. Friesians have beenaround since the 1800's! But history only plays a small part, thepoint I am making is that the FOUNDATION is strong, the criteria forbreeding is tough and the "proof is in the pudding" as they say.So although training is part of the puzzle, certainly Breedstandards that are ENFORCED is another. Can you imagine if our registries got that strict? What would happen if you sent in papersto have a colt registered and they declined it for not meeting strict conformation criteria? Maybe it would be stamped, "MUST GELD"first....or in some cases, maybe that colt wouldn't even metregistration criteria in which case that breeder is in deep do-do.In the real world those papers could mean the difference of not justa few hundred, but thousands of dollars! CERTAINLY that would causethat breeder to rethink his/her next breeding, wouldn't you think??They try again the next year....and nope...no go. Wouldn't you thinkthis would greatly reduce the numbers of medocre breeders??? I wouldthink so!!! But because our registries register ANYTHING andEVERYTHING, papers have become meaningless. All it means is yourhorse has curls or comes from 2 generations (which doesn't mean adarn thing if they are both fugly!)or is proven to have curly blood.The purpose is only to track offspring and nothing more, really.(not speaking for the CSI since I am not sure what the criteria isfor that registry)THIS is the BIG difference with Curlies and other rare breeds. See?THE problem we have with our breed is that we have started thingsoff wrong from the get-go. No standards, not criteria for horses orbreeders for that matter. All it takes is a producing male & femaleand $35.00 for a breeder's license and Wala! You are in Biz! Noquestions, no knowledge and no evaluation. THAT I am afraid is thecore of the problem here. SO to say it all boils down to low prices of our curlies is far too SIMPLE of a statement...it is far grander of a problem, I am afraid.Can it be changed? I just don't know, it would take a really strongorganization, alot of money and the cooperation of the breeders.Strict rules, evaluations and enforced guidelines could mean a greatloss financially to many of them. No easy answers for sure.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T05:05:00.000-08:00

My, how the month of December flew by! Merry Christmas AND Happy New Year to All!

In Michigan, we are seeing our share of beautiful, white fluffy snow - which I happen to love and appreciate. We just got another 7 inches last weekend and the snowmobilers in the area and extremely happy about that.

RAC is gearing up, with just ONE day left to enter, so hurry!!!!

Wishing everyone a wonderful new year ahead!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

2007-12-20T04:02:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone & MERRY CHRISTMAS! CHC wants to wish you all the very best this Holiday Season. Times full of laughter and great memories!

To celebrate the season, some friends and I went caroling to visit the neighbors. We had SO much fun. We took them cookies and a card. If you have a special wish or story to share with CHC readers, please send it to me and I will post it on our Christmas Page.

REMINDER: The 2008 RAC International Riding Contest begins in just 11 days!! If you haven't signed up yet, please do so SOON!

DETAILS HERE: http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RAC2008contest_details.htm

If you have any questions, just email me at: denise.conroy@gmail.com

Keep Riding those curlies!!!!

Product Review Page!

2007-12-07T04:03:00.000-08:00

Do you have a favorite product that you want to share with the rest of the curly world??
Well, now you get your chance! I added a new page called, Product Review page and you can add anything you wish. As a way to thank you, I will link up your website to your comment. ;-)

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlyhorseproducts_reviews.htm

2007 Holiday NEWS!

2007-12-02T07:19:00.001-08:00

Just a few little tidbits of news and some reminders. ;-)

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH CURLS! - New Holiday page!
Would you like to wish the Curly World a special Holiday wish? Share a story or a special Holiday Photo? Well, now is your chance! Also check out Curlies Austria stories for some great Holiday ideas on horseback!!! Links are on Holiday page. (Thanks Karen for sharing!)
http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlyhorsechristmas.htm

