# Holiday tipping/gift to Stable hands?



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I work at a lesson/boarding/show barn.

I usually get a card with a $20 bill or a $20/$25 gift certificate. Sometimes chocolates or something but the money is preferred.

That said, I work one on one with the clients and don't just clean stalls, I am tacking/grooming assisting clients and teaching the children the barn portion of the lesson. I have the title of "assistant manager" and do most of the direct work. I've had a few generous tips with people I spent a lot of one on one time with, but the generic holiday gift is $20 or so.

For stall cleaners I'd typically say no, but it's never a BAD thing to do and I'm sure they'll appreciate it. If they spend a lot of individual time and you really appreciate them (sounds like you do) then definitely go for it!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Every boarder puts about 20$ in an envelope, and this gies to the barn staff , sometimes one person sometimes two.


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## twolucid (Jan 14, 2014)

I am the barn manager at a 12 horse boarding facility. This is my second year here and I recieved my first tip from a boarder who owns a senior TB mare..she gave me a nice card with $25 in it just yesterday actually. It really helps out for Christmas and I didn't expect it at all! Very much appreciated of course. I plan on handing out goodie bags with handwarmers and footwarmers for riding, an apple and some carrots for each boarder.


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## twolucid (Jan 14, 2014)

But I would say in your situation a $10 bill would suffice or say a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks gift card.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Yes, I give the barn assistants a $25 gift card to the local tack shop (they all own horses or ride). But coffee gift cards would be nice too if they are not riders themselves. Since it sounds like you really appreciate the care they give your horse, I really do think it's a nice gesture. I feel so fortunate that my barn has knowledgeable, horse-savvy barn staff who take great care of my mare.


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## MyQHBooger428 (Jan 14, 2012)

Yogiwick said:


> For stall cleaners I'd typically say no, but it's never a BAD thing to do and I'm sure they'll appreciate it. If they spend a lot of individual time and you really appreciate them (sounds like you do) then definitely go for it!!


I work at a large hunter/jumper show barn. I am a stall cleaner and bust my butt at it. I got money and gifts from most of the boarders and I greatly appreciated it. I didn't expect it and it made me feel good about my job. I know they appreciate all the hard work I do to make sure their horses are well cared for. Stall cleaners typically don't only do stalls. I feed in the mornings, dress for turnout, turn the horses out, do stalls, general cleaning of the barn, bring in check all horses to make sure they have no boo boos and that nobody sprung or threw a shoe. Wash and dry muddy legs, clean and medicate any cuts, hand walk and hand,graze horses on stall rest and a whole list of other things. Just the other week me and the other two stall cleaners spent over two hours keeping a severely colicing pony on his feet until he was stable enough for the trailer ride to the equine specialty hospital. We love the horses we care for like they are our own. That being said I don't really think it's right to say stall cleaners shouldn't get a small Christmas gift like management. If you can't afford to give money or gifts to all the barn staff just a card is greatly appreciated. I'm not saying it is expected because it isn't but it is very nice. Also since you can't read tone over the internet I want to say I don't mean this in a snotty way at all!!! Sometimes I'm not the best at putting my thoughts into words!  Merry Christmas!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

As a stable hand I'm always thrilled when clients remember me over the holidays. Either a nice $20 or gift card to some coffee shop/tack store goes a long way. I mainly do what you describe (although I do a bit more 'personalized work') but it's always makes me incredibly grateful that there are boarders who remember me and my coworkers and appreciate the blood, sweat and tears we put in. A lot of people often tell me that I don't do any work by just being a 'grunt' but I can tell you me and my coworkers love and care for each horse like it's our own and often put the boarders over ourselves or our own horses, so I will always tip the BO/BM as well as the 'menial' laborers!!


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

MyQHBooger428 said:


> I work at a large hunter/jumper show barn. I am a stall cleaner and bust my butt at it. I got money and gifts from most of the boarders and I greatly appreciated it. I didn't expect it and it made me feel good about my job. I know they appreciate all the hard work I do to make sure their horses are well cared for. Stall cleaners typically don't only do stalls. I feed in the mornings, dress for turnout, turn the horses out, do stalls, general cleaning of the barn, bring in check all horses to make sure they have no boo boos and that nobody sprung or threw a shoe. Wash and dry muddy legs, clean and medicate any cuts, hand walk and hand,graze horses on stall rest and a whole list of other things. Just the other week me and the other two stall cleaners spent over two hours keeping a severely colicing pony on his feet until he was stable enough for the trailer ride to the equine specialty hospital. We love the horses we care for like they are our own. That being said I don't really think it's right to say stall cleaners shouldn't get a small Christmas gift like management. If you can't afford to give money or gifts to all the barn staff just a card is greatly appreciated. I'm not saying it is expected because it isn't but it is very nice. Also since you can't read tone over the internet I want to say I don't mean this in a snotty way at all!!! Sometimes I'm not the best at putting my thoughts into words!  Merry Christmas!!!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Nope not what I meant at all  I've worked my way to where I am not and have done PLENTY of stalls in my time.

I guess my meaning was for how much people do around the barn. Do they do stalls and leave? Do they do all the hands on stuff (I do pretty much all the hands on stuff except for stalls lol)? Do you see them and work with them directly? Or are they those people that do a few stalls, maybe your horses maybe not and you never see?

I got a very generous tip once from a lady I had been spending a lot of one on one time working her through her horses issues (she was green and he was taking advantage).

Some barns have multiple staff members some of which you never see.

Not saying they aren't important or don't deserve a gift but I think it comes down to your personal relationship with them. Which is why I said further on that she should tip. Never not tip because of the persons position. Also take into account exactly what they do and tip accordingly.

Also had a boarder I'm very friendly with offer me a VERY generous loan when I needed some money. She always does stuff for me and when I thanks her she says "you take such good care of my horse!". It's appreciated when you do spend a lot of hands on time with the horses. Often more then the owners themselves.

So tipping shouldn't be about title but about position if that makes sense and ultimately about relationship. If you have money by all means tip everyone, but this is assuming most people aren't going to tip every single person just because. (I'd love to but no way could I afford that!)

I got the impression the OP wants to tip but wasn't quite sure what was appropriate. I definitely say go for it!!


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