The Perfect name

Naming a horse is lots of fun! Here are some important things to think about as you narrow down the options.

- SAMANTHA JOHNSON

The arrival of a new horse or pony is incredibly exciting, and so is trying to come up with the perfect name. Your horse may already have an official registered name, in which case you'll just need to come up with a nickname, known as a "barn name." But sometimes you'll need to come up with a registration or show name, too. So many decisions! Let's look at some things to consider as you narrow down the field of choices.

Show name

If your horse already has a registered name, you can use that as his show name. (If you're showing at recognized breed shows, this is likely required.)

If you do need to choose a show name, you'll want to think carefully. The show name will be announced over the loudspeaker and printed in show programs and show results, so you'll probably want to choose something that's easy to pronounce; is catchy, clever, or classy; and that suits your horse as an individual.

Show names are typically longer than barn names and often consist of multiple words, although this isn't always the case. (Secretariat, of course, had a one-word registered name, while his barn name was "Big Red.")

Unusual Spellings

There's no question that cute and "punny" spellings can be fun and humorous, just be aware that you'll likely be correcting misspellings on a regular basis.

You know your horse's name is spelled Rockee Mountain Hi, but other people are going to assume that it's Rocky Mountain High, and will most likely spell it that way.

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