Is your groom being adequately taken care of ?
Article by Kyle Elliot | Elliott Performance Horses , Shelbyville , TN
It is a difficult conversation to have . For a lot of clients , it has never even been considered . For most grooms it would be unthinkable to even mention , and for most trainers it ’ s just uncomfortable to discuss . Chances are , if you are a human on planet Earth , you have had dinner at a restaurant , have gotten a manicure , or have had your hair done . As a structured society of civilized people we have widely accepted that part of being provided a service , sometimes necessitates a gratuitous gesture , and your barn ’ s groom should be no different .
Regardless of how we refer to them , be it Barn Manager , Groom , Assistant , Working Student , and the like , it ’ s no secret that they are the first line of defense in your horse ’ s care and well-being . Oftentimes they know more about your horse ’ s mannerisms on the ground than your trainer does . They know that they would do anything for a sweet potato , or that they cannot eat their hay until having used it to adequately make a soupy mess of their water bucket . They even know what corner of the stall they do their business in . The good they do for the barn environment often goes unnoticed , but it is still imperative to making things run smoothly .
I try to make a point in my own program of causally letting people know to tip their grooms . If you received excellent service , any token of appreciation can show that gratitude beyond the lip service of a simple “ thank you .” My groom has always said he never expects tips , but it ’ s evident that he feels more pride in himself when they are received . Of course , no groom would ever provide subpar service to clients that do not tip , however , a little extra elbow grease may be involved for the horses of those who do tip . An extra onceover on their whiskers with the clippers , an extra few tries at straightening the show pad , and that face grease will likely be just a little bit more pronounced .
Tipping isn ’ t all about money . I have had many clients that refuse to show up to the barn without donuts , a drink , or a cheeseburger during a long show day . One client bought my groom his own set of brand-new barn polo shirts for the shows . Another , a new pair of work boots . Again , anything beyond “ thank you ” can suffice during those especially long days at a week-long show .
12 NWHA National News | July 2023