Christmas tipping of the BM and workers

[oldernewbie]

[QUOTE=2tempe;7907518]

Call me Scrooge???[/QUOTE]

No, not at all. I completely get what you mean. This whole business of gifts/tips/bonuses is really personal and I doubt anyone would criticize what you’re doing at all. And besides, what does a gift mean when the giver feels pressured to give it??

Just to clarify, I give the vets’ offices gifts as well as the vet - like chocolates or popcorn. My small animal vet does me huge favors all the time like letting me drop off my cats on my way to work on really short notice. It’s the staff that makes all that happen and I really really appreciate it. Plus I’ve been with them for over 25 years. Much different than someone who might just give shots once a year.

I like surprising people and thanking them. So, I do it. But I surely see the other side of it as well!

[2tempe]

[QUOTE=LovesHorses;7907124]
Our show barns does a minimum of $50 per groom, per horse. I only have one there so I do $75 per groom and we have three full time guys. They work VERY hard and appreciate the cash. An email is sent out to clients usually around Thanksgiving about this.[/QUOTE]

In addition to being a scrooge (thx oldernewbie for the support) THIS ^^ made my hair stand on edge. To email me instructing me about the MINIMUM I should give is beyond rude.

[Jeito]

[QUOTE=2tempe;7907566]
In addition to being a scrooge (thx oldernewbie for the support) THIS ^^ made my hair stand on edge. To email me instructing me about the MINIMUM I should give is beyond rude.[/QUOTE]

I’m a scrooge too :winkgrin:

[BeeHoney]

For barn workers, I think that a $50-100 cash gift is a lovely, thoughtful thing to do. Even $25 and some cookies or a holiday treat would be much appreciated. Most barn workers are not particularly well off and even a small gift is more appreciated way more than you might imagine. I do avoid gifts of alcohol to barn workers after seeing a bad experience related to that.

For the farrier, I think a small gift is fine, though I’m sure a cash tip would be appreciated as well. For the BO/BM/trainer, use your judgement. I like to give gift baskets or other Christmas goodies.

[WildandWickedWarmblo]

Don’t forget the vet’s office staff, the feed store workers, and the farrier. Warmbloods just handled out some envelopes with cash to all of them, so they can buy what they wish to buy. The cats at the feedstore got a big container of canned cat food from Sam’s club. Since the feed store cats keep the mice out of the food we buy. Warmbloods give to those who are nice.

christmas is supposed to be the season of giving and of good will. So give to those who work for you year round. (No, we do not get gifts.)

[retrofit]

[QUOTE=2tempe;7907518]
Call me Scrooge???[/QUOTE]

Well I won’t go so far as to call you Scrooge, but barn work is a really hard, thankless job most of the time. Same hard tedious work day in/day out and usually you only hear complaints. You never get a break, you only get MORE work when someone’s big dummie runs through a fence or kicks out a stall board or whatever. Maybe your back hurts or you twisted your ankle but you’ve got to do it anyway. You get stepped on and fingers jammed and everything else.

Usually the higher-priced places also supply more bedding, etc. so the profit-to-PITA ratio is still not in anyone’s favor. Farriers & vets work long hours and get knocked around by big clumsy animals for their troubles. Etc., etc.

I’m sure you know this - I’m not trying to insult your intelligence! Just sayin’, this is my time to say Thank You for putting up with my, and my horses’ BS the whole rest of the time.

[RolledAway]

I work at a medium sized boarding barn here in the Midwest doing morning and evening chores, and usually if we work on a holiday, the BO will give us a holiday “bonus”. It’s not expected, but it is nice when you’re mucking a stall and he pokes his head into the stall to hand you a $20 or so for your hard work. I personally don’t care either way because I don’t take holidays too seriously so I don’t care if I work on them, but it’s nice to receive as a surprise.

[Lilykoi]

I’m at a decent size show barn in the midwest. The workers fall over themselves taking care of the show horses.There are 6 of us who are in a satellite barn. We do not show, but pay the same board as the others. The guys are friendly enough but we have to ask for shavings, remind them to water, even feed sometimes. Of course now that Christmas is rolling in they are quite attentive. Its a stretch to board at this barn. We do buy them a big tin of popcorn but frankly, I can’t afford the kind of tipping you all are talking about.

