I Hate My Horses Name.....

I've never changed a horses name, it just feels wrong. But then I haven't ever had one with such a terrible name that it was warranted.
 
Mine was called Mary Lou when I bought her. I wasn't wild about it but had got used to the idea between viewing her and bringing her home. But everybody at the yard hated it and started calling her other names, so I knew I had to change it or she'd end up with a name I didn't like, by default! Her sire was Hercorose so I called her Rosie, which suits her. I spotted her half sister for sale on here a few months ago and she was a Rosy.
 
I had a 'C'est La Vie'.... sure you'll all agree it was a bit of a mouthful!! lol So he got know as 'The Big Horse' - not much better.... then got shortened to 'Biggles' (Big 'Orse)... Out competing he was then known as The Dark Horse - so suited him. Lovely horse, no bad luck - luckily!
 
I changed my grey mare's from Dido to Diamond "cause people were calling her Dildo, lol.

I think changing names, especially completely with no resemblance to the former name is a bit sad and to be avoided. It's also awkward when you end up talking to the horse's former connections and you're using different names for it! The exception being horses bought from a dealer who has obviously just invented the name they tell you, then I'd consider the horse un-named if I didn't like what they came up with.
 
My boy is Snickers, which really suits him (although I wouldn't have chosen this name myself), but I've started calling him a different name if I tell it to random yard visitors, strangers I meet when out hacking, etc. - I really, really grew tired of the same, old jokes nearly everyone felt obliged to express otherwise: "Ooooh, like the chocolate? I'll eat him right up!" or "Does he taste sweet?". Believe it or not... I'm too grumpy to respond nicely to these reactions each and every time, so to them it's a nice, easy name to forget after we part our ways. :)

Regarding the superstition - I don't really believe it, but a friend of mine changed her horses' name to a better sounding one and instantly a string of unfortunate events, illnesses and injuries started. After his name was changed back, things seemed to settle down at once. Not sure what to think of it.
 
I hate my horses name too- Treasure. That's her passported name too, just Treasure. The stud she was from named all their horses beginning with "tr", and most of them are fairly exotic and interesting! Hard to change it to much, so she's just affectionately nicknamed "Little Tresh" at home, as she's a dinky 15hh. Quite embarrassing at events though, as her BE name is just Treasure too, which sounds quite "my little pony" compared to the foreign mouthfuls of most event horses!
Not bothered enough to actually change it mind you!
 
I changed one pony's name on arrival, when I was about 12, because his name was Dickie, which was hideously embarrassing to yell down the field. We changed it to Rocky because it sounds somewhat similar when shouted. The pony turned out to be an absolute ****, and the reason I didn't have another pony afterwards until I could afford my own last year.

I know it's superstitious rubbish, but I still wouldn't change a name again. I just give all mine loads of nicknames so I can pick one to suit my mood, even Graham, who I named myself as he was born here! He's Gee-Gee, Baby G, G-Man (got that from the farrier), Grey Ham, Ham, Hamlet...

I won't have a name plate on a stable either. Every time I got a name plate for a pony, it either dropped dead, went lame, or had to be put to sleep shortly after.
 
ihatework said:
I've never changed a horses name, it just feels wrong. But then I haven't ever had one with such a terrible name that it was warranted.
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Good job you didn't buy that cob mare I bought in 2012. Stable name Martha and suits her well. Deal done, sent to the vet with me present. Vet sniggers and passes me the passport.

Cob came into the UK via clip clop traders who named her Hairy Mary.

Never bothered to change it because she turned out to be too common to show. I would not put up with Mrs xxxx riding Hairy Mary !
 
I do think it is a bit sad to change the name of a horse when they move to a new home. The horses name will be the only thing familiar to it and to lose that too must be awfully confusing for them :(
 
AdorableAlice said:
Good job you didn't buy that cob mare I bought in 2012. Stable name Martha and suits her well. Deal done, sent to the vet with me present. Vet sniggers and passes me the passport.

Cob came into the UK via clip clop traders who named her Hairy Mary.

Never bothered to change it because she turned out to be too common to show. I would not put up with Mrs xxxx riding Hairy Mary !
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Or worse, " mrs x with hairy mary"

Ihave cchanged a few; a sweet and lively sport horse called Josie became spice and a strong willed attractive and independent mare went from Misty to Portia.
 
My horse came with the name Finnley, which I like, however when I spoke to his breeder she actually named him Adam! Must have got lost along the way, not really a fan of Adam but he does get called Mr Finnley Adams when naughty ;)
 
I had a foal I bred and I put a lot of thought into her name. Mum was Babycham (ughh) and dad Imperial (known as Inky and also pinky - he is black but has a pinky winkie). I called the foal Pink Fizz and she was known as Fizzy and a stable name - she was a bouncy bubbly foal. The new owners changed her name to Estrella Del Norte with Ella as her stable name. Their foal, their choice but it still smarted a little...
 
