It is approaching christmas and I was wondering what are some good gift ideas people have for coaches/trainers? Would love to hear from some professionals who have gotten gifts from students they particularly loved!
Also on a a side note, if your coach goes above & beyond for you at a certain show, your horse is sick & they Stay for the vet etc. what are some good “thank you” gifts? Nothing big, but just to show appreciation.
Ideas, depends so much on the individual. Here are some that went over well:
A really nice pair of riding gloves
Logo design services, the eventual logo went on the sign, truck decal, clothing, etc.
custom jump planks
cooking a full meal for trainer’s entire family
concert tickets
framed photo of them competing, sometimes they don’t buy their photos due to finances
I’ve done the warm socks - since she comes to me to teach in my unheated indoor 
But I also tend to do consumables - gift cards for Starbucks or some other edible treat.
This year I am thinking gas card or maybe one for Michaels/Hobby Lobby since she also makes jewelry.
Gift certificates for photos! (says the Eventing photographer). You can never have enough photos!!
Well it depends. Over the years we’ve pitched in and gotten a big gift; of late I usually get a gift card and a bottle of wine. For her, I like restaurant group gift cards, that way she and her husband can enjoy a couple of date night dinners together.
Entry fees for an event, gasoline gift cards, muck cart or collapsible wheelbarrow to take to shows, logowear or gift certificate for logowear, favorite tack shop gift certificate, subscription to one of the meal delivery services (Blue Apron, etc.), a bucket of her favorite horse “stuff” (conditioner, clipper blades, shampoo, body brace, etc.), coupons for braiding/grooming, etc.
I have made jumps for one trainer. Another year I bought a bunch of plastic tags for blankets. They were different colors and had the blanket size engraved on them. It made it easier for the lesson kids to blanket horses. Red/78, navy 81, light blue 72, green/69 etc… I ordered them from a place that makes them for labeling valves. Much less expensive than pet tags. Not as heavy plastic though.
For a BO a bunch of boarders chipped in for a horse vacuum one year and a 5 point breastplate and fancy xc jump boots another year.
I am thinking a Costco membership for one of my trainers this year.
I’m going to get my trainer gift certificates for her and her husband to go whale watching!! I am obsessed with marine mammals. On a drive to a recent show we were talking about how awesome they were and she said she never saw a wild whale!!! Unacceptable!
Last year we did a custom jump with the coaches logo. We all pitched in, came to $500 but with multiple students that’s not that hard to do.
I’m stuck this year, as I’m with a new trainer, and winter stuff is pointless since she goes south every winter.
Our barn Christmas gifts tend to be larger items that all the boarders go in on (new xc jump, new cavaletti and show jumps, new show bridle, new custom stall guards with barn logo).
As a general thank you for a specific show it varies. For the recent T3DE at which my trainer went WAY above and beyond and charged normal HT coaching fees, the 3 of us participating went in on massage gift certificates for her and the BM (who also went way beyond in helping out). In a prior year, I know the T3DE competitors gave my coach a custom bling browband for her dressage show bridle (coach picked the colors/design). We have also done gift certificates at a local restaurant as a thank you. I have also randomly given my BO/coach wine or homemade candy as a more run of the mill thank you.
My trainers both compete my young horse (dressage and eventing),so last year I got them a nice picture/photo travel mug and a toy for their cat/dog. I think they both liked the picture, since my horse is very photogenic (knees to chin etc. shameless brag lol).
I really like the saucy piaffe brushes. The quality is great and it’s unique. Also purchased gloves with their initials on them and whips with their initials in the top (so they don’t walk away). They always seemed to be winners
I like the idea of giving a jump - we’ve made probably four sets so far of some really fun jumps for trainers for Christmas. Last for a long time and are great fun for everyone!
There is a website called www.myrope.com that does custom lead ropes for horses and leashes for dogs. They are less than $20 and you can pick color, length and have the horse/dog name embroidered on the lead. They are great stocking stuffers for a friend who has a new horse/dog and or small gift for trainer. Quality is great.
Cash.
Why don’t you buy a robovac. It’s the greatest present ever. Just look it’s a pet, toy, helper and cleaner.
It is the greatest gift i ever was given. They’re not so expensive you can find quite modest and interesting models. Check It Here http://tenrows.com/robot-vacuum/.
I’m going to ask my trainer what types of jumps she likes and then build some for her. (With my dads help so they look good)
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