Sierra Ranch: August 2008

Blogging at www.sierraranchok.net

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Critical For ALL Equine Business Owners

One of the biggest - and most fatal mistakes - a business owner can make is not having enough funding to properly produce and market their product or service. It's no different in the equine industry, especially if you're a breeder or trainer. It's very expensive to breed, train and market horses these days, even with the internet as a resource, with the price of hay, feed and transportation rocketing ever higher, and in many, now over-saturated markets, horse values dropping drastically.

And it's no different if you're a competitive equestrian; managing a showing or expositional team or even running a charity such as a rescue - except it's usually harder to figure out how to monetize it.

That's why I downloaded a copy of this program to check it out. Patricia Reszetylo with EquineTeleseminar.net decided to make sure you had the opportunity to download a unique, completely free gift for you to help you get the funding your business deserves: a $47 value audio on "5 Top Ways To Get Corporate Sponsorship."

In this audio you'll learn:
- Exactly how to identify your potential sponsors
- Specifically how to attract these sponsors
- How to spotlight your assets (you've got so much more than you're aware of)
- How to know exactly how much to ask for (Don't sell yourself short)
- Tricks to turning a "no" into an enthusiastic "yes"
- Exactly how to double or triple your results with media
- The 3 biggest mistakes people make
- How to get your sponsors to renew again and again (the easiest sale is to your current, enthusiastic customer)

Due to anticipated demand, this offer is only good for the next few days, so go now before it's gone, and claim YOUR free audio:

Free Corporate Sponsorship Info!

Please forward this on to a friend or associate as appropriate. It's a great idea for non-profits, clubs, and associations as well as our businesses. They will appreciate your consideration!

Happy Trails!

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, Claremore, OK

Blogging at www.sierraranchok.net

Only 200 Conscientious Equestrians Will Ever Be Able To Say They Are This.
Horse Health Collection 1

Saturday, August 16, 2008

New Office Policy

EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2008

NEW OFFICE POLICY

Dress Code:

1) You are advised to come to work dressed according to your salary.

2) If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a Gucci bag, we will assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise.

3) If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise.

4) If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.

Sick Days:

We will no longer accept a doctor's statement as proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work

Personal Days:

Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturdays & Sundays.

Bereavement Leave:

This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend the funeral arrangements in your place. In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early.

Bathroom Breaks:

Entirely too much time is being spent in the toilet. There is now a strict three-minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of three minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the stall door will open, and a picture will be taken. After your second offense, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under the 'Chronic Offenders' category. Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sectioned under the company's mental health policy.

Lunch Break: (Love this one)

* Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more, so that they can look healthy.

* Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure.

* Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to drink a Slim-Fast.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a positive employment experience. Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation and input should be directed elsewhere.

The Management

Pass this on to all who are employed!

Hope you enjoy and have a great weekend!

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, Claremore, OK

Blogging at www.sierraranchok.net

www.sierraranchok.net/chinchilla

Friday, August 15, 2008

Chinchillas!

This exotic animal was named after the Chincha people of the Andes region. The Andes Mountains in South America. Chinchilla actually means "little Chincha". Back around the close of the 19th century, the animals were known for their thick and soft fur.

There are two types of chinchillas. The chinchilla brevicaudata, which is also known as the Bolivian, Peruvian and Royal chinchilla, has a short tail. They came from the Andes Mountains in the regions of Chile, Peru and Bolivia. This chinchilla was on the verge of becoming extinct and were known for the exquisite fur. Even with the fur, the population of these animals continued to decrease. The chinchilla lanigera, which is also known as the Chilean, Coastal or Lesser chinchilla, has a long tail.

This species of chinchilla can be found in Chile. Even though the word "lanigera" means "having a woolen coat", they are covered with hair instead. The hair is soft, sleek and sticks to their skin. There are three types of chinchilla lanigera: The LaPlata are muscular, round and have a short head. The Costina has longer hind legs, slight hump and a pointed nose. The Raton is similar to the LaPlata in they way it's structured. It has a pointed nose and they are of a smaller size.

