Beginner's Barn - Naming Your Models
by Mary Vinyard

In the last installment, we discussed establishing your barn name. Now that you have an identity, it's time to name your horses!

Naming Your Models
Picking a name for your models can be done by several different methods. These can include thinking up something that "fits" the model, incorporating family names, and careful research on breed naming trends, traditions, and regulations. Ultimately the name you choose is the one you think will reflect your model, its breeding, and/or your stable and personality.

Random Thoughts
Many people choose the name for their horse through random thoughts - or picking a name for the model by thinking up something that sounds cool, "sounds" like the model, or gives reason to why you own him. These names are creative, catchy and often funny. Some examples might include "Best Find", "Beauty Foal", or "Bay Boy".

Other random thought names come from everyday things, such as TV shows, vehicle names, music groups or songs, or other commonly found names. These names are often called "pop culture" names and work great for model names.

A myriad of other random thought names and reasonings can easily be found when you are in a pinch to name that new model you bought at the live show that you want to show the same day. Trust me, several of my horses have been named at the same time they got sat on the show table!

Naming Customs and Traditions
Most breeds have customs, traditions, and registry requirements for naming. It is not required that you use these customs, but by doing so, it will make your stock .more realistic. Most PAers use a combination of traditions, parent names and pop culture.

To adhere to naming customs, traditions, and regulations, you'll need to know a little bit about the breed of your model. Typically a Quarter Pony will be named a lot differently than an Andalusian. Various breed associations have different regulations. Many warmbloods, for example must be named with the same first letter as their dam. Most stock horse registries limit names to 20 characters or less. A complete list of naming rules can be found on the IPABRA home page or you can contact myself or President Chris Wallbruch for a print out of the list that was put together by IPABRA members.

The following are some of the more common breeds naming rules and customs (as taken from the document Naming the Model Horse as compiled by Beth Gustas):

Arabian: Family names often found. Farm prefixes rare. Registry allows: no more than 3 separate words, no roman numerals, no Sr. or Jr.

Fresian: Short, one word names common. Must follow registry year schedule: 99 foals must be named with the letters W, X, or Y. Each year has 3 letters assigned in numerical order.

Morgan: Farm prefixes are common. Pop culture names sometimes used.

Quarter Horse: Family names common. 20 character limit including spaces. No roman numerals. Punctuation prohibited. Single initials at the beginning or end of name prohibited.

Tennessee Walker: Sire often credited in offspring's name. Single initial at beginning or end common.

Taking from the Parents
Another easy way to name your models is to take parts of the parent names to create a unique yet similar name for your foals. This is common in both the model horse hobby and in the real horse world. For example, my real QH is Zan's Memory. He got his name from both his sire, Clipper Zan, and his dam, Ms Holiday Memory. You can also choose to pull parts of just one parent's name, such as Black Max, a black son of To The Max.

You can use the parents' name to create a thought or trend for naming your model. Examples of this would be taking the parent's name, such as Born Regal and coming up with something similar, Sophisticate. The names are related in meaning, yet different and unique to each horse. Another example would be using the starting letter of a horse's name. I used my Mustang stallion, Red Rhapsody, to sire my Mustang mare and named her Rhinestone Rose, utilizing the first letters and sound of part of the stallion's name.

Of course, to use this method you'll need to find parents, which will be discussed in the next installment.

Using Your Barn Name
Some breeders choose to use their barn name in all, or some, of their horses' names. Many people feel it makes their stock stand out in the show ring, and/or allows them to monitor how the horses they breed do. Others do so because they enjoy "branding" their models with their identity. This "branding' is also used by customizers who require their name to be include in all the models they paint in order to gain recognition for their work. For example, I have a resin that was painted by Laurie Jo Jenson and carries her signature LJ before her name. Not everyone chooses to use initials. Others have a key word, such as Diamond, or a stable name, such as Haddon Hall.

In the real world, farm name branding is more common in some breeds than others. Drafters and ponies are especially known for this. Farm names are usually added before a horses name. Occasionally it will be added at the end of the name.

Choosing to add your barn name or initials is a personal choice. I know people who put their initials or name before every horse in their barn and others who NEVER use branding. Personally, I only use branding on models that are a breed where farm branding is common or when required by a customizer.

How Not to Name Your Horse
One thing you don't want to do it use a name that you know somebody else has already used. It's one thing to enter a show and see that someone else has named their horse the same common name as yours, such as Big Red or after a TV show that you liked, such as Grace Under Fire (this happened to me). It's another to blatantly take a name off of someone else's sire/dam list, from show results, or other method and use it as your own because you like it. Some names are obviously an original creation by the owner. Just as if it was a painting that someone made a print of without your permission, the model owner might get very upset if you use a very original name…especially if its on a horse that is the same breed. Most breed registries only allow a name to be used once and fellow PAers should try and follow this trend when possible as to avoid confusion within our organization.

How A Name Reflects YOU!
In conclusion, choosing a name is all up to you. Pick and choose as you wish. You may end up with a stable full of pop culture names, a barn that's completely yours (ie branded with your barn name) or a mixture of naming cultures, traditions, and trends. Keeping your names realistic might accentuate your breeding program but picking a name that you feel best fits your model, your barn, and you is the key. And sometimes you just get lucky and find that perfect name that fits the model, fits the breed, and fits your stable name for your horse! RM's Rowdy at Night, my Miniature Stallion, didn't get his name for nothing!

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