Make Your Horse Business Better in 2022

 The advent of the new calendar year is the perfect time to think about how to improve the bottom line of your horse business. Fresh starts and new horizons beckon, and the opportunity to refresh, reboot and re-imagine your stale business plan is at hand. Why not take the reins and figure out how to make sure your hard work pays off in 2022?

Sprucing up your horse farm and how you operate it is a great start to bringing a fresh perspective to how you are currently operating. Here's a few starter questions to think about:

• Is your fencing and gate set up at paddocks the best it can be and is it in good repair? Keeping expenses such as vet bills down on the equines in your care is as good as making more money and even more importantly, saves unnecessary suffering and mitigates risk of injury to horse and human.
  
• Is the barn clean and tidy with aisleways free of equestrian paraphernalia or is it an obstacle course to be navigated at every turn? Safety first...
  
• Does billing for boarding go out on time? Are automatic thank-you letters set up and discounts for early payment given to encourage quick turnaround on bills and improve the cash flow?
• What is the story with your marketing plan? Do you just post social media about your events and activities and hope that the word gets out? Every business needs an up to date marketing plan.
• Are you taking advantage of free online marketing opportunities?
  
• Have you looked at and listened to feedback from your current clientele? And have you addressed the issues that have arisen?
• New revenue streams are always an opportunity to improve sales income. Summer camps; dog kennel services; add another riding discipline; employ a professional on site trainer on a commission basis; add a jumping or cross- country course or new service; clinics and Schooling Shows etc. These options all offer means to make more money.
• How long is it since you researched your competition? Regional changes in services available in your neighborhood could be cutting into your business.
• Review all running costs of your operation from the prior year. Are there areas where being better organized could have saved you money? For example, buying hay and shavings in bulk by having more storage space.

These are just a few pointers to get you thinking - there are many more areas you can work to improve the business model and build the bottom line.

Free resources such as this magazine, consistently offer good advice on how to build your equine business better. Don't forget to check in regularly for the monthly editions and also the archived articles provide valuable information that can help you grow your business.

Adding new services to your horse barn operation can yield more revenue streams e.g. offering breeding services; start youngsters under saddle ; train horses for others..

As the expression goes, " Work smarter not harder!"

Winter Horse Training Works Wonders

Horses Love To Play In The Snow

 

The magic of riding across freshly fallen snow on a sunny day is an experience every rider should enjoy at least once. The same way that cantering on a sandy beach or galloping across an open grassy field lifts the spirit, winter riding can be fun and exhilarating for both horse and human.

When I was a kid growing up in England one of my unofficial riding tutors was Pam, the owner of the farm next door. An ardent horse lover and accomplished rider, Pam advocated the regular interval training benefits for both horse and rider of a good gallop.

" It cleans out the pipes," she said. Even though her horses were sincerely expensive show hunters, there was no equine that she owned that did not enjoy plenty of turnout and plenty of fast work. 

As a horse crazy teen these exciting rides held no worries or concerns about falling off or the horse being hard to handle. A bolting horse was merely a great ride and I learned that as long as you had the space to wait long enough any horse could be brought back under control with some patient cajoling. It sounds ridiculous now of course, as a 'vintage' rider, and a dressage one at that, the idea of bolting around large fields on a 1500 lb animal out of control for periods of time is a dangerous pursuit for all sorts of obvious reasons. But galloping around on horseback in a herd can quickly get out of hand. Ask any foxhunter!

The winter weather in England was never an issue that stopped me riding. Frankly, if you didn't ride in the rain or bad weather you would simply never keep a training program on point. Riding gear included wearing long, almost touching the floor heavy waxed coat that covered you and the saddle and swept across the horse's rump when mounted. Velvet riding caps simply got wet. The rain dripped down your neck, down your boots and without the right riding mackintosh into the saddle from the front. Not comfortable!

Snow however rarely fell. When it did arrive it was an entertainment. Something to be cherished as the country's infrastructure ground to a halt and days off work and school were often given unless the local farmers had the time to plow the country roads out with their tractors. That is no longer an allowed 'help' to the rural community.  

Living in the N.E. U.S.A. at an elevation 2000+ feet above sea level on the side of a mountain in the Catskills of Upstate New York, has given me a different perspective on riding in the winter weather.

