I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. It was great around the Rodina household, having the opportunity to spend time with the kids and getting caught up with some of the end of the year stuff. I know one thing for sure if they had a "rate of gain" competition for humans like they do calves, I had to win it. Was doing fine until the family received "The Chocolate Tower" from a good friend. Planning on whipping it, however -- got two days of walking in this past weekend.

We are working on putting together our 2009 Stallion Edition. If you are interested in running an ad, make sure you call Connie at 785/418-2615 or you can call me at 785/418-6047 or e-mail me at ernest_rodina@purina-mills.com . Also, we are going to have a Stallion Showcase with this newsletter. Get in touch with me for a rate to run your stallion or stallions thru May of 2009. This electronic newsletter reaches 9500+ horse owners every first and third Monday of the month.

Information is inside this newsletter. Don't miss this great weekend of equine clinicians and fellowship.

Also on Sunday, Feb.8^th, Richard Shrake will be conducting a special clinic for riders and auditors. For information about this clinic call Terri DeLouche at 660/441-1697.

Kansas Equifest is just around the corner in Wichita, Kansas. Plan to attend Feb.13^th, 14^th, & 15^th. This is always a great event to attend. Craig Cameron and his Extreme Cowboy Race is a featured event this year.

Late Winter and Spring always mean Purina Horse Owner Workshops. A couple of events that are coming together are the following:

           March 22nd: Winding River Girl Scout Camp & Equestrian Center-HOW Workshop and Open House: located near Trimble, MO;
                   Kerry Kuhn - Trail Horse Clinic; Cindy Branham-Mustang Savvy. WATCH FOR DETAILS

           March 27^th, 28^th, & 29^th- Lone Wolf Ranch Arena & Training Center/Cleveland MO;
                   Curt & Tammy Pate- Low Stress Cattle Handling/Riding Clinic -- Great Weekend! Beautiful New Facility.
                   WATCH FOR DETAILS!

Purina Mills will be launching some new exciting products this spring. We are getting all kinds of great reports on the results of feeding the Purina Program. I would love to have the opportunity to work with you. What differentiates Purina from all the rest is their Research. When looking at performance and cost per head per day, Purina Mills is second to none. Let us know if we can get you to take the Purina Challenge.

I am really looking forward to 2009. Remember our goal with Better Horses Network is to "Take Your Horse Experience To A Higher Level." If there is anything we can do for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

A Little "Hot Chocolate" Wisdom to start the New Year . . . as we begin 2009, I thought it might be fitting to offer these thoughts for daily living.
It's a great lesson to learn from and live by -- Click Here for The Wisdom in Hot Chocolate!

January

January 14 "THE GIFT OF THE HORSE" SUPPORTS SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FOR ;YOUTH INVOLVED IN ANGUS BREED - Sheri Spader of Spader Farms in Rosendale, MO, and family have offered SF Blue Sky McMaxill, a 2-year-old Blue Road Quarter Horse to benefit the American Angus Auxiliary's scholarship funds. With over 90 days of training donated by Rich Masoner, "Blue" will be auctioned Wednesday, January 14th at 7:00 pm at the Trowbridge Family and Friends Invitational Angus Sale at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver, Co. This gift honors the memory of former American Angus Association^® Executive Vice President, Dick Spader, a devoted horseman and Angus enthusiast. For more information about "Blue" and this special gift, visit www.angusauxiliary.com and access "the gift of the Horse' webpage. For more information, contact Rich Masoner at (816) 351-8148 or Brett Spader at (785) 633-5512.
January 24 KCRFTHA GAIT AND BITTING SEMINAR, 10:00 am, Family Center, Harrisonville, MO. The Kansas City Regional Fox Trotting Horse Association will host a Gait and Bitting Seminar -- this four-hour event will feature a video presentation of the gaits of the Missouri Foxtrotter with a presentation by a member of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association judges committee followed by a presentation on bits and how they can improve your horse's gait. Time will be provided for a question-and-answer period. This seminar should be helpful for those new to Foxtrotters as well as those with years of experience. For more information, contact Therese Murray at (816) 505-9980.

