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Ever changed a horse's name - after you'd had him a year and a half?

4K views 28 replies 22 participants last post by  Skipsfirstspike 
#1 · (Edited)
I can't help it. I've never liked the name my horse came with. It's Houdini.

For one thing, it's a generic name for an escape artist. So people are always asking - as did the trainer at the new barn I took him to yesterday - why he's named that.

I have no idea. I had a tree limb take out an entire section of fence one Christmas while I was out of town. When I came home, Houdini was right where I left him.

For another, it's just kind of common. Everybody who's been in horses any length of time has known a half-dozen Houdini's. And they were usually horses who were kind of a pain (see above). So I feel like my guy carries some undeserved baggage.

I didn't change the name when I bought him, because we were boarding with his former owner and it would've been hard to get everyone to call him something different. And when you say "Houdini" he does seem to know who you're talking to.

Anyway, yesterday I moved into a new boarding barn (Houdini and I will be working with the trainer there), and I saw a horse I've known since he was a tiny foal. He's probably thirteen now. I said "Small world. What a surprise to see Bob" but I was informed that his name is Spike now (OK, I changed the horse's actual names, but you get the idea.) Spike's new owner liked the horse but had really sad associations with the name Bob, so she changed it.

So now I'm wondering - is it too late to change this name I never liked to start with? Seems like now would be a good time.

Your thoughts? Anyone ever changed a horse's name after you'd owned him for some time?
 
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#2 ·
Wow...I wondered the same thing when I bought my horse...unfortunatly I didn't change her name...Her previous owner named her India...well she spelled it like this Indya...which I like the name...but I did want to name her...she's my first and only horse...so I thought about it...and I was either gonna keep her name as is or name her Ariel--yep, like the mermaid (her tail is so thick and long reminded me of her) but...I settled...personally I don't think she cares what we call her--cause I find myself calling her "hey pretty girl" lol...but I've accepted the fact that I didn't...but would I think if I could do it all over again--I would prolly change her name to what I wanted.
Oh and I have only had her for 4 months--and I just recently decided not to change it, haha--kinda silly I know.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Really? I'm never sure how connected horses are to their names. I mean, I know I'd confuse the heck out of my dog Faith if this evening I yelled "Eulalie Tallulah!" when it was time for supper. But the horses just don't seem to react the same way to their names.

Houdini is eleven. His registered name is something totally different, so Houdini may just be what his last owner before the woman I bought him from came up with. I think she owned him for four years. LOL, I just thought - what if he didn't like her and kept trying to escape from her? Maybe he'd be glad if I quit bringing up bad memories.:D
 
#4 ·
With very few exceptions, I change the name of every horse I buy. They get used to it.
 
#6 ·
I've thought about changing Storm's name. It's soooo unoriginal, so cliche and I hate it. But after having him for a year, I think he'll always be Storm. Even if I changed it I don't think I'd remember to call him by his new name haha.
 
#7 ·
I hate Norman's name, but my mom didn't want to change it. I wanted to call him Atlas. :wink: It's like, six years too late now. Haha.
 
#8 ·
Sure I change the names. The last horse I bought was named Camille, that can be a tongue twister name "Come here camille, Camille come here"
I renamed her Grandie, it suits her & she likes it. I tell people it's short for 'grand way to die' because she's ..well..grandie.
 
#9 ·
I like the name Camille.:) But I seem to always end up with geldings, so I've never had a chance to use it.

I renamed both my other geldings - Quanah was Chico when I bought him (sounds like the Taco Bell dog) and Bram was Boots (yes, four white socks, how'd you guess?).

But I re-named them right to start with.

I'm wondering if it'd be weird to all of a sudden give a new name to this horse I've been calling Houdini for eighteen months. I guess it could mark a new start to our relationship?
 
#10 ·
You can name him whatever you want, just saying he may be confused if you try to call him in from the field with a name he doesn't know.

Mine all know their names and respond to them, but I did change one horse's barn name from Mick to Mack. It was close enough that he's never had a problem identifying with it. I don't like the name Mick.
 
#11 ·
When I bought my gelding Red he KNEW his name and responded to it. I kept the name but called him Punkin' sometimes and referred to him as Cary Grant because he liked to be pampered.

Our second gelding, Sargent San Peppy was called Sarge by all of his previous owners because it FITS this horse. He is always in charge.

Biscuit is a different story. His former owner called him Blaze, Trigger and then Goose. The trainer kept him for a year and called him that. Ugh....I didn't like that name.

When I got Biscuit I was going to call him Pac. I liked it but it just didn't have stick power...changed it to Nick Nolte because his hair was the same color as Nick Nolte's. My cousin's hubby had a fit and said that name just couldn't work as he didn't like Nick Nolte!!! LOL I kicked around the name Tucker and called Biscuit "The other horse" for about a month. I was riding with my buddies one day and we kicked around Biscotti, Scottie and finally Biscuit because he is the color of Biscotti and Biscuits!!! Biscuit has stuck. He never answered really to his other names but he knows his name is Biscuit now and responds. I also call him punkin, sweet baby and Bisckie, BiscuitMan and Sea Biscuit if he is cranking up but he knows this name now and it fits him.

Start calling the horse whatever name that you choose. Use it often, especially when you are grooming him, hugging him up or giving treats like hay or whatever you give your horse. He will start responding to that name quicker than you know!
 