The temperatures are much colder than the U.K., the snow much deeper and more prevalent, and the winter weather lasts much longer. 

Winter Riding Tip: Loosening the girth and then handwalking the horse with a cooler is a great way to cool the horse off - the loosened girth allows a slow return of normal blood flow to the horse's back and the cooler will keep the horse from steaming and cooling off too fast.

 

If you are lucky enough to own an indoor arena, you might think you are all set for winter riding. There's no doubt that this building offers a sincere advantage over outside ring work or trail riding, although it does come with its own issues. Not that anyone should feel sorry for anyone about that!

Sliding snow melt off the metal roofs can cause an alarming 'airs above the ground' experience for the uninitiated, the footing can become frozen and hard or alternatively dry and dusty if the materials and maintenance are not planned for and executed in a timely manner.

Metal structures that are not insulated can also be cold and damp, and windowless indoors can be dark and depressing unless proper lighting is installed and switched on. 

The outside world may be shining brightly with snow, and horse and rider will often still be seen trotting about the indoor at boarding barns, despite the crowded nature of the environment due to overuse at popular riding times such as the weekends.

My advice is avoid that equestrian melee by schooling outside. Powdery snow can offer a great place to practice elevating your piaffe and passage or even collected trot work if you school dressage moves. For the jumper, fences might be out of the question but much flat work for fitness can still be accomplished. 

Obviously the horses' hooves must be properly kitted out to avoid slipping with whatever fits best for your type of work and environment. Snow balled up in the hoof can cause both horse and rider injury if the horse slips and falls. Twisted fetlocks and torn ligaments can also occur. There are plenty of options available to mitigate the risks such as hoof pads, borium shoes and even studs. If you have your horse shod ensure your horse's legs are protected from injury with protective boots made of material that will not hold water.

Barefoot horses should be kept well-trimmed so as the hoof wall does not become long enough to hold snow and ice, and a spray with a non-toxic oil or application of wax to the sole of the foot can help defray snow packing in the hoof. Be careful to avoid the hoof wall during application, as this can cause the horse to slip.

Trail riding in the snow can be tremendous fun but you do need to take due care to stay safe.

It is best to stick to trails you know well so you can be sure to avoid drifts or snow banks that may hide obstacles that could damage your horse. Don't ride on trails during hunting season or late at night/early in the morning when the light is poor.

Moonlit riding is a lovely experience, but stay close to home, hopefully on your own property.

I once fell in a giant hole hidden beneath the snow that was the left by the forest management team that had extracted several trees including the trees' root balls, by the side of an icy trail. The hole that remained had been covered in soil but not compacted. 

My horse fell on his side in the hole, with me beneath him. The soft soil saved me from injury. He carefully extricated himself while I still held onto his reins. My tall boot saved me from a twisted ankle as he pulled me around. I used his legs to pull myself up out of the hole! We were both shaken up but not hurt, and I remounted him and we walked home both feeling both relieved and tense.

Needless to say, avoid icy trails and always ride in company. Take a cell phone for communication or hand held device such as a walkie-talkie if no cell service is available (kids' radio style walkie talkies can reach a decent distance and there are other options on the market that reach much farther).

It is also a good idea to carry a fold up hoof pick just in case you need to dismount and remove a snow pack from a hoof.

Always let others know when and where you are going and when you expect to return. And then stick to that plan. 

Riding in cold weather also requires extra special attention to the horse's well-being in terms of lung health and hydration factors. When temperatures dip below freezing the respiratory system can be taxed especially if the horse is older or if the work is intense. Exercise opens up the alveoli in the lungs of both horse and human to facilitate a better oxygen exchange to the blood. In this state the small ciliary hairs are exposed to the cold air and can become damaged. 

Dress well to avoid frostbite and don't ride on days where wind chill is an issue. Being wet and cold is definitely the fastest way to experience hypothermia. 

Once you return to the barn ensure you put your horse away dry and comfortable. When riding slow warm up and cool down times are a must, and never leave a hot horse steaming in cold weather. Sweat sheets under a warm blanket or coolers can help dry the horse until he is completely fluffed up and ready for either a dry blanket or to go without. 

With careful management riding in the snow can be a truly magical experience. A 3 or 4 inch cover of snow can help help to keep the horse fit, as he has to work harder to make each step. It is also a great photo opportunity to show off your equine partner! 