Also, I have ONE featured ad opening on my CHC home page for a sales ad. They don't often become available, so please contact me ASAP if interested. The ad slot is $25 and is a 3 month ad. That cost includes a link to the sales ad sheet for more information. It is great exposure! For stallion owners, I have other ways to advertise as well. Check our my advertising page here for details: http://curlyhorsecountry.com/advertising.htm

I posted a few new articles on the site if you haven't visited in a while.
- Camping with your Curly
- Groom your Curly for Show
-Barefoot Trim Testimony
-Your Child's First Mount

Additionally, don't forget about the CHC store if you are having trouble buying for that curly addict. ;-))) We (OMD Embroidery) can embroider just about anything, and we are offering great prices to fellow curly folk. ;-)) We want to make your gift giving easy and special this year. ;-) http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlystore.htm

If you have any Curly Events coming up, please let me know. Right now, the events page is BLANK! We can't have that! ;-)I am sure there are some exciting 2008 events planned, so just drop me a line. denise.conroy@gmail.com

I am still always looking for articles that anyone wishes to share. Maybe just simple stories of your curlies, or something you learned this past year. Maybe you could plan a Christmas event with your horses and share it with us!

And Last but not least --- Don't delay signing up for the BIGGER & BETTER RAC 2008 CONTEST! This is your chance to bring in 2008 right by making a commitment to getting out and putting miles on your Curly! We are all pretty good at procrastinating when it comes to riding - we tend to put all those mundane choirs & duties ahead of riding. Well, don't let another year pass you by! Join the RAC Team and make 2008 a year filled with awesome memories and grand accomplishments! Build a good work ethic that you have tried to do for years. COME ON, you can do it!! (Where are those pom poms when I need them? lol) DEADLINE TO ENTER IS DEC 31ST. SIGN UP TODAY! ;-) http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RAC2008contest_details.htm

Wishing all of you the very best that Christmas can bring.

'07 RAC ends & New 2008 RAC begins!

2007-11-22T04:40:00.001-08:00

Whew! What an exciting couple weeks! The winners of the 07 RAC were announced and Megan Dick is our GRAND Champion!! AND she is just 11 years old! A big congratulations to her and her family. Reserve Champ goes to Isabelle of Quebec, a top quality breeder of curly horses. How did she ever find the time! Wow...what dedication! Visit her website to see more about her and her horses. http://curlyquebec.com

3rd place went to Laura Kibler of Michigan, with Cara Duncan following close behind for 4th place. Then Sophie Allioux of FRANCE took 5th and Erin Anderton who is our speed gal, took 6th! To see more details of our winners go here: http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RACwinners_detail.htm

Our 2008 RAC international riding competition will beging January 1st and go a full year this time. Double the time, fun and prizes!!! I am also having a YOUTH and ADULT division - giving these adults a better chance of winning, considering the youth really kicked their bums. lol.

In other news...lots of new curlies listed for sale on our sales page. Check them out!

RAC ends!

2007-11-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

The RAC contest has come to an end after 6 months of great stories and pics. I hope our contestants enjoyed themselves!! The winner will be announced Nov. 15th once all the logging sheets have been turned in. Thanks to everyone for sharing with us and I hope you had fun!! Let me know if you would like me to hold another one next year...I may do a yearly one instead of just 6 months. What do you think?

whoa...am I ever behind!!!

2007-10-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

It's been months since I blogged here --! I have been SO busy writing articles, updating the site and posting new pics that I just have let this slide.

Before I forget, I wanted to mention that ANY new information that is posted under TOP CHC NEWS at the top of the page, will always remain ON my curly horse site. If it is an article, it will go under "helpful articles." If an event, it will go under "event's" --- and so on. Every single NEW item will remain as part of the CHC resource site for future viewing, using.

If you can't find something, just ask me and I can point you in the right direction!! The only links that get removed are the ones that are dated, such as 2006 awards, will be replaced by 2007 awards....or old events.

