Historically, I have not. But I wonder if I should.
Admittedly, it has been literally decades since I showed with a trainer.
But I did not tip, as I chipped in for her hotel room, tack stall(s) & paid a day fee as well.
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Nope, grooms only.
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Yes, I pay these items as well. I think that’s fairly standard, though.
My thoughts are I would tip grooms because they are more service workers doing grunt work but not my trainer. I think of trainer more as a professional. I don’t tip my dentist. I would give Christmas gifts.
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like so many things it all depends… but I don’t think I’d tip my trainer - a gift of thanks for a particularly fabulous show/placings or whatever or a bumped up Christmas or birthday present, celebratory dinner etc, but not cash tip. Scribble put it in good perspective.
No
Yes, but not monetarily, usually in the form of a treat. That could mean going out to dinner one show night, buying something that she likes from the mobile tack shop, a new sun hat, a bottle of wine or gin and tonic mix that she likes, etc.
This is a very nice suggestion.
Nope - only grooms Like others I try to find some token of my endless appreciation at shows or in general.
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In a normal year, I give trainer and barn help generous Christmas gifts and that’s about it. However, this year trainer put in extra time coaching me before Arabian Sport Horse Nationals and did a lot of other things out of the ordinary so that I would have a great experience at that show. So I am giving him a bonus when he goes on vacation. It was a once in a lifetime thing for me and I am very appreciative of all he did.
ETA: He’s not a H/J trainer, I’m the only sport horse person in the barn, just for background info. A great horseman in any case.
The whole tipping thing can get so confusing and a little out of control if you ask me.
I tend to think tipping is appropriate in two situations:
- When the price is set by someone other than the person providing the service (ie. a grooming fee that is set and paid to the trainer while the grooming service was provided by the a groom employed by the trainer)
- When someone goes above and beyond in some way
In that vein, regular tipping to one’s trainer is out of the ordinary, unless it’s an assistant trainer who may or may not be receiving the fees you’re actually paying - like in the situation with a grooming service.
However, I know some people regularly tip their farriers, which to me is unnecessary, as it doesn’t fall under either of those circumstances. The farrier is providing a service which is priced by them - a tip is unnecessary unless they go above and beyond (I’ll tip my farrier if he squeezed us in at the last second or made a special trip to tack on a shoe, but not for regular services - he set the price and is getting 100% of the payment!).
I think in situation #2, the tip can absolutely be non-monetary in nature. IE if your trainer let you borrow an extra pair of breeches after you spilled coffee on yours, bring them a coffee as a thank-you! Or if you generally want to make sure they know you appreciate all they do, buy them dinner or bring a bottle of wine.
But regular tipping (IMO) should be reserved for people like grooms, assistants, working students working for a head trainer. You never really know how much of the fees you’re paying make it to them, so a little extra is a nice gesture.
I was taught that you don’t tip professionals or business owners but you do tip employees, usually in service professions which are not well paid.
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