My late Grand Prix Horse Charlie and I - always working to keep fit!

 

A .org Link Benefits Your Business ~ But They Are Hard to Secure

An established .org business such as the community resource magazine that is Catskill Horse, offers business owners a valuable lift in organic searches to help grow their company profile in the competitive net neutral marketplace.

Most .org domains are non-profit entities, or government owned sites, that are hard to access for backlinks. No two way street as it were. Adding a .org as a link from a site to a .org business adds little value when it comes to SEO.

Catskill Horse offers an enterprising means to not just get your business in front of a large marketplace of regular viewers ( currently over 100K+ per month), it also elevates your website in the organic searches and it is relatively inexpensive to accomplish.

Best way to garner the full benefit is to take a long term or annual contract with a 12x month frequency and take advantage of event feature articles and editorial support with an advertisement. But there are other options too.

In addition to more than 15 horse business categories listed in our Directory Service Guide listings:

 Plus a special section for stallion owners:

And a special section for equine art:

 Look at the categories your non horse-related business can be included under:

 

 

" We have special promotional rate offers that run seasonally for 3 month blocks to help folks manage their budget," explains Catskill Horse magazine Editor Nikki Alvin-Smith, " The rates start at just $195.00 so it is a super opportunity for biz owners to improve their branding and sales reach. As always our magazine is here to help grow the community."

While Nikki Alvin-Smith contributes her services to Catskill Horse magazine as part of a community service effort, her 'daily driver' job is as a professional PR/Marketing Specialist/Strategist and Content Writer. Thus her experience helping companies grow their brand and increase their sales and profits provides additional insights that advertisers that support Catskill Horse magazine can utilize to their advantage.

Nikki Alvin-Smith at Dalhousie Castle Library, Scotland

 

"I write a lot about SMM and SEO. As I call them when writing my column pieces for Nikki's Notes, the two gangsters of marketing. It surprises me how many astute entrepreneurs and even seasoned business managers don't know how to adapt their marketing to address the ever changing Google analytics. It's worthwhile for anybody that is serious about gaining market share to keep abreast of what's hot and what's not."

Listings on the Directory and on the pages is FREE for businesses and details of what information to submit are found on each page. Ask about the current promotions and planned extra bonus features that are coming to Catskill Horse and harness the power of the press to your advantage. 

While a paid advertisement is necessary to garner the valuable .org link to a website, there are other options such as feature articles that focus on the business, event wrap up news features, social media promotion through Catskill Horse various media channels, event coverage and much more. Advertisement design is free.

" Not only is a paid advertisement at Catskill Horse magazine a great way to grow your brand, and improve your sales, it also helps the community at large by keeping the magazine funded. The viewership of the magazine is non-subscription based and free to read. It is a business model that has been employed primarily to help connect horse related companies in the area and promote rural lifestyle. When it was founded 9 years ago, the reach was expected to be mostly regional across the Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley of New York. However, it has grown massively since inception. We have a lot of readership up and down the East Coast, with out of town folks connecting to find places to stay, eat and come enjoy some time Upstate, enjoying all the beauty it has to offer. A lot of NYC folks enjoy reading it and use it as a resource. It has grown to be about horses and rural lifestyle and agri-tourism," states Nikki.

Are you part of "The Merry Band" that is the Catskill Horse? You're invited! Don't be shy to connect.

Please visit www.CatskillHorse.org to learn more.

The 2021 Hay Season Rained Out

Labor intensive small square bales at a premium

 

2021 has been a year of tremendous variance in haymaking weather for many hay farmers across the country. While the West has ridiculously hot weather, fires and parched ground, the North-East began the hay season with good weather and everything looked perfect for a great hay season.

In the Mid-Atlantic States the heavy rains in Spring brought on growth but also caused mildew issues with Bermuda grass types, leaving the Carolinas with less quality in their May cut. While in the North-East the farmers who dutifully watched the weather and started cutting as soon as the weather settled were rewarded with good quality harvests and slightly above average yields for the most part. But then the rains came and many farmers in the North-East and Eastern Canada were cut short in the 1st cut harvesting program. 

Organic horse hay at Willowview Hill Farm, Stamford, NY

 

In some North-Eastern USA regions, the daily rainfall totals have been so high and so overwhelming with their persistence, that the fields are too wet to even contemplate working at the present time. Yet, rather unusually, in certain areas such as Northern Maine and Northern New Hampshire and Northern Vermont, drought conditions have left fields of parched crop as their Spring rains never showed up.