On to new news!!! So much has happened this summer. RAC is going strong and ends in just 2 weeks!! The winner will be announced the first week in November!!! It has been a wonderful contest with great folks!

The CHC store is still up and working --- be sure to order for christmas. Plan 2 weeks or more ahead.

New article on Curly Grooming for Show and also on the Barefoot Trim!

I hope to do a CTR article soon too. Competitive Trail Rides. Curlies would be great at it!

That's all for now --- remember to sign my new guestbook!!!!

Website Glitches & Blog down

2007-07-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

Goodness....my website is down today and should be back up tomorrow. not sure what happened but it had to do with my server and domain. Grrrr!!!!

AND if that' isn't bad enough, my personal Blog is also down...has been unavailable for like 4 days!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I didn't fall of the face of the earth....everything just seemed to happen at one time.

Sorry!!

My oh MY!

2007-07-23T03:34:00.000-07:00

Wow..what a whirlwind month it has been!! Sales ads are coming in steady, which tells me that people are busy selling horses and raising foals...rebreeding mares. Such a huge job that is!

The curly store is up and going again, but without the paypal cart. Just call me to order anything.

This fall I will be doing an article on natural hoof care and barefoot trimming. Some really cool things happening with that.

Hope you all are enjoying the summer and your curlies!!!

Curly Store

2007-06-21T04:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone --- Well, for some weird reason Paypal contacted me and said my curly store was in violation of some policy --- they mentioned "lottery"! - it's crazy. Anyway, rather than argue, I deleted the page to make them happy. I won't use a paypal shopping cart next time.

BUT, just wanted you to know that you can still buy the Curly DVD by contacting me...and any other products, such as the imprinted tees and embroidered stuff.

Just let me know.

Have a good one!!

New Ads on CHC

2007-06-08T03:02:00.000-07:00

Hi ya'all! Time is going by way too fast these days. Curly Ads are coming in steady now and it's awesome to see such fine curlies available for people to buy. I also created a new format for easier viewing....http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlyhorsesales.htm

The RAC page is a bit slow starting June but people are enjoying the contest and they are so inspiring!! http://curlyhorsecountry.com/RACadventures.htm

Also the TACK BARN page is getting alot of good exposure and also resulting in fast sales. Two Bob Marshall saddles were listed and sold in just 2 days! http://curlyhorsecountry.com/tackbarn.htm

No new articles recently...so if anyone wishes to contribute that would be awesome.

Additionally, CHC has been on the net for about 6 months now and is on page 1 of all the major search engines, getting about 4,000 visitors per month!!

Enjoy those Curlies and the great summer ahead.

Father's Day Gifts!!!

2007-05-24T05:05:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!! A new page on CHC.....Father's day gift ideas!!!
http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlydadgifts.htm

AND ANYONE THAT HAS GIFTS FOR DADS, EMAIL ME and I would happily add it to this page!!! Or a link to your store, if you prefer.

ALSO, I need YOUR mane testimonies! Please email me if you have used my treatment and found it works!!! denise.conroy@gmail.com

I think that is all for now! Enjoy the upcoming Holiday --- Promote those curlies!!!

May Fun

2007-05-20T03:54:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone -- it seems my posts are getting farther and farther apart! Been busy having fun and enjoying this awesome weather with my horse. I think everyone is doing the same since there haven't been many updates on the site this week, except for a few horse sales - which is great news!!

I got the Trailer Decals in and I am SO excited to put mine on my trailer! There were 8 of us that ordered them (some of us wanted more than 1) so I have 1 decal still left -- if anyone is interested.

Other than that....don't forget to send your foal pics - I would love them for the nursery.

Time sure flies this time of year!

2007-05-14T03:38:00.000-07:00

Wow...a full week since I posted here....time goes by so fast when spring comes. I have been so busy!!

A few updates....I had orders for 11 decals, so I ordered 12. If anyone wanted one and didn't get the chance to order one...I have one left to sell. They should be here this week..still waiting on production. I will email everyone who ordered when they ship out from here.