AdorableAlice said:
Good job you didn't buy that cob mare I bought in 2012. Stable name Martha and suits her well. Deal done, sent to the vet with me present. Vet sniggers and passes me the passport.

Cob came into the UK via clip clop traders who named her Hairy Mary.

Never bothered to change it because she turned out to be too common to show. I would not put up with Mrs xxxx riding Hairy Mary !
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Similar story with one I had in to sell, I handed it to her proud new owners and told them to wait until they were home before they looked at her name, needless to say they couldn't wait and opened it to see "Whizzy Buck" possibly not what they expected their sweet new horse to be called, luckily she did not live up to her name and they called her something more suitable when competing.

I have changed the names of many horses over the years, my current horse was called Andrew, that was changed on the journey home, one of my liveries has the name "My Little Pony" on her passport, that will be changed when her owner can decide on something more suitable.
 
for me changing names has only ever brought bad luck, although tbh it could be down to coincidence and I've also had had bad luck with a few horses whose names I didn't change, I hate my mares name (stable not a prefix) it really didn't suit her and I've only kept it out of respect for her previous owner who loves it

ETA: my sec A passport name is Llewgarth Denis the menace and stable name was cracker, when we bought him my son prefered to call him Dennis so we did, my son has since given up and pony is now known as menace to everyone(because he is lol).... Does it count as a name change if you change it to the passport name??
 
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I try to keep in touch with horses that have left the yard and I do find it sad when they change their names. Yes some we didn't really give thought too as part of their racing name was easier but others had a lot of thought pit into them. The 2 with the most thought still have their names - Lobster and Skipper.

Ultra became Rueban when he left and Rum turned into Lazlo ...
 
Not sure I'd stick with the name 'Screwemtight,' for a 17.3 gelding, from the Kings Troop, that has recently retired to The Horse Trust. (Just what the Kings Troop was thinking when this boy was named, I'm not sure I'd like to ask) Thankfully, he has another name ' Falstaff', somewhat better but could it be that this gelding has always favoured the ladies and had his eye on the prize?:)
 
All of ours have ended up with silly nick names, but 3 have never been know as what they arrived with again! Though not sure the new names are any better!

There was Bruce the appy, who ended up as Toad due to his.spotty muzzle.

Then Skippy...a proper HW coloured cob. Open his passport and he is called Rage!! Hes not called Mash.

And my comp horse, came as reuben, now only answers to Cow!

My sister and i may be a bit odd. :)
 
Mine was called Griselda. There was no way I was going to compete at BE on a horse called Griselda so I had it changed on her passport to Lady Griz. Not a massive change but better than what it was before.
 
Never change a name! I've had some very cringy ones, I currently have a Prince which isn't exactly my sort of name. I'm not a girly girl yet have had another Prince, a Candy and a Blossom. Never mind!
 
I've never changed a horse's name, partly because I was told it was bad luck when I was younger, and partly because I'm terrible at picking names!
My first pony is called Jake, my first horse is also called Jake. I didn't go to view him when I first saw him advertised because of his name, but when he was still being advertised 3 months later and I hadn't found a horse I liked I went to see him and fell in love immediately.
I didn't have the heart to change a 16 year old's name though so now I have a big Jake and a little Jake!
 
I very nearly bought a mare called Fanny at one time. If I had she would have been living with my other pony, stable name Dicky. Close call there.
 
No although mine do get called various pet names. One is called Larry or Lazza on a regular basis as well as his proper name. Have had him ten years so think he is pretty used to my voice rather than his exact name.
 
helenalbert said:
Mine was Prince Albert (ahem). Now he has been demoted to just Albert :D
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Gloi said:
I very nearly bought a mare called Fanny at one time. If I had she would have been living with my other pony, stable name Dicky. Close call there.
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Close call with both of them here ;)...Who on earth thinks a good name is Prince Albert?? as for Fanny, I quite enjoyed the Irnbrew? adverts but wouldn't be happy with it being permanent :(
 
EQUIDAE said:
I do think it is a bit sad to change the name of a horse when they move to a new home. The horses name will be the only thing familiar to it and to lose that too must be awfully confusing for them :(
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The horse will live. They will probably cope with a name change better than their new owner will cope with a name they hate, or that causes them to want to die a little bit of embarassment whenever someone asks what their horse is called. Like the guy I knew who bought an Arab named Bubba. He changed it to Grey Hawk. I'm sure the horse was happier for it; the owner definitely was.
 
My first horse was called Prince when I got him. He was an unusually marked coloured gelding of unknown breeding, so I re-named him Onyx. I've never met another one by that name. I eventually sold him on aged 12 but I know he lived happily to a ripe old age (32) with great owners who kept him to the end and had a great time with him, so not too unlucky.
 
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