Where rain persisted, many farmers opted to take the planned 1st cut dry hay as a silage cut, in order to hopefully maintain a decent 2nd cut yield later in the year. Due to the drought issue in Northern NE areas, hay producers in Upstate New York and Eastern Ohio are busy supplying their colleagues in those regions.

Meantime, hay commodity futures continue to escalate, as many of the usual hay producing States out West such as Idaho, as well as Northern PA, New York and New England report shortages are expected. Export hay prices are also increasing, with export levels above last year's numbers for the same period.

Top quality or premium horse hay production will obviously be negatively affected by the wet weather issues. If they have been harvested there is a likelihood knocked down hay will have at some point in time been rained upon, that necessarily lessens the nutritional value of the cut. Damaged crop may be mulched back or baled in large rounds/squares for use and sale to the cattle or general livestock market and miss the horse market altogether.

Even if the hay available is 1st cut, expect these later 1st cut supplies to be at a higher price than those available earlier in the year as a result of the high demand. Late cut 1st hay often means a lack of 2nd cut hay too, as the grasses have not had time to grow. The outcome of 2nd cut yield and quality will depend of course on the amount of rain and temperatures.

Given all the above it is a good idea to stock your barn with hay supplies sooner rather than later, or be prepared to pay higher prices again this year. Diesel prices are of course significantly higher than 2020 and many farmers are still reeling from last year's drought and lack of hay revenue as a result and have barely managed to stay financially afloat. Many having to buy in hay supplies for their own livestock instead of supplying their own.

Current prices that dealers are paying for small square 1st cut horse hay bales of premium quality in Upstate NY range from $6-$8 bale. Dealers are already scooping up supplies, having learned the lessons of last year in the supply chain. While certain areas such as Long Island, NY, NJ, PA, and the entire North-East are paying much higher prices. Some retailers paying as much as $13-14 for a small square of good quality product.

As for the availability and pricing of 2nd cut - expect that to be elevated and talk to your suppliers early. Consider buying hay out of the wagons/off the field to secure supply.

 

The Horse Show Season Is In Full Swing ~ Are You Dancing?

There is much to celebrate this summer as we see the Covid restrictions lifted in New York and the horse show event calendar fill up with neat offerings. 

The uncertainty of how many riders are keen to return to competition haunts every show organizer and has done for months, but based on the events ongoing it appears that just like the pent up demand for dining has restaurants busier than ever, show entries are overflowing the digital sign up software bin.

File Your Entries Early.. Jump To It!

 

Whatever the discipline all tracks lead to a bumper year for entries and competitions need to add more rings, classes and dates to ensure they cash in on the demand.

A huge thorn in the sides of organizers is the one of lack of volunteers. Folks are simply so busy getting back to family vacations and gatherings, graduations and travel opportunities that signing on for arduous days as a volunteer are not high on their priority list.

Most riders are anxious to make up for lost time with their competition schedules and get their horses dancing in the ring. Perhaps you are one of them. The reality is you'd better get your foot in the stirrup early and get your entries in, because if you want to play you most certainly will have to pay more than ever for the experience. Event costs have surged since Covid, and the demand for venues and dates, vendors and volunteers have set a keen competition world alight of their own.

You don't need to have a degree in rocket science to have figured out this was coming when you think about it. Organizers claiming the climbing numbers of entries as 'inexplicable' are simply out of touch with what clinicians, coaches and competitors have been saying for the past 12 months, " We want in!"

 

Swinging into summer..

 

As a competitor if you know you are going to scratch a competition or class, be kind to your fellow equestrians and do it as early as possible. The waiting lists are long and the demand shows no sign of abating. We all want to help our event organizers map their course. Let's show up, sign up and sign out on schedule.

 

Why Clinicians Ask For Videos

 

 

Participation in a clinic can be an expensive enterprise, especially if the clinician is a higher profile equestrian with a proven competition career at advanced levels. Prospective riders that show interest in securing a slot to partake of the event experience are sometimes baffled by why they are asked to send a recent video of a schooling session with their horse, some folks are even offended.

Just why do clinicians request a video before agreeing to teach a rider?