New articles and foal pics - as well as a few new bloggers. So check out the site to see those.

Also, I updated the mane care article with a video demonstration and some pics of another curly that has had the same treatment as Reese, Billy.
http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlymanecare.htm

I hope you all you Mothers' had a great day yesterday! It was so beautiful here in Michigan!!!

That's it for now...more later. ;-)

May News

2007-05-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone --- well...let's see. I ordered the Decals......total of 12, so that was nice. I can order more later if interested.

The barefoot challenge is officially over, considering that it served it's purpose by making me a believer! I am going to give it a whirl and try barefoot with Reese. It is sort of an interesting way all of this came out....first, I wasn't happy with the way Reese's feet looked in March. I was worried about putting on shoes until I could see that his feet were in good shape. My friend sent me a video on going barefoot (more details on that later) and I felt like I had to try. To further convince me, I have read and understand that shoes actually limit the blood flow to the feet, which is why over time a horse's feet actually deteriorate. I could start to see that happening with Reese after 2 seasons of shoes. The last thing I want is my horse to go lame over something I had done. I had to investigate!!

I happened to go for a walk in my rubber boots with Tom a few days after thinking about this and put on a double pair of socks to keep my feet warm. After walking just 30 min. my entire foot started to really ache, then it spread up my legs and I felt tingling and pain. It was the lack of blood to my foot. I took off a pair of socks and immediately felt relief! It made me think about horses with shoes that don't allow that blood flow! MAN, if there is any way that blood is limited- even a tiny bit, there has to be discomfort! And I was wearing rubber boots too -- not metal ones. SO, if I had any doubts about the fact that by putting on shoes I was sparing my horse discomfort to the pebbles and gravel..well, in reality, I was creating more discomfort in a whole different way that could cause lasting problems! Plus, Reese isn't at all tender about the gravel or stones...Wow....I was surprised! However, my farrier said if he wears his feet too fast or unevenly, then he would still need shoes. Well...we shall see....

And another cool thing... he can naturally make his own breakover if he isnt' wearing shoes, meaning he can wear that toe down naturally....and by doing this I have noticed he trips alot less!!

I have to get into the heavy riding months to really make firm absolute statements though...so I will do that as time goes on.

Contest Begins & Other stuff!

2007-05-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Ride-A-Curly Contest began yesterday with a gun-shot start! Holy cow...I got lots of great stories and photos from several participants! Check out the R-A-Curly Adventure page and check back often..updates will be daily, I can tell!

ALSO, I am placing the order for the Trailer Decals on FRIDAY, you must prepay for your decal if you wish to have one. Some of us are ordering 2. I want one on the back and one at the front, I think. This is exactly what it will look like. 13X13 approx size.
Order TODAY at the curly store.

Trailer Decals

2007-04-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

I am thinking of ordering some Trailer/Truck Decals.A breeder in WI suggested it and I
thought it may be a good idea. I get alot of great comments
on the logo so thought I would see what you all think.
Email me at: denise.conroy@gmail.com if interested.
I would like to see if we can get a volume discount.
And maybe later, offer them in the CHC store. Let me know.

Also, more updates....the Contest entries are all in and the contestants
begin their adventure in 1 week!From what I am hearing, many are
fine tuning their horses to being promoting!
Check out our RAC adventures page
for updates on the riders and their stories!!!

Pages are getting updated constantly....the stallipn page, sales page and nursery page. We also have a link to Nicole's awesome Curly Cards. Hand drawn and beautiful. She is a very talented artist that loves curlies...so let's support her! Good job, Nicole.

Youtube videos are being uploaded like crazy! Check out the new links on our home page...breeders and owners have been having a ball sharing their clips online. I sure enjoy them.

RFDTV forum is up and your feedback is needed!

