Although most trainers won’t admit it publicly, everyone plays favorites.
In Part 1 of this series, anonymous trainers shared stories about the horses that earned a special place in their hearts. This time, we asked them about something even more personal: their favorite clients.
Just like favorite horses, favorite clients are rarely who people expect them to be.
Most trainers insist their favorite clients are not necessarily the ones spending the most money, winning the most championships, or riding the most talented horses. More often, they are the people who make the partnership enjoyable and productive.
“People assume our favorite clients are the ones writing the biggest checks,” one trainer told us. “Honestly, that’s usually not true. Some of my favorite clients have never owned the fanciest horse in the barn. They’re just people I genuinely enjoy working with.”
When asked what separates those clients from everyone else, one answer came up repeatedly…trust.
Not blind trust, but confidence in the process.
“My favorite clients are the ones who hire me and then let me do my job,” one trainer said. “That doesn’t mean they never ask questions. It means they don’t panic after one bad horse show or second-guess every decision we make.”
“The hardest clients are the ones who are constantly looking for somebody else to validate what they’re already thinking,” one trainer explained. “Eventually, you spend more time defending decisions than helping the horse and rider improve.”
“I love clients who want to understand why we’re doing something,” another trainer said. “Those conversations make the relationship stronger because we’re working toward the same goal.”
Many trainers also pointed to realistic expectations as a quality they appreciate. Their favorite clients understand that horse showing is a process. They know progress takes time, horses have good days and bad days, and success rarely happens overnight.
One trainer recalled a longtime customer who became a favorite for exactly that reason.
“After every class, she’d ask what she could improve upon,” the trainer said. “She never asked why she didn’t win. Her focus was always on getting better.”
Kindness was another quality that came up repeatedly. Trainers notice how clients treat the people around them, especially those working behind the scenes.
“The people who say thank you really stand out,” one trainer said. “The people who are respectful to grooms, assistant trainers, and horse show staff. You learn a lot about someone by how they treat others.”
Of course, favoritism can be a delicate topic. Trainers are quick to point out that having favorite clients does not mean neglecting anyone else. Every horse deserves quality care, every rider deserves coaching, and every customer deserves honesty and professionalism.
“If somebody trusts me, communicates well, and appreciates what we’re trying to accomplish together, I’m probably going to enjoy spending more time helping them,” one trainer admitted. “That’s human nature.”
Interestingly, many trainers said their favorite clients are often identified during difficult times rather than successful ones. Winning is fun, and most people are easy to work with when everything is going according to plan. The real test comes when things go wrong.
One trainer remembered a client whose horse suffered a career-ending injury shortly before a major championship.
“Her entire focus was on the horse,” the trainer recalled. “She wasn’t worried about the horse show she was missing. She wanted to know if the horse was comfortable and had a good future. I’ll never forget that.”
Another trainer said favorite clients are often the people who remain loyal during challenging seasons.
“Everybody loves you when they’re winning,” the trainer said. “You learn who your real clients are when things get tough.”
Several trainers admitted they become emotionally invested in certain clients’ success.
“You know the whole story,” one trainer explained. “You know how much work happened behind the scenes and how many setbacks there were. Those wins mean something.”
So what kind of special treatment do favorite clients actually receive?
The answers are usually small, yet pretty revealing.
A favorite client may get the first phone call when a promising horse becomes available. They may receive extra encouragement after a difficult horse show or a longer conversation about future goals. More than anything, trainers say favorite clients benefit from a relationship built on years of trust and mutual respect.
One trainer laughed when asked if favorite clients receive special treatment.
“Of course they do,” the trainer admitted. “Not in a way that hurts anybody else, but if someone has supported me for years, trusted my judgment, and treated everyone with respect, I’m naturally going to go the extra mile for them.”
That may be the real distinction. Favoritism in a healthy training program is not about unfair advantages. It is about relationships that have been strengthened through shared experiences, mutual trust, and genuine appreciation.
“The funny thing is that most favorite clients don’t even know they’re favorites,” one trainer said. “The qualities that make them favorites are usually the same qualities that make them successful.”
At the end of the day, trainers say their favorite clients are rarely defined by money, talent, or trophies. They are the people who make the journey enjoyable, who stay steady when things get difficult, and who remember that horse showing is supposed to be a partnership.
In case you missed it, be sure to check out Part 1 of this series where our anonymous trainers spilled the tea about their favorite horses.