 

The answer is it's different for everyone. Each clinician has their own set of reasons based on their professional experience, but here are some common reasons for the request:

Is Your Horse Sound? 

It's sad and somewhat amazing to say that sometimes even trainers don't seem to notice, or care to notice, that their student's mount is behaving badly due to a soundness issue.

Unfortunately, the clinician is faced with a difficult situation when this occurs. As horse folks themselves, for clinicians the horse's well-being is always their top priority. When a rider/horse combo enters the arena and the clinician can clearly see that the horse is in discomfort or even pain, the only compassionate thing to do is address the issue, which necessarily sincerely upsets the local trainer and/or the rider. The often anxious, slightly nervous and keen rider has invested financially to participate in the event, and has also expended emotionally with much hard work to prepare for the opportunity to ride in the clinic. No clinician likes to be faced with this issue.

By requesting prospective participating riders that are interested in the clinic submit a recent schooling video, the soundness of the horse can be evaluated. The viewing of the video is not about offering a veterinary opinion, it is about sharing the wealth of knowledge that the clinician probably has on the matter of soundness for task, and giving a 'heads up' to folks that might not be aware of the reason why the horse is not performing to its full potential. This information gives the rider time to have their horse evaluated by a qualified medical professional before the clinic so that issues that may be present can be addressed before the rider commits to a spend on the clinic ride.

It is ultimately the clinician that is responsible for the welfare of the horse and rider in front of them, morally at a minimum and even legally in some States and circumstances. Thus it is understandable that the clinician wishes to see beforehand that the horse and rider are 'good to go.' 

 

What Benefit Will The Clinic Provide To The Auditors?

Many clinicians have guidelines as to the rider's level of training and their horse's age/level of accomplishment that they require for participation in a select event. This is especially common when a large gathering of auditors is anticipated. 

The idea being that the horse/rider combinations need to be at a stage in their training where corrections and instruction given can be taken on board and executed, to showcase to not just themselves, but also to the paying audience to educate as to how the correct training can quickly progress the horse to a more advanced level. A learning opportunity for all. 

For certain clinicians this can be vanity based, as they do not wish to be presented with a horse and rider they are unable to help improve in front of the public. 

 

What Benefit Will The Clinic Provide To The Entrant?

If a clinician is offering a specified topic at their event as is often the case, then the horse and rider will only benefit from that particular clinic if they are at a stage in their training where they are ready both physically and mentally to advance.

For example, if a jumping clinician is offering a clinic to aid riders deal with jumping a course of spread fences/oxers or water jumps, there is little point in a novice rider/horse combo showing up. Similarly a dressage clinician that is offering a clinic on collection and lateral work will not be able to instruct a rider on this topic if they don't have an independent seat and their horse has not attained the prerequisites of basic dressage.

A first hand view of a video ride will allow the clinician to evaluate whether horse and/or rider will benefit and are ready for what is intended to be taught at the event.

As a rider paying good money for help from an expert in their chosen discipline, this is surely an advantage? If the clinician does not feel that you are ready for the work or if your horse is not at the level of training to address the requests that would be made of it, surely it is better to know before you get in the ring?

Take Home Message

Don't be offended if a clinician requests a video before slotting you into a clinic. It does not mean they are not offering to teach all that want to participate, especially if it is an open clinic with no topic specified. It just means they want to be sure horse and rider are fit for the task.

If the clinic is specifically geared to a certain level of training or if the event is more a symposium than a clinic, then expect that the horse/rider will need to submit a short video of themselves at work, so that their talents can be evaluated as far as readiness for the task they will be addressing training wise.

Everyone, including the barn host, local trainer, riders and clinician should want the best possible experience for the participating riders and their horses. 

Unfortunately many trainers make plenty of pre-clinic prep lesson money from their students and can sometimes be blind to the fact they are over-schooling or pushing the horse, even to the point that the sudden increase in work can cause a previously sound horse to become sore and resistant. 

This is an inconvenient truth that experienced clinicians see all too often. Hence the requirement for video submission is more commonly requested by the experienced clinicians than those just starting out in their careers.

 

 

 

The Best Therapists Eat Grass ~ But Give Them Some Peace Too

Photo Credit: Nikki Alvin-Smith Studio

  

Whatever life throws at you, and let's face it during the last 15 months that has been a lot for all of us, there have to more options than 'suck it up' and deal with it. The time has been especially difficult for women in the workforce as they do double duty with home schooling kids and lay offs at work or working weird hours from home.