AND the CSB course page is also updated....and we NEED your help! We have about 20 obstacles that need curly photos. Check out the page and see if there is just ONE you would be willing to commit to doing with your curly and taking a photo to put on the page.

I think that is all for now!!! Enjoy this beautiful weather!!!! Catcha lata!

Last Call!

2007-04-21T03:17:00.000-07:00

This is your last day to sign up for the Ride-A-Curly Contest! I MUST have your online registration form filled out by end of day to qualify. Click the link below to enter.

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlyentryform.htm

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

2007-04-17T04:11:00.000-07:00

Can you hear it? All the hussle and bussle of horse people getting ready for the summer season. ;-) Everyone is busy with foaling, trail riding and making big plans for showing, expos and summer fun activites.

There are a few updates this week, with Curly sales on the rise, yeah!!! That is always a great sign!! Congrats to everyone on their recent sales and to the new owners.

The Ride-A-Curly contest is going to be a HOOT! We have an amazing group of people entering the contest -- our youngest entry is 8 years old and we have husbands joining & entire families! In most cases, people that just need a little motivation in getting out and riding their curlies. I am really, really excited.

Also another interesting tid bit....with the help of some barefoot enthusiasts, I have been inspired to try going barefoot with Reese this summer. A friend send me the DVD on Pete Ramey and I was so impressed! My only concern is the uneven wear on his hind but I will take it a month at a time and see how he does. You can bet I will be updating CHC readers on this adventure. ;-)))

Have a super day everyone and remember to Enjoy those Curlies!!!

Contest Deadline soon

2007-04-13T02:37:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, just a reminder that the deadline for turning in your Contest Entries is April 21st. A week from Saturday, so if you planned to sign up and haven't now is the time to do that. I would like to be sure you have your tshirt and packet in time for the 1st when the contest begins.

Other things....updates on the RFDTV project will be posted soon....
Expos suggestions are flowing and we now have page 2! They look like such fun!

Don't forget about the MO Mid States Curly show in June. It sounds like a wonderful show....and a great time of year.

New ads posted and links as well. Hope you are enjoying the site...if there is something you would like to see on CHC that isn't already there...please let me know! Have a good one...

..til next time.

RFDTV!!!

2007-04-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

It looks like plans are full-steam ahead for getting our beloved curlies on RFDTV!!

The response has been incredible with more than 25 breeders willing to cover the cost and submit quality video and photos. On top of that, we have three amazing people ready to organize it all!!! Terry Schmidt, Lisa Perry and Lisa Boudreau! Thank you all so much!!!

Curly Horse Country will be your news source for the lastest updates on the project.
Click here and bookmark it to stay up to date!!!

THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!!

Happy EASTER!!!

2007-04-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone!!!

Curly Horse Country has been very busy this week, constant updates with links, new pages and ads. I barely kept up! Barefoot Challenge weekly totals are due tomorrow...so those of you doing the Challenge, be sure to send those to me.

Off to enjoy by Friday evening! By for now!

TWO NEW PAGES!

2007-04-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

CHC has two more new pages!

The EXPO resource page, which is just beginning..I need alot more input and resource links please!

The Curly Grooming page! A fun page with suggestions for grooming your curly in all seasons.

Tons of News!

2007-04-01T04:38:00.000-07:00

Crazy and busy week -- not much time to blog, sorry!

Many new updates again this week, starting with the news that the CURLY RIDING CONEST IS ON!!! ANYONE WISHING TO ENTER MUST DO SO BY APRIL 21st! Don't wait..sign up today. CLICK HERE

We also have some NEW sales ads, including the addition of page FIVE -- lots of really nice curlies on the market right now and breeders are reporting an increase in sales right now..so don't wait to inquire or that special curly maybe sold. ;-)

I posted a new grain recipe I am trying with my geldings. It is not really new, but a replacement to the beet pulp I had been using. Click here for more info.

