How we all come to find our trainers is a personal journey. Some folks get it right right off the bat, but more often than not, we've all kissed a few frogs along the way to finding our educational Prince (or Princess!) Charming, and we've also inevitably outgrown perfectly good programs and needed to seek out something, someone else.

It's that time of year—the time where the bulletin boards blow up with, "What do I get my trainer/barn staff/vet/farrier for Christmas/Kwanza/Hanukah/Winter Solstice?"

It should go without saying—as I've said in previous years' blogs on the same subject—that your business is a gift all its own! But if you're looking to show your holiday appreciation to the folks who care for you and your horse, here's an updated-for-2015 list of suggestions.

On Sunday afternoon, I was sitting in the warm and sunny concourse of the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, charging my phone and killing time while I waited for Fender's Prix St. Georges awards. This is the one thing I don't love about the USDF Finals—it seems like no matter what I qualify for, it will be on Sunday afternoon, and a part of the 5 p.m. awards ceremony. 

I LOVE the USDF Finals. This is our third trip here, and once the scary drive through the mountains of West Virginia is over, it's just the best show. The Kentucky Horse Park is lovely. The staff running the show is an all-star team, hand picked from the country's best. The decorations in the indoor arena are left over from the previous week's National Horse Show, and it feels huge and prestigious and special.

There's a lot of money out there in specially curved and contoured bridles, saddles that look increasingly like the Grand Tetons, and bits—wildly expensive, of course—designed to complement your horse's palate, personality and astrological sign.

But when it comes to equipment, I'm a simple girl. My kit is pretty straightforward, and I've had a lot of success with it. Of course I want my horses comfortable and happy, and I know there's no such thing as one-size-fits-all, but I've also found that simple works best, with a few modern upgrades.