# Should you rename a horse or not?



## Stubborn1 (Feb 12, 2008)

I have read that it it bad luck to rename a horse. What do you guys think?


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I have renamed 2 out of my 3 horses.
Dancer was called "Buttercup" and I hated that, so my 11 year old imagination came up with Dancer (from her registered name, Highland Dancer)
Cinzano came with his name, and I wasn't creative enough to change it.
Maia came with the name Champagne, which I hated with a passion - so I changed it!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I don't think it's bad luck, hehe I never re-named Lexi but I do have nicknames for her. 
I think it's fine to re-name. It's up to you!


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## Gingerrrrr (Feb 12, 2008)

when i bought my first horse his name was Dominick (ick...) the owner named him after her father....when i bought him i just changed his name to Domino and i think he liked that much better


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

theres nothing wrong with changing a name. IMO most of the time you could call them anything and they would still respond because its more your voice they respond to rather than the name itself. though i do have no doubt that especially older horses may know their name. but, they can still learn a new one 

i think the bad luck thing is just superstition or an old wives tale. i wouldnt read too much into that


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

yeah i've heard that.... but don't believe it! we rename almost every horse that comes in. My pony's previous name was "Pete". Yeah, I changed that on the trailer ride home. :wink:


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## Stubborn1 (Feb 12, 2008)

Thanks a tonne you guys, definatily am going for a new name.


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## Rachluvshorses4eva (Apr 11, 2007)

Go for it girl! If you don't like the name! Change it. I really think that if people say it's "Bad luck", then they're def. wrong! Like jazzy said, I think it's just an old wives tale....


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## Harue (Jan 28, 2008)

I don't think it's bad luck, but I would feel horrible if I renamed one. To me names are important, I was even supposed to rename my second gecko because I absolutely hated her name before I got her... during the drive home I got very attached to the name and now I could never change it. I do have pet names for her though. ;D


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## Princess of Villainy (Mar 30, 2008)

Yeah, I don't think there's anything wrong with re-naming a horse... we've sort of re-named ours. A horse whisperer (a credible one) who comes to our barn sometimes told us that our horse didn't like her name, and so now we call her by both her old name (Addie) and her new one (Kaia)- though when we're talking to her, we only ever call her Kaia. In my family I'm still the only one who really uses her old name, just because I really like it. :lol:


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I think some registrys charge $$ for a name change. But just a barn name you can change to whatever you want. I've never had bad luck after changing a name :lol: I think Vidas barn name was Midnight or something like that :? I liked Vida because its spanish for life and she is so much a part of my life I thought it fit better.


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## hunterequlover781 (Dec 27, 2007)

I think it is perfectly acceptable to rename a horse. Some names are just stupid and I simply hate them. I don't want to have to live with a name I truely dislike when I could simply change their name.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I know when you change a horse from a stallion to a gelding on the papers you can change its name.


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## Equina (Jul 28, 2007)

.Delete. said:


> I know when you change a horse from a stallion to a gelding on the papers you can change its name.


Man, good thing horses can't read their papers! One day they're fully intact as "Gallant Starstruck" and the next day they lose their family jewels and turn into "Giggly Gumdrop."


I agree that it's probably just an old wives's tale about changing a name=bad luck. Although, I wasn't creative enough to change my horse's name when I bought him. So I guess I'm safe from the bad ju-ju.

I did change my cats' names after I adopted them. The shelter gave them really generic names like Bob and Spot. They were kittens, so they didn't seem to notice. If we changed them now, they'd probably get confused though.


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## PrintMeInColor (Apr 2, 2008)

Yes.
My mare came with a really stupid name that I hated
so I changed it to Dásemd, wich I really like.

I don't belive in any ***** that changing your hrose name is bad.