There are also 4 new Featured ads on the Home page. Check them out...GREAT deals on some awesome curlies!!!

The Barefoot challenge is in full swing, with Shelly White and Cindy Chaney logging the most miles so far. We are cheering for ya -- I would love for you to prove me wrong! Anyone else wishing to join the challenge, just visit the link above for details.

NWI Curly horse show results are also now posted! Sounds like it was a ton of fun for all. Photos will be coming shortly. Be sure to congradulate the winners!

Zion's Gait Curlies is our newest Business ad on the Curly Action pages and others. Lisa has some gorgeous Gaited curlies - be sure to check her website out. Her pictures are incredible!

Anyone wishing to advertise on Curly Horse Country, visit our advertising page for details.

I am still working on the Expo page...lots of stuff to sort thru to make it easy reading. ;-)

Thank you to everyone that has emailed me with wonderful comments on the site. I am so happy it is so well received! Just remember if anyone has articles or stories they wish to share, I am always excited to get them and happy to post them. As a community of curly owners, it's the only way we can learn, have fun and grow together. Thanks again, you are all so great!!

Have a good Sunday...more posts this week.

Expo Page

2007-03-28T04:36:00.000-07:00

It looks like the Contest is ON! SO anyone wishing to sign up can still do so until April 21st.

CALLING ALL Curly Owners with Expo experience! I am presently working a page for the site that will offer EXPO SUGGESTIONS AND RESOURCES. There is often discussion on curly chat groups about how to do one and I thought it would be helpful to offer a page that would lists ideas, suggestions, resource links to materials and also the DO's and DON'Ts of doing an Expo with your Curlies.

SO, if anyone wishes to particpate, please email me any ideas or tidbits. Photos of stall set up, that kind of thing. It would be fabulous. You know how to reach me!

SEVEN!

2007-03-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

We are NOW up to SEVEN entries for the Ride-A-curly Contest.

We need AT LEAST 3 more!

Come you guys, JOIN THE FUN!!!!

Contest Update

2007-03-26T04:45:00.000-07:00

If you are planning to enter the Ride-A-Curly contest, can you email me? If I don't have at least 20 participants I won't be able to hold the event and cover my expenses.

Although, I could limit the T-shirt design option to just the "Incredible curly" and pull it off with just 10 partipants, but I really wanted to offer two designs AND do the "ride a curly" logo on the left chest. It is hard when you are trying to finance all of this on your own.....I am waiting to get the other two logos set up to be sure I have enough interest.

Maybe someone would want to help sponsor the event? If so, let me know.

The deadline for entries is April 21st, but if you know for sure you will be entering, please sign up so I know how many are interested. Thanks a bunch!!

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlyentryform.htm

Email me: denise.conroy@gmail.com

Contest Entry Forms online!

2007-03-23T05:35:00.000-07:00

Easy sign up for the contest : http://www.curlyhorsecountry.com/curlyentryform.htm

Some people were having trouble downloading the form on my site, so I had a form created that should be easy for everyone.

If you don't receive confirmation within 24 hours, let me know -- it's a new program so want to be sure it's working. Once you submit info, you will be directed to two more pages, just hit CONTINUE once your information is finished processing....it will take you back to the CHC site.

Remember, I have to get your T-shirt to you by the contest, so don't wait to enter!

New Curly Foal Nursery!

2007-03-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

What's Wrong...can't you keep up?! HA. I am on a roll...so you better be checking this blog constantly for a while to stay up with the news! lol. The truth of the matter is that once the weather breaks and I get riding Reese...you will not see me for a while. You WILL get a break from me, I promise! ;-)

Okay...so I am on the Curly Haven list and all these darling foals are being born. Many folks don't get photos through the chats, so they miss out. AND some people don't have a website, so noone gets to enjoy marveling at their new little one. SOOOO, I decided to start a Foal Nursery Page! Anyone wishing to brag about their new curly foal - you are welcome to email me and I would happily post it. And as a little extra bonus to help all you awesome breeders a bit...I would be glad to list your website or farm name as a little PR for ya.

