I don’t know about you, but I am ready for Spring to get here. This cold weather is getting old. We had a great time with the Better Horses Radio Road Show at the Iowa Horse Fair this last weekend. They do a real nice job of putting on a Horse Expo.

It has been real hectic between running 16 out of the last 17 days with our Horse Owner Workshops with clinicians, Kerry Kuhn and the Curt Pate Family, and putting together our 2009 Spring Edition of the Better Horses Network Publication. If you don’t receive a copy of the Better Horses paper in the mail, you can either pick it up at your local Purina Dealer or subscribe by going to www.betterhorsesnetwork.com.

If you happen to be around Ottawa, Kansas on Saturday, April 18th, make sure you join us at Orscheln’s Farm & Home for an “Equine Day” in their parking lot. Plans are to have Lee Hart doing some demonstrations in a round pen.

Also, on Tuesday, April 21st, we will be having a Horse Owner Workshop at the 4-H Community Building in Garnett, KS. Equine Nutrition along with Equine Health with Dr. Fred Gardner will be the program along with a complimentary Hamburger Fry. Let me know if you can join us. The doors open at 6:00 pm.

We need more riders for our Spring Dream Ride In The Flint Hills. We have a great weekend planned at the Flying W Ranch near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas for May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. This is always a great time of good riding, good food, and fellowship. You can find out more by going to www.betterhorsesnetwork.com.

Don’t forget to join us on May 29th, 30th, and 31st. for our 2nd Annual Million Dollar Reining Clinic at the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka, KS. This year NRHA Million Dollar Riders, Brent Wright and Dell Hendricks, will be putting on the clinic for 22 riders. Along with hosting the riders and auditors, we will be having a HOW meeting on Friday evening where the folks attending will be able to see 20 riders compete in a jackpot reining class and have their runs critiqued by Brent and Dell. You won’t want to miss Saturday night festivities complete with a steak dinner and music. If interested in participating in the clinic, either e-mail me at ernest_rodina@purina-mills.com or give me a call at 785/418-6047.

We are having a great time with the Better Horses Network and our Better Horses Radio Show. I hope to run into you in the near future at one of our events. With our new Omolenes, Equine Junior, and Equine Senior coming out in a couple of weeks, there is not a better time to try Purina with your horses than now. You can take the Challenge with these products or other Premium products, such as Strategy and see the difference Purina Feeds can make with your horses. With Purina’s Research, one can say that they test and feed the feed to their horses first before they ever ask you to feed it to yours! You can go to www.purinadifference.com to find out more about the new products. Or you can e-mail or give me a call at 785/418-6047.

I hope that all of you have a great Easter weekend; and let’s not forget the true meaning of Easter -- that our Lord, Jesus Christ, died for our sins and rose on the third day.

Stay in touch with us and don’t hesitate to let me know what we can do for you.

April

April 11 WRHS FFA JUST FOR FUN SHOW - Rocking V Ranch, 7325 SW 93rd, Topeka, KS (west of Wanamaker and east of Auburn). Show starts at 9:00 a.m. For more details, Click Here.
April 11-12 SERMON ON THE MOUNT WITH LEW STERRETT, Ransomed Heart Ranch, 204 E. Casey Road, Lone Jack, MO. Open Range Fellowship. Saturday, 5:30 pm. Sunday, 6:30 am, Easter Sunrise Service. For more information, call Frank (816) 377-0017. Click Here to view detailed flyer.
April 18 ORSCHELN'S FARM & HOME "EQUINE DAY" - 2008 Princeton Road, Ottawa, KS. Join us for a great Equine Day on their parking lot!
For more information, call (785) 242-3133.
April 18-19 JULIE GOODNIGHT GENERAL HORSEMANSHIP CLINIC, Rocking V Equine Center, Topeka, KS. $400 for the 2 days; audit is $25. Limit 15 riders. Open to riders of all ability levels. For more information, call (800) 225-8827 or check website at www.juliegoodnight.com.
April 21 PURINA HORSE OWNER'S WORKSHOP, 4-H Community Building, Garnett, KS, 6:00 pm. Equine nutrition will be presented along with equine health with Dr. Fred Gardner. Join us for a complimentary Hamburger Fry. Doors open at 6:00 pm -- RSVP Ernie Rodina (785) 418-6047.
April 25-26 1^st ANNUAL KANSAS CITY SHOOTOUT, Lone Wolf Arena, 22801 State Line Road, Cleveland, MO. Cowboy action shooting -- the Oklahoma-Missouri-Arkansas Moutned Shooters of America. April 25^th starts at 1:00 pm. April 26^th starts at 10:00 am. For more information, Click Here.