Burrows or cracks in rocks are where chinchillas reside. They can jump very well and at least up to 5 feet high. When residing in the wild, chinchillas consume fruits, seeds, plants and small insects. As far as breeding is concerned, that can take place at any time of the year. When the female chinchillas do procreate, their average length of pregnancy is 111 days. For a chinchilla, that's a long period of time compared to other animals in that group. Because their pregnancies are so long, their offspring are born with their eyes open and their body full of fur. At the time of delivery, their litter is usually one or two, with the two more times than not are twins.

The first try of breeding started in 1895. In that same year, the first animal was born and each year two litters were born. In the summer of 1896, an unknown disease halted the breeding process. By then, there were 13 animals and all of them succumbed within two months time. Around 1918, there was a resurgence of chinchillas. A man from California was interested in trapping chinchillas so he could raise them as pets.

At first, the Chilean government refused, but as the man kept asking, the government relented. During three year period, only eleven chinchillas were captured. They were brought back and bred in the United States. This process started the first chinchilla farm. This also started the process of the domestic chinchilla.

The interest in chinchilla fur started in the 16th century as international trade. Chinchilla fur is prevalent because it has a soft texture. Because of even color across the board, people like to use it for lining large pieces of clothing or small pieces of clothing.

The fur can also be used to create an entire large piece of clothing. So many chinchillas must be destroyed in order to make a coat because their skin is so small. Because of this, one of the species became non-existent and supply for the other became scarce. People still hunt and kill domestic chinchillas to create clothing, but wild chinchillas are no longer targeted for hunting.

Hope you enjoyed this little bit of history of the Chinchilla's and check out the link

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, Claremore, OK

Blogging at www.sierraranchok.net

www.sierraranch.multiply.com

Sunday, August 10, 2008

A Letter to Horse Owners

Dear Horse Owners,

Are you experiencing too many second and third finishes behind inferior horses at horse shows or endurance rides? During a trail ride, does your horse forget everything he was bred to do and taught to do?

Well, this simple chain letter is meant to bring relief and happiness to you. Unlike most chain letters, it doesn't cost any money.

Simply send a copy to six other horse owners who are dissatisfied with the way that their horse is behaving, or their state of health. Also, wrap up your horse and send him/her to the horse owner at the top of list, and add your name to the bottom of the list. Do not use a return address or the post office may try to contact you.

In one week you should receive 16,436 horses, and at least one of them should be a keeper.

Have faith in this. Do not break the chain. One owner broke the chain and got his own horse back.

Just a bit of humor on a Sunday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend and a great week!

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, Claremore, OK

www.sierraranchok.com

www.horsematch.net

Blogging at www.sierraranchok.net

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Left side or right side?

I just got done watching this super cool video.

No. This video doesn't contain any gratuitous images of girls in bikinis, dogs riding skateboards, parrots wakeboarding or babies doing funny stuff. (okay, those would be pretty cool videos, but…)

Would you get your head in your business for a minute? (bunch of good-for-nothing slackers)

You see, this video is about important stuff, like whether you run a left side or right side business.

In a nutshell…

The Left side equals running a nice business with a small customer value.

The Right side equals running a business that gives you ultimate freedom due to your having a BIG customer value.

What makes this super cool is any person is only 2-3 steps away from running a right side business.

How?

Quattro.

Kevin Wilke, the co-founder of Nitro Marketing, stopped watching gratuitous videos long enough to put this super fancy video together explaining the whole thing.

Quattro is Nitro's in-house "shock and awe" system they developed to turn a dead $27 ebook into an average customer value of $429.

Even people in totally obscure niches… like candle making, magic and scrap metal are using this system to turn to the RIGHT side.

Check it out, you'll thank me later for interrupting your gratuitous video watching.

Deb Stowers

Sierra Ranch, Claremore, OK

Blogging at www.sierraranchok.net