To help me out though...check out the ones already on the page so you know the kind of info you can send. This is not a sales page so I don't want to make it a big advertisement....just an announcement and you can say anything you wish to along with the photo. ;-)))

http://curlyhorsecountry.com/curlyfoalnursery.htm

Contest Champion "trophy"

2007-03-22T05:57:00.000-07:00

I did up a few options for the Contest as far as the Champion Denim DESIGN choices. Anything is possible so these are just ideas. For those participating...you can dream while you ride this summer, about what you would like YOUR winning Jacket to be! ;-))

I also wanted to mention that it is also possible that if you DON'T like Denim...you could choose another jacket style. I want the winner to get a nice prize. We have many choices on our OMD Embroidery site...so you can go there and check a few out.

Additionally, on the unisex jacket -- it has a really nice fleece lining. Not sure you can see it in the photo.

Ride-A-Curly CONTEST!

2007-03-21T04:03:00.000-07:00

RIDE, PROMOTE and WIN!
RIDE ANY CURLY, Get a FREE T-shirt and WIN GREAT Prizes!
THE ONLY REQUIREMENT is that you RIDE A CURLY!!! No registration papers required!!*This contest is for ALL ages!*

MORE DETAILS HERE!

Okay, so we already have some questions, so I will address them here.

1. Can you ride any curly? YES. The points are tallied based on YOU the rider. So if you want to ride 4 of your curlies in one day....count your entire time for all 4 horses. Points must be tallied based on RIDING or DRIVING..not ground work.

2. How do the Events points work? Basically, if you are doing an event that is PROMOTING, we will consider that an event. The points are based on the participant WITH a curly...so if you take 3 curlies to an expo, that still counts as just 20 points. Or if 3 participants do an expo and take just 1 curly...only ONE person can count their time. I wanted to make sure that one person wasn't doing all the work and people showing up just to get points....not that most would do that, but this will prevent that sort of thinking. I added this section to allow for those that don't ride BUT STILL do alot of promoting thru expos, fairs and demos....to be a part of the contest. This is such a valueable part of curly promotion.

3. ANY AGE - Youth too? Yes, right now this will be an ADULT and YOUTH contest. If this goes over well, I will expand the divisions next year to include Youth and maybe other speciality divisions. WE will see!

As questions arise, I will post them here - so be sure to check back often!

4. How do I pay? You can pay via snail mail with MONEY ORDER Or paypal, which I prefer. That way I don't have to worry about checks clearing etc. My paypal addy is: denise.conroy@gmail.com

New Men's Design

2007-03-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, Before this design goes to print, can you give me your feedback on what you think of the new MEN's Design? I had some women comment to me that their fellas are feeling a little left out and would like something a bit more masculine to wear.

Featured Ads

2007-03-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

I have had a few questions this week regarding Featured Ads. Just to let you know, there is PLENTY Of space on the CHC home page for Featured ads. I placed temporary ads in the vacant spots so there wouldn't be huge gaps, so those can be removed to insert your ad. I also can fit 4 more stallion ads on the home page as well.

The costs are very reasonable.
Featured Stallion ads on home page: $20/per 3 months or $75.00 for the year.
Featured RANCH business card ads: $100 for the year.
Featured horse sales ads: $20/per 3 months.

More details here: ADVERTISING PAGE

DVD Damage?

2007-03-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

If anyone received a DVD that is faulty or damaged, please let me know. My friend received hers the other day and she said the music skips and so does my voice during the commentary at the end. PLEASE if anyone has any problems with their copy, let me know. I am happy to replace it. denise.conroy@gmail.com

UPDATE: My friend emailed and she told me her DVD played perfectly on her computer. It seems to be the case that if your DVD-TV player is older than 4 or 5 years, you may have trouble playing it. So if you have any doubts on whether it is the DVD or your TV-DVD player, try your computer or a friend's newer dvd player and see if that corrects the problem. If not, there maybe some damage there, in which case drop me an email for a replacement.