Our kids are stressed out. Youngsters toil with remote learning, our adult kids fight to keep their jobs and income and if they have a family, their sanity. Grandparents find themselves babysitting the grandkids as useful adjuncts to the daily life of their children and find it hard to go back to work even as the job market opens up once more.

For equestrians horses have become more important than ever in their lives in their role of emotional support. The perfect therapist! Plenty of hugs and interaction, no backchat, no noise. Just a peaceful coexistence with joyful time spent outdoors exercising during schooling time or the incomparable calm companionship of just hanging out in the stall grooming and spending time together.

It's no wonder that more and more folks are bringing their horses home to their backyard if they have the option. Sharing the equestrian passion with other members of the household can offer valuable stress relief to everyone.

What do the horses think of all this attention? From their POV I'd expect quite a lot. Boarding barn owners report that their human clients are spending more quality time with their equines and building better partnerships. Horses love attention and having something to do. Freedom to roam and move about being essential to their mental and physical health just as it is for ours.

But is it possible to overdo all that attention to your equine therapist? The answer is yes. Horses can become just as stressed by too much input as by too little. Obviously it all goes to the nature of the beast and the relationship that is currently enjoyed. Trust is essential in this emotional equation, as a horse that is distrustful of its caregiver or rider will become undone quickly with ever more time spent in the presence of the tension-inducing homo sapiens species. Homo sapiens, (Latin: “wise man”) being the species to which all modern human beings belong. But perhaps sometimes not all that wise.

 

 

It is important not to forget to give your horse his downtime and to establish a routine that works for both sides of the partnership. For example, rowdy kids climbing up and down all day on a pony can easily turn a respectful trustworthy critter into a cantankerous beast. 

It's also not fair to suddenly decide to increase the riding time just because you have more free time available. A horse needs to be 'legged up' gradually and new demands must be made with a clear understanding from the horse of what is being asked and how to answer the requests.

A horse may become lame out of seemingly nowhere. It may be possible to get away with a once a week one hour ride on a badly fitted saddle that works well for neither horse or rider (so often heavier riders sit in saddles far too small for their posterior). But when you start riding for longer periods or more frequently the pain may be unbearable and cause behavioral and soundness issues. A horse simply cannot be expected to 'suck it up' and manage any more than the rider should be asked to do. 

So give some thought to your trusty steed and their needs and as always, place them well in front of your own. Our noble beasts deserve our very best efforts and we must not take too much even though equines will so often give so much more than we should ask.

 

 

 

 

The Broad Reach of Catskill Horse Expands

 The Merry Band at the Catskill Horse have worked hard for several years now to grow the magazine and it has steadily harvested a larger readership reach over the period. We are on course to continue to expand under the umbrella of our parent company, Horse in a Kilt Media, Inc.

 

 

We are very pleased to announce that the unique monthly viewership has now topped 90,000! Not bad for an all volunteer, community publication.

Not only has our viewership increased exponentially, our reach has also gained geographic ground. New York State as a whole is saturated with a heavy rain of return readership, but Catskill Magazine is also seeing the visitor numbers climb across all neighboring states especially in the NE and also SC, NC, and FL.

Coming soon is the launch a new equestrian magazine, also an imprint of our parent company, Horse in a Kilt Media,Inc., - that will address this broadband interest with a different format altogether.We can't wait to welcome our sister magazine to the fold. Pun intended. Stay tuned!

Meantime we will continue our mission to be a super resource for all things horse, and work even harder to develop captivating content and offer meaningful equestrian advice from savvy sources. 

The Merry Band at the Catskill Horse couldn't produce this magazine without the support of CH wonderful advertisers. Please support them in return, and let them know you saw them here!

Meantime, if you have a penchant for writing and would like to contribute to our magazine please don't be shy to reach out. Guest bloggers, feature articles and event coverage are all options for you to shine with a byline. Simply email Editor@CatskillHorse.org with your submission ideas/content.

As vaccine rollout becomes a reality we are hoping the 2021 events season will be active, so if you would like a free listing please send us the info! Our valuable .org backlink can really boost your organics under the 2021 Google core analytics. Deets here.. 

Meantime stay safe and stay warm!