[Wonders12]

[QUOTE=CHT;7906890]
My “tip” to the BO/Staff was that I would help do morning barns on Christmas day and New Years day (unpaid).[/QUOTE]

Best gift.

[CindyCRNA]

I get frustrated also by all of the tipping jars at businesses now. I don’t know why but the tipping jar at Starbucks bugs me. I like to be generous but hate getting guilted into it.

[fordtraktor]

Probably because it’s outrageous to pay $5 for a cup of fancy coffee to start, expecting a tip on top of that seems scandalous.

[fordtraktor]

[QUOTE=Lilykoi;7908333]
I’m at a decent size show barn in the midwest. The workers fall over themselves taking care of the show horses.There are 6 of us who are in a satellite barn. We do not show, but pay the same board as the others. The guys are friendly enough but we have to ask for shavings, remind them to water, even feed sometimes. Of course now that Christmas is rolling in they are quite attentive. Its a stretch to board at this barn. We do buy them a big tin of popcorn but frankly, I can’t afford the kind of tipping you all are talking about.[/QUOTE]

Well, I don’t think I’d be too excited to tip if the workers forgot to feed my horse regularly either. In fact I would be looking for a new barn, frankly. That’s unacceptable, I don’t care how good the training is.

[peedin]

I was friends with the BM when I boarded. She worked long hours for no pay (don’t even get me started) and cared for my horse like nobody else. She didn’t want presents, but all the boarders did a whip round and gave what we could for Christmas. I also gave her a little giftee on the side (like a gift card for the grocery store). I never tipped the barn workers. They got paid a decent salary and their job was to clean and bed the stalls. They didn’t handle the horses at all. I gave my farrier the best gift–a well-behaved horse who stood quietly for shoeing and had no special needs.

[ako]

I tip the barn workers $100 each per horse. i actually don’t tip the farrier. I pay $300 for 4 standard shoes. That’s twice as much as some of the other farriers who aren’t as good. I reserve the cash tips for folks who seem under-paid.

[twobits]

I have been on both sides.

Where I previously rode, all lesson kids received a gift from the trainer & barn owner, staff/hard working children/boarders received a little more. The trainer usually hand made the gifts such as headbands, horse themed chalk boards, jewelry, belts, etc. The little bit of extra was usually a purchased gift that suited the individual. I always gave my coach a christmas gift, and have been doing so since I can remember my parents being the ones to purchase the gift. Other than this one facility, I have not received christmas gifts from trainers & barn owners since.

I have also been in the position of a groom/worker. I received weekly/biweekly tips, depending on the services required and a “christmas bonus” from clients/employer. The tip money was definitely what I lived off of, so it was graciously appreciated!

At this point in time, i do not have my own horse, and do not board at a full service facility, so do not have to worry about the tip/no tip debacle for BM, farrier, grooms, etc. However, if I was, I feel like I would do something for the grooms and the BM and the trainer, and call it a day!

[paw]

I tip the grooms/barn workers, since they don’t set their own rates. I don’t tip the vet or the farrier. My trainer and the BO get a gift.

[Big_Grey_hunter]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;7908980]
Probably because it’s outrageous to pay $5 for a cup of fancy coffee to start, expecting a tip on top of that seems scandalous.[/QUOTE]

To be fair, the baristas aren’t profiting off that $5 coffee. I usually throw my change in the tip jar if I pay with cash.

[fordtraktor]

You are right, BGH, and in the event I travel for work and buy coffee I do always give my change. But I can’t bear to pay that much for coffee in the regular scheme of life so it is a nonissue for me. For the price of one venti caramel macchiato a day I can buy grain for 3/4 of my horses for the month. So I get some fancy creamer from the grocery store and call it a day.

No problems with other people buying coffee though, it is delicious! When I worked in a law firm I almost always had a CM for breakfast.