February

February 6-7 6^th ANNUAL PRIORITY CLINIC, Ransomed Heart Ranch, Lone Jack, MO. Scheduled to do clinics this year are, NCHA Trainer Nick O’Dell, NRHA Million Dollar Rider Brent Wright, NBHA Barrel Racer Dawn Dawson, Cowboy Poet and Entertainer Geff Dawson, Equine Clinician Terri DeLouche, National Sales Manager for Adequan-Alynn Mann, and more! Along with the clinic, great horsemen and horsewomen share their testimony to our Lord, Jesus Christ. Reception and clinic on Friday night and clinics and a barbeque supper on Saturday. Cost for the weekend is only $10/family. For more information call Terri Delouche at 660/441-1697. Click Here to view detailed agenda.
February 8 - RICHARD SHRAKE SPECIAL CLINIC FOR RIDERS & AUDITORS. For information about this clinic, call Terri DeLouche at 660/441-1697
February 13-15 KANSAS EQUIFEST, Wichita, KS. Craig Cameron and his Extreme Cowboy Race is a featured event this year. Don't miss this great event!
February 20-21 NORTH AMERICAN TRAIL RIDE CONFERENCE, Embassy Suites Hotel, I-29 & Tiffany Springs (by the airport). Top quality speakers and information for only $60 for both days. Gastric Ulcers and Horse Behavior, Parasitology, Carbohydrate Intolerant Horse and Pasture Management, and Lameness plus many exhibitors. For more information, contact Jerry or Kim Weil (816) 781-2218 or e-mail jkweil@sbcglobal.net. Click Here for more details.

March

March 22 PURINA MILLS HORSE OWNER'S WORKSHOP & OPEN HOUSE; Winding River Girl Scout Camp & Equestrian Center near Trimble, Mo.;
Kerry Kuhn-Trail Horse Clinic; Cindy Branham-Mustang Savy. -- DETAILS TO FOLLOW LATER.
March 27-29 PURINA MILLS HORSE OWNER'S WORKSHOP; Lone Wolf Ranch Arena & Training Center, Cleveland, MO. Curt & Tammy Pate- Low Stress Cattle Handling/Riding Clinic----Great Weekend! Beautiful New Facility. -- DETAILS TO FOLLOW LATER.

April

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.

May

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.

The Better Horses Radio Show

            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!

Yesterday, as I was going over my normal ritual of watching RFD-TV Horse programs on Sunday morning, I picked up the Ken McNabb show. What he said yesterday morning is consistent with many of the great trainers, and that is to "ask your horse -- don't force them." Also, when asking your horse for a maneuver, make it easy for the horse to find the answer.

This is so much in contrast of how we did it when we were younger and that is by demanding or forcing a horse to do a maneuver.

Horsey Treat Recipe

In the mood for baking something special for your favorite horse for the New Year?

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

Directions: Mix ingredients in a bowl in the order listed. Make little balls and place on a sprayed cookie sheet.
Bake at 350^o for 15 mins. or until golden brown.

Timely Reminder

As always, let me know if we can be of any help to you and your horse operation. When it comes to Equine Research, Purina Mills is the company that can say . . .

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

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.

NOTE: With current spam-blocking firewalls in place on certain services, our e-newsletter delivery could be blocked to Yahoo, Earthlink, Peoplepc, Mindspring and USMO users. (If you have an alternate e-mail address available, it would be recommended that you use it for delivery of our newsletter. Just e-mail JoAnn.Riggs@agbusinessmail.net and give her the e-mail address to use.)

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

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

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

If you are not currently receiving our printed publication of Better Horses Network and would like to be on our mailing list, please send your check in the amount of $10.00 payable to Better Horses Network and mail to Better Horses Network, PO Box 722, Ottawa, KS 66067. OR . . . go to our website at BetterHorsesNetwork.com and click on "Registration Center." You will be guided through the easy process of paying for your subscription on-line through PayPal. Either way, you will be a subscriber and will receive five issues of our Better Horses Network magazine mailed directly to your home. ( If you don't want to receive it in the mail, you can always pick up a free copy at your local participating Purina Dealer or other distribution points, but your subscription will assure timely delivery directly to your home.)

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

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