How much is your $$$$ Braiding?

[twotrudoc]

Had an interesting conversation with a trainer today. I braid her dressage horses but she has a braider for her hunters, has had for some years. She asked me how much I charge for hunters. Seems this trainers clients are unhappy with the prices of the hunter braider. Now, she is a lovely braider, that is not the issue. The issue is she charges $55 for a mane, $30 for tails, and a $35 fee per horse per show :eek: for her expenses. $35 is a crap ton of yarn WOW! Anyhoo, the trainer was concerned as to how to address it, not burning bridges, etc., I suggested she definitely talk to the braider first and she if she would bring the price down (while I welcome the extra business especially after buying a house I am by no means cutthroat in getting work.), after all, this trainer usually brings anywhere from 5+ hunters to each show. Very steady work, well behaved horses, and pays very timely. Well, trainer calls me a few hours later and says braider will not budge on price saying it would be unfair to her other clients. The braider also suggested she may try “Susie Braider B” as she is $5 less! Well, I know Susie, and she is a LOT less than $5 less LOL!!

Two other things, I know just two years ago this braider was charging $20 for tails and no “extra $35 fee”. I have braided for the trainer when the braider had too many horses, she told me what she charged then to make sure we had the same prices. Also, the Pros out here only charge $80 per horse. This I know because I was asked to join and they went over prices with me. I can’t travel all over with my full time job but do “back-up” if needed.

I am still amazed! So, I would like to hear how much folks are paying. technically, this is for the hunters but I thought Off Course would get more traffic

[gottagrey]

i don’t know anyone who’s paying $35 fee per horse per show I could almost see an extra fee for expenses (gas/lodging food) per barn but not per horse; but depending on show and location the fees no doubt vary

[LovesHorses]

I pay that all over the West Coast and at WEF. I have been paying travel fees for about ten years now. This is a per horse/per week fee. Used to be $20, goes as high as $35. Some braiders charge less if you only get braided once, and more for 2+ times.

[Laurierace]

I paid $90 at Devon and $80 at Upperville Sunday.

[twotrudoc]

Laurie, that sounds about normal to me.

[alittlegray]

Oh man! I wish I’d known you were going to be at Upperville, Laurie! We would have come up to see you!!

[meupatdoes]

If the braider is going to a week long show and having to pay lodging for all of those days, $35 per horse per show seems reasonable to me.

If a week of hotel is $900 she has to charge that fee to 25 individual horses that show to just cover being there.

[M.K.Smith]

I think a $35.00/horse fee sounds crazy to me, but I am not currently showing.

[GallopGirl]

I pay $55 for manes, $25 for tails, plus a per horse fee of $15-25 depending on where the show is located - for braider’s expenses (hotel, gas, etc). She does not charge an extra fee if we leave the braids in the mane for a day. I’ve heard a leave-in fee is getting more common, even if they do not do any touch up. I was talking with our braider about that at the show this past weekend. She said the leave-in folks are harder because they are slammed every other night, and not very busy the nights everyone wants to leave in, which is why some are starting to charge a fee.

[SlamDunk]

[QUOTE=twotrudoc;7027595]
Had an interesting conversation with a trainer today. I braid her dressage horses but she has a braider for her hunters, has had for some years. She asked me how much I charge for hunters. Seems this trainers clients are unhappy with the prices of the hunter braider. Now, she is a lovely braider, that is not the issue. The issue is she charges $55 for a mane, $30 for tails, and a $35 fee per horse per show :eek: for her expenses. $35 is a crap ton of yarn WOW! Anyhoo, the trainer was concerned as to how to address it, not burning bridges, etc., I suggested she definitely talk to the braider first and she if she would bring the price down (while I welcome the extra business especially after buying a house I am by no means cutthroat in getting work.), after all, this trainer usually brings anywhere from 5+ hunters to each show. Very steady work, well behaved horses, and pays very timely. Well, trainer calls me a few hours later and says braider will not budge on price saying it would be unfair to her other clients. The braider also suggested she may try “Susie Braider B” as she is $5 less! Well, I know Susie, and she is a LOT less than $5 less LOL!!

Two other things, I know just two years ago this braider was charging $20 for tails and no “extra $35 fee”. I have braided for the trainer when the braider had too many horses, she told me what she charged then to make sure we had the same prices. Also, the Pros out here only charge $80 per horse. This I know because I was asked to join and they went over prices with me. I can’t travel all over with my full time job but do “back-up” if needed.

I am still amazed! So, I would like to hear how much folks are paying. technically, this is for the hunters but I thought Off Course would get more traffic :)[/QUOTE]

I think I know the who the braider is. She charges the expense fee even for local shows, I know my trainer’s clients have been a bit shocked/dismayed by the expense charge but the braider has a bit of a monopoly on the area I think.

[Pennywell_Bay]

I pay $80 mane and tail. No expense fee, as we are in a populated, competitive for braiders area. Our regular usually travels with her primary client and fits her “select” clients in after the primary is taken care of (or before, depending on schedule). If “I” had to pay expense fee, I’d braid myself (I can, I just don’t for the big shows).

[Sannois]

Dang I knew I should have learned how to braid better!
WOW, that is some good money!:eek:

[Midge]

I charge $80. No charge if you leave in, no travel expenses. The only way I might charge a travel expense is if I had a client who asked me to go specifically to a show in an expensive area like Hampton Classic and I couldn’t pick up enough extra work to make it worth my while.

Usually, the shows where I pay high expenses are balanced out by shows were I pay low expenses. If I was consistently going to more expensive shows, I would just charge more.

I know some people are charging $85 and some $90. I also know a few braiders who have an arrangement to always go with a specific client, no matter what, and in exchange for that promise, the client pays hotels.

I think the expense fee is more of a West Coast thing.

[phoebetrainer]

I wish people here would pay for braiding!!! I’d fund my competition with those prices. I regularly win national level turn out competitions where braiding quality is pretty near the most important part of the turnout.

I’ve never seen hunter braids here - but am going to do some this year with a mare doing her first season.

[kalidascope]

[QUOTE=phoebetrainer;7031213]
I wish people here would pay for braiding!!! I’d fund my competition with those prices… I regularly win national level turn out competitions where braiding quality is pretty near the most important part of the turnout.

I’ve never seen hunter braids here - but am going to do some this year with a mare doing her first season.[/QUOTE]

I know, right?

Am planning on trying hunter braids too this season for show hunter … have been practicing!