May

May 1-3 2^nd ANNUAL SPRING DREAM RIDE IN THE FLINT HILLS, Flying W Ranch, Clements, KS. We will be riding on new pastures and ranchland. Singer, Rusty Rierson, and his band will be entertaining Saturday night. Last year's first Spring Ride proved out to be one of the best. Call Suzan Barnes at (620) 273-6763 to register and for more information. For Ride details, Click Here.
May 1-4 PETER CAMPBELL CLINIC: Foundation Horsemanship & Horsemanship II / Ranch Roping Clinic. SouthWest Arena, Archie, MO. One session $475.00 for 4 days if paid in full before April 24, 2009. After April 24, $525. Auditing per day, $30 at the door. Click Here to view flyer. Click Here for additional Clinic details and registration form.
May 2 FIRST ANNUAL LARRY BOGART MEMORIAL DAY, Topeka Round-Up Club, 7843 SW 37th Street (1/2 mi. east of Auburn Road), Topeka, KS. In honor of a great cowboy and even better man! Proceeds will go to American Cancer Society and the Topeka Round-Up Club. Join us and his family to remember Bogey. (Negative Coggins required) Fun Show at noon, 3:00 pm Trail Ride, Barn Dance! Spread the word and invite your friends and neighbors. For more information, contact Jami (785) 845-5052. Click Here to view/print flyer.
May 9 FAMILY CENTER TRAIL RIDE, 10:00 am, Hillsdale Lake in KS. $20 advance, $25 day of ride. Price includes ride, dinner and raffle. Raffle includes prizes donated by Purina Equibrand, Farnam, Weaver and more! Grand prize is an HR Roping Saddle from Family Center. Sign up at any Family Center location or call Kimberly or Stacy (816) 884-6100 for more information.
May 9 POSTPONED! PLAN TO RE-SCHEDULE IN FALL -- BENEFIT TRAIL RIDE FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, southeast of Manhattan, KS near the Alta Vista area. Details will be distributed later in the year. Any questions, call Raye (785) 527-2052.
May 29-31 PURINA MEGA HORSE OWNER'S WORKSHOP EVENT / 2^ndANNUAL MILLION DOLLAR REINING CLINIC; Lone Wolf Ranch Arena & Training Center; 22801 State Line Road, Cleveland, MO; Friday, doors open 6:00 pm, HOW Event Program begins 7:00 pm. Reining Clinics held Saturday and Sunday. Brent Wright & Dell Hendricks; Limit 22 Riders (10 already signed up); call Ernie at 785/418-6047; evenings-785/242-8748 or e-mail ernie@betterhorsesradio.com.
NOTE CHANGE FOR REINING CLINIC LOCATION: The Reining Clinic has been moved to the Kansas ExpoCentre in Topeka. KS.
Click Here to view flyer for more detailed information.

June

June 6-7 OPEN RANGE HIGH SCHOOL RODEO, Ransomed Heart Ranch, 204 East Casey Road, Lone Jack, MO. This is a sanctioned high school rodeo! Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 10:00 am. There will be a HUGE turnout with many vendors, activities and even a killer band for the Saturday evening dance! Admission: $10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, Free for 5 and under. For more information, go to: www.openrangefellowship.com.

