Introducing: HN/SmartPak Featured Article of the Week

In today’s Morning Feed, we sang the praises of Horse Nation’s volunteer army of writers and noted that without them, this site’s gears would grind to a halt.

We’ve been wracking our brains for a way to thank these writers for their hard work and talent (short of writing them a big rubber check). I volunteered my first-born child, but I’m not sure there would be many takers. John had a better suggestion: SmartPak gift cards.

Each Friday, we’ll be awarding a SmartPak gift card to the guest writer or illustrator whose post received the most page-views that week.

As usual the rules are, there are no rules–simply email your finest submissions to [email protected]. All current Horse Nation contributors and columnists (and their right-hand bunnies, Biz) are eligible, as are Horse Nation newbies. The subject matter may be anything involving horses. All original, previously unpublished content please. And we always appreciate photos/artwork (used with permission) to accompany your writing.

Tip: Writers, you didn’t hear this from me, but don’t forget to promote your stories on your own blogs and social media to up your page-views.

Hopefully, this will be a great way to give our top writers a little extra recognition and some green to blow at SmartPak.

The first HN/SmartPak Featured Article of the Week will be revealed this Friday, so stay tuned. You’ve still got a chance to get a submission in for this week if you put the pen to paper right now.

Until then, in a failsauce attempt at expressing my gratitude, I offer you this blast-from-the-past video by Natalie Merchant:

(I tried to remake the video at my barn, using students dressed up as clowns, the barn manager on a unicycle and me straddling a horse in a tutu, but it just got weird.)