*Edit for content: Vidaloco*


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## love-a-hero (Apr 3, 2008)

Yeh go for your life...! 8)


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## shorty (Apr 11, 2008)

heard that one too but have changed 2 of my horses names from cino to pedro (he looked too manly to be named after a warm drink) and the other from locky (thought it was uber random how bout you guys?) to lucky  

now that i think about it, within the first week of getting pedro he stood on a nail, made his back bleed and ran away one night, dragging my mom with him (this is a mini x shetland btw) and poor lucky ended up getting sold a year after i bought him as we just didn't bond and i was way too inexperienced for a skittish arab.

:?


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## Abby (Nov 26, 2007)

I kept my horses name the same and got bad luck. :roll: 

He comes by it at least, if hes in the pasture and I holler "Solomon," he will come trotting up from the creek so I don't have to walk. 

Its not like I taught him that coming to his name means treats or anything... :wink: I taught him to come to a whistle once too but I could never whistle loud enough.

Do what cha gotta do!


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## shorty (Apr 11, 2008)

haha! one of mine comes ONLY for food (he knows the word nummies) and the other one comes to my whistle whether i have food or not. i really dont know why cos i wouldnt


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## Magic (Jan 4, 2008)

I only rename horses if they either have a DREADFUL name or if they are young (like 6 or under)


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## Obsessed (Apr 19, 2008)

I don't know, if the horse is very young (under 1 year), i think you can. But a name belongs to the horse, i think it's only weird for yourself to change it. And i think it's also not good for your horse.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

A lot of our horses had their names changed by us because they came with HORRID names...

My girl was origionally called 'Beamer' (major ugh!)... Changed it to 'Gypsie' and it fits her MUCH better!

Our oldest mare was origionally named 'Booger' (because she was a little spookish)... we changed it to 'Buttercup' and it fits her better too.

Our youngest mare's name was origionally 'Ginger'... when my cousin bought her, she changed her name to 'Precious Angel' (she's a little odd)... when we traded for her, we changed her name back to 'Ginger' (now we call her wither 'Ging-Ging' when we're happy with her or 'B****' when she makes us mad)...

And our little yearling filly's name was origionally 'Sweat Pea' (yuck!)... when we got her, I renamed her 'Trouble' and my uncle renamed her 'Nugget'... she responds to both names now. Lol.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I don't believe in bad or good luck. What is meant to be will be, it's not a name that will change that. I have changed the names of some of my horses. Most over the recent years I have bought from breeders and have gotten the option of choosing the names.

If you don't like the name, there is no reason to keep it. Have fun with it!


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

I have also heard that it's back luck to change, but I have done it.
I had a QH gelding that bought as Laddie, and changed his name to Skeeter.
My Arabian stud's reg'd name was Kholt 45 which I changed to Khemo's Khanadian when I transfered his American paper's to Canadian.

I think the only time that I personally wouldn't change a horse's name is if they knew it, and would acknowledge you when called.
I think that's sort of like changing a 10 year old kid's name and expecting them to listen good without getting some sort of complex.

But I suppose it all depends on your personal preference.


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## notorious_ (Apr 25, 2008)

A lot of people say that a horse knows its name, so changing it wouldn't be very smart because then the horse wouldn't know what you were talking about when you scream some other name at it.

However, i learned this from my dog. Most of the time when you call a horse, or any animal for that matter, by a name. you say it in a "certain voice" 
My dogs name is thorn. 
sometimes i'll call him puppy
or poopy dog. haha other cutsie names like that.
And he responds to all of them very easily. he recognizes my voice calling for him. dogs are smart, and i know that horses are just as smart to understand that when you're calling them, they'll understand.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

notorious_ said:


> A lot of people say that a horse knows its name, so changing it wouldn't be very smart because then the horse wouldn't know what you were talking about when you scream some other name at it.
> 
> However, i learned this from my dog. Most of the time when you call a horse, or any animal for that matter, by a name. you say it in a "certain voice"
> My dogs name is thorn.
> ...


I love your profile photo!


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