Missouri Mule and Donkey Circuit

For MMDC 2009 Show Dates, Click Here. Website: www.mmdc.ws

Missouri Rawhide Mounted Shooters

        For 2009 Competition Schedule, Click Here.

Hartville Saddle Club - 2009 Gymkhana

        3rd Sunday of each month -- April thru October. Gymkhana is a meet at which riders and horses display a range of skills and aptitudes. Starts at 2:00 p.m.
        For more information, contact Debby (417) 464-9003 or Janelle (417) 741-7924.   For more details, Click Here -- or visit website at www.justasplashofpaint.com.

            Tune in to one of the stations airing our show:

                Saturday    7:00am - 8:00am          WLXG   1300 am - Lexington, KY
                Saturday    8:00am - 9:00am          WOCA 1370 am - Ocala, FL
                Saturday    9:00am - 10:00am         KMDO 1600 am - Fort Scott, KS
                Saturday    4:00pm - 5:00pm          KFRM   550 am - Clay Center/Salina/Wichita, KS
                Sunday      5:05am - 6:00pm           KMA    960 am / 99.3 fm - Shenandoah, IA
                Sunday      5:00am - 6:00am           KOMG 92.9 fm - Bass Country, Ozark, MO
                Sunday      6:00am - 7:00am           KTPK   106.9 am - (Country Legends) Topeka, KS
                Sunday      6:30am - 7:30am           KFEQ   680 am - St. Joe, MO
                Sunday      9:00am - 10:00am         KDKD 95.3 fm - Clinton, MO
                Sunday      4:00pm - 5:00pm          KOFO  1220 am - Ottawa, KS
                Sunday      4:00pm - 5:00pm           KTJJ     98.5 fm - Farmington, MO

Better Horses Radio is a nationally syndicated radio show hosted by Ernie Rodina and co-hosted by Dawn Dawson.

LISTING EVENTS IN OUR NEWSLETTER -- If you are an organization or business who would like to list your event in our Calendar Section, click on the Event Listings box above for rates. Then contact Jo Ann Riggs at e-mail address listed with your request.

CLASSIFIED AD LISTING -- If you are interested in a Classified Ad listing, click on the Classified Ad box above. Rates and placement information is located directly below the box. Simply click on "please click here." Be sure to check our Classifieds each newsletter as ads are changing all the time.

NEW CATEGORY FOR WEBSITES -- Due to many requests for website listings, we have a new section in our Classified Ads called WEB LINKS. Check this section from time to time as we add website links that may be of interest to you. Enter our Classified Ads and click on Web Links, then click on the name listed and you will be taken directly to that party's website.

Our subscriber list has grown to over 8,600+ recipients -- almost entirely horse-owning households!
Our ad and event services are a great way to reach those people!

When a horse is convinced that danger is imminent, his reaction is to flee or, if restrained in any way, to break loose.

It is a rare horse that will calmly re-assess the situation in the event that he might be imagining things.

                 Carrot-Oatmeal Cookies

Try this simple cookie recipe for your special horse . . .

    1 cup uncooked oatmeal
    1 cup flour
    1 cup shredded carrots
    1 tsp. salt
    1 tblsp. sugar
    2 tblsps. corn or vegetable oil
    1/4 cup water
    1/4 cup molasses

Mix ingredients in a bowl in the order listed. Make small balls and place on a greased cookie sheet sprayed with Pam.
Bake at 350^o for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Horses (and people) love 'em!

Please notice our inclusion of the Share button shown above. The Share button (powered by AddThis.com) makes it easy for you to bookmark and share the content of this newsletter with others who might find it of interest. Just clicking on this button makes sending an e-mail link to a friend a breeze or bookmarking this copy of the newsletter with any of the social networking services almost as easy as falling off a log!

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

For Classified Ad placement, please send an e-mail to JoAnn at JoAnn.Riggs@agbusinessmail.net .

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

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