How Horses Get Their Names
You might think that when it comes to naming, you can really let loose in every direction, but depending on the horse breed and discipline, there are actually quite a few rules and guidelines you should follow.
Leisure Horses:
If your favorite is a pure leisure horse without ambitions for competition or breeding, you can relax and really let your wishes run free, because here everything is allowed that you like. To find the perfect name for your leisure partner, you can, for example, base it on external features, character traits, or preferences to tailor the name individually to your favorite and find your #PERFECTMATCH.
Horses: Diamond de Muze and Hurbie
Horse Names in Sport and Breeding:
Naming is not quite so easy and free if your horse is active in competitive sport or breeding, because there are some rules to observe. If you want to compete with your sport partner in tournaments, your favorite must be registered under a unique name with certain requirements at the German Equestrian Federation (FN).
Once your horse is registered and entered with the FN as a competition horse, this name usually cannot be changed. A name change is possible for an additional fee, but according to equestrian superstition, it brings bad luck.
Often, horses are already named as foals by the breeder. According to the rules, the name of a sport or breeding horse is based on the first letter of the sire. For example, if your horse descends from the stallion ‘Quaterback’, the offspring’s name will also start with the letter Q. If the name you choose or that your new arrival is named after already exists frequently, a number is added to uniquely identify your horse. For example, if there are already 500 horses named “Queeny” in Germany, your horse will be registered as “Queeny 501.”
Naming in breeding works quite similarly. The only exceptions are with Thoroughbreds and Trakehners, where the first letter of the dam is used. Registered breeders also like to add their abbreviation or initials. So if you discover a horse with an abbreviation like AT at the end, this will refer to the breeder.
There is also an exception in horse racing, where naming rules are much stricter. In this discipline, every registered name may only be used once worldwide.
Occasionally, a horse name may be temporarily or permanently blocked by the German Equestrian Federation if a horse achieves very special accomplishments in breeding or sport. For example, the name of the wonder mare “Halla” may not be used for another horse at the German Equestrian Federation in honor of the horse. As a multiple world champion and Olympic winner, “Halla” will remain the only mare to have borne this name. Her name means “The Protector” in Old High German, as she flawlessly carried her severely injured rider to victory in the decisive round.
Gerrit Nieberg with his horse Ben
Which Name Suits My Horse?
After all these rules, the big question remains: Which name actually suits my loyal companion? There are plenty of horse names, but every horse has an absolutely unique character and, of course, an individual appearance from which you can draw inspiration for the perfect name.
A common example is the name “Black Beauty,” which refers to the beautiful appearance of the jet-black film stallion, or the popular name “Lucky” as a good luck charm for horse or rider.
If you still find it difficult to choose, you can of course combine several short names or words or research the meaning and origin of your favorite names to make the name something very special for you personally. For example, the name “Pegasos” comes from Greek mythology and refers to a “winged horse.”
Of course, we also want to support you in naming your favorite and help you find the right name that stands out from the crowd. We have summarized our #FAVORITES for you:
Ready - Steady - Name it!
If your horse didn’t come to you with the perfect name from the breeder or seller that you immediately fell in love with, you can (almost) let your wishes run free. Take your time deciding, because the very personal name of your #PARTNERINCRIME will hopefully accompany you for many years.
We are, of course, very excited about more great horse names and would be thrilled if you share your favorite’s name with us!