DVD, Ads and Articles

2007-03-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

For those that ordered DVDs recently, there was a little hold up because I was waiting on more DVD cases. They all shipped on Saturday, priority mail. You should have received a email regarding that. Also the first orders for the imprinted Curly Horse Tees went out on Saturday too! I think they turned out great. The design on the back is really big so it can be seen really well. Remember to take along photos of your curlies when you wear your Tee because you can bet you will get lots of questions. lol. I had questions yesterday at the vet clinic while wearing my Conroy's Curly Jacket and had no pictures, nothing with me! Ugh. Next time I will be armed...maybe even with a few DVDs to pass out.

It looks like the opinion on the classifieds is to keep what I have or I may lose the originality and the control of how it looks. SO, thank you to those that emailed me privately on that.

I would sure love more articles from all of you. With all those action photos on the site, I KNOW you all are doing lots with your curlies! You don't have to be a 'writer' to send an article. People really enjoy reading about folks like them, just enjoying their horses. It is always fun to read how people first found out about them or maybe one special event that year --- just remember it doesn't have to be earth-shaking...or long either...just a simple story would be awesome.
(try to include pics too if you can - we love pics!! ;-)

Have a super weekend everyone and get out there and enjoy (and promote!) those incredible Curlies!!

Curly Classified Ads

2007-03-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering whether I need to add an automated "Classified" section to my site. Does anyone have an opinion on that? Do you think people are more likely to go thru that process than submit ads via email? I am torn because I want to maintain the integrity of my site AND also continue to offer great prices on ads.

Right now, the cost is just $5.00 per horse (photo ad) and $2.00 for each additional horse.
Video links to Youtube are free.

If I have it automated, those costs would be much higher for such features.

Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your comment Brie! I promise to post any updates on responses from RFDTV.
;-)) Let's hope the cost isn't 15K!

In the news this week!

2007-03-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hard to keep up these days, but it's exciting!

I wanted to let everyone know that I burned a Curly horse DVD for RFDTV and sent it in on Saturday. Who knows if they will even respond, but wanted everyone to know it will be in their hands soon! Updates on what follows WILL BE POSTED HERE! So please check back. I thought maybe this might be easier than hounding everyone, every few weeks about new little updates. So from now on, this will be where you can find the latest, greatest news from CHC!

Many new updates this week so if you haven't been checking daily you may have missed a few things. Here is a recap!

New pics on the CSB course!

New Stallion and Sales ads, or updates

Many New Articles!! "Good advice, by Susan", Allergy Testimony, Wolf Story and Article on Why you should start a blog.

New Curly Store with lots of great stuff! ie Curly DVD, Imprinted sweats, etc.

Some new Gaited curly links

New Curly Book on the early history in Nevada

New pics on the Winter Curls page

I continue to receive awesome reports on the DVDs...so that is really nice. Thank you to everyone for their encouragement.

A reminder to those that were notified about being included on the DVD -- because of your participation, you will always be able to purchase the DVD at cost. ($5.00+ shipping) So if you need extra copies, just drop me an email.

I am thinking about starting a FRP or some award contests next year. I think it would be neat to offer some really great prizes like an embroidered jacket or something really great. News and information on that will be coming this fall.

I still have a few spots open for the Stallion showcase and Curly sales ads on the home page. So if interested, let me know! Once those spots are taken..you will have to wait til they expire to get your ad up. There are also a few business card ad spots available. Click here for details on prices.

OH and if you are in the Illinois, Indiana, Michigan or surrounding area -- don't forget about the NWI curly horse show this coming weekend!!!!! March 17 & 18!

That's all for now! More news soon.
~Enjoy those curlies, ya hear! Denise