What does everyone look for when choosing the right coach for themselves or the right trainer for their horse? What disqualifies a coach/trainer from your list?
Any harshness. A good coach needs to be a good communicator as well as a good horse person. I look for someone who would ask more questions about me (or the student) as opposed to describing their own achievements. Most of all, I look at the horses. If it's a happy barn of horses, it's usually a good spot!
I look at the horses. If they look content, aware, interested and decently fed I will be interested. Immediate negative--BEHIND THE BIT (training or riding), any signs of abuse, students who abuse their horses without correction, and horses who are either underfed or overfed.