#20 · (Edited)
Biscuit is a different story.
I've thought since first reading your horse's name that it suited him. I used to be a ceramist, and he's just the color of porcelain after the bisque bake stage.:)

my horses all come to me with different names, I rename them after a Dukes of Hazzard character, then eventually I just start calling them Damnit,
Go damnit, stop damnit, get off my foot damnit.
:rofl: Me, too, Joe. My Bram horse (whom I suspect was once owned by a man:wink:) was profanity-trained when I first got him. Whoa, he ignored, "whoa you f$#!ing miserable sonofa_____" OTOH worked the first time.:D

If I had a horse with the name Houdini, I'd change it too, for all the reasons outlined by the OP. I've known adult humans who changed their own name and all their friends and family who had known them for years had to suddenly remember to call them something else. It's a little weird at first but then you get used to it.
Good, so it's not just me. Thanks! And you're right - as part of my practice, I legally change people's names (the process is lots more involved since 911) all the time.

I'd change it if you don't like it. Just make sure you go full tilt and love it!
OK, I think y'all may have convinced me. Here's the name I'm thinking of:

Conjure

Here in South Carolina, there's an old belief in a thing called conjure magic or root work. Well, it's old in the sense that it's been going on a long time - but there are still modern-day practitioners. They're called conjure men (or women) or sometimes root doctors. They're kind of like herbalists or healers - except if need be, they can also "work a root" on your enemies.:wink:
So instead of naming him after a stage performer who did tricks, I'd be naming him after an old South Carolinian version of a supernatural life coach.
What do y'all think?
 
#14 ·
I named Mudpie Mudpie when I met him:) His last name was TJ or something dumb like that :\

I think Mudpie knows his name, but a friend of mine proved that he responds to my voice, rather than his name... But that's okay, he's a smart cookie anyways! :D
 
#16 ·
I'd change it if you don't like it. Just make sure you go full tilt and love it!

I've always had trouble changing names. Seems like once I hear it they stick. We've had horses with generic names like: Zippy, Tequila (guess what color? duh!), Stormy, Sky, Fancy, Jojo, Captain, Rosie, Peaches...
We have a distant Dash for Cash bred mare, her name is Dashin Kings Quincy. So like thousands of other Dash bred horses her name is Dash. I didn't like it but she's my Hubs mare and he did.
Daughters horse is Cowboy, he's "cowboy grey" so we left it. A cowboy for a little cowgirl. Cute!
 
#17 ·
If I had a horse with the name Houdini, I'd change it too, for all the reasons outlined by the OP. I've known adult humans who changed their own name and all their friends and family who had known them for years had to suddenly remember to call them something else. It's a little weird at first but then you get used to it. I'm sure you could get used to calling your horse something else.
 
#19 · (Edited)
My husband and I have a horse named Red that we have had for about a year and a half. A few days ago we officially changed it to 'Roman'. We only ever referred to him as Red to each other. I call him 'Handsome' when I go to the barn and see him, I don't think he responds to a name specifically, but he always whickers when he sees me or my husband. He stayed Red for so long for the same reason. I boarded him at his previous owners ranch, and it would have been weird to try and change it.

Neither name have anything to do with his official name, Safari Doc Bar.

I'm getting another horse soon, and whatever horse it is I plan on renaming it, unless I absolutely love the name they have.

ETA: I think a horse's name has a huge impact on how you interact with them and other people see him. Red made him seem kind of dopey and like he had no personality, very impersonal. Being Roman, people comment that he is very intelligent and stoic, almost regal. I think it's incredibly interesting. The horse didn't change at all, just his name.
 
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#24 ·
I got my horse, and his name was Nacho... (EWE) So, I didnt even hesitate about changing his name. It took me about one month to decide on the name Legend, but in that month time period, he got called probably about one thousand different names. Now, about 6 months later, he knows Legend just as well as he did Nacho. I say change the name!
 
#25 ·
I have tried not to treat my horses like dogs(even though I have one that acts like a dog), so I don't "call" my horses like you would a dog. So a name is basically to identify the horse. Example- I ask husband if he wouldn't mind catching "window licker"(Stilts) he knows which one I am talking about, not because he calls out "window licker" into the pasture and Stilts appears.

I know this is a wives tale, but I was told it was bad luck to change a horses name. All the horses I have came with their name, if it wasn't told to me then I could create one.
 
#26 ·
The only name I didnt change or want to change was my first mare it was Onyx and fit her perfectly, and my second mare Hannah because it too had a nice ring..However when I brought Grady home his estimated age was 7 and had been called Scooter since he was rounded up at the age of one... I immediately changed it.. It just didnt fit him. My friend renamed her gelding to Cider at 15 yr old from his original name Buddy:?...
Both Cider and Grady respond to their names wonderfully and always have, But we did alot of repetition and in the first few months of the change.
 
#27 ·
I dont treat my horses either, my parents do constantly and of course my gelding has nipping problems :twisted: but He does come to a whistle, He will look up to his name but thats about it, and Hannah will follow Grady any where...but doesnt respond to her name even though shes been called it since before she hit the ground. Anyway its awesome to have them come will I whistle we have 10 wooded acres slit into three sections and about 60% of the year all three gates are open. It makes tracking them down sooo much easier.
 
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