Horse Names

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Boudicca Rising

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Jan 3, 2012
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I am all being well buying a horse tommorow she is a tri coloured cob predominantly Black and White with a brown patch to her face. She is 15.2 has been used mainly for hacking , driving and as a brood mare, schooling is going well. She is 10 years old her name is Maisie

I am thinking about calling her something different but at 10 years old she is probably used to the sound of her name she dosen't come when called even in the stable but her ears prick up and when riding her she does listen for instructions and her name . So would she respond if I called her something else or would it have to sound similar or is better just to leave it alone?
 
I like the name Maisie. I guess you could change it if you really wanted to? When you've had her a while you'll probably have a pet name for her anyways. Our pair answer to both their "real" name and their stable ones! lol
 
I also like Maisie. I called my old lab Maisy.

I didn't like the name Thyme when I first got her. So I decided to call her Kyla. I figured a 3 year old was probably adaptable! But she somehow always stayed Thyme. And after a while she could no longer be anything else. She just was Thyme through and through. I suspect once Maisie has had her hooves under the table for a while, the name will grow on you.
 
I don't think that horses really recognise their name and I'm sure that if you started to call her by a different name she would soon adapt.

My horse used to be called Guinness. His name was changed to Ben when he was 4 but he is still called Guinness on his passport and insurance documents. I call him Ben because thats what I have always known him as.
 
Honestly, I think they do know their names. Mattie doesn't come when I call Ziggy, and vice versa. Though I expect my body language also makes it clear which horse I am asking for...:unsure:
 
Didn't really know what to do with the name flipo when I got him. Thought it was weird!! Now it's just him.
I would never have changed it as I felt it wasn't my right to. I'm not keen on horses having their names changed. Somehow it makes me feel like they are objects and not real living breathing animals.

That's probably awfully narrow minded and silly of me but just my opinion.

Good luck with Maisie, we want photos!
 
I thought about changing Joy's name.

Now she answers to 'Fatty', 'Fat Bum' and 'Splodge' when pre-fixed by 'Oi'!

I'm thinking Joy is the nicest option but it proves that as they get used to a new person they easily get used to the name. Lets face it it has to be far harder for them to get used to new people, herd and surroundings, than a name change.
 
Boudicca Rising said:
I am all being well buying a horse tommorow she is a tri coloured cob predominantly Black and White with a brown patch to her face. She is 15.2 has been used mainly for hacking , driving and as a brood mare, schooling is going well. She is 10 years old her name is Maisie

I am thinking about calling her something different but at 10 years old she is probably used to the sound of her name she dosen't come when called even in the stable but her ears prick up and when riding her she does listen for instructions and her name . So would she respond if I called her something else or would it have to sound similar or is better just to leave it alone?
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I changed my horse's name to Poppy. The ex-owner called her Poppet which I didn't like, and it says Sally on her passport but apparently nobody has ever actually called her that. She responds when I call her name - probably just to me and the tone of my voice, but I think you can change it if you like as animals don't have the same concept of 'names' as we do.
 
All good points. Flipos mum I know where you are coming from and admit that I am perhaps experiencing a bit of MY very first horse what have I to call her , in a sort of possessive ownership kind of way but also wanting to develop a bond.
Maisie isn't an atrocious name or even move mis Mizzy moo you big lump:giggle: But the girl has had it a long time and now has a new owner, who is very inexperienced, but firm, new surrounding, being asked to do new things, very bolshy leader in the mare herd to put up with, why add something else to confuse her. Even if she dosen't come when you call her

Some names I was thinking of- Stella, Celeste, Kizzy, Tansy, Albany, Meg
 
If she's been a driving horse she will be well used to listening for her name, it would not be fair to change it
 
Yes Wally I read something in an old post you'd written about driving horses and responding to their names as a necessity. I definately think Maisie has been driven more than ridden, tho she likes a hack , also known as food shopping! It may be she is extremely used to Maisie and not responding on the ground cos she is not used to me.
 
But it all depends how you say it and your accent.
Voice recognition software shows us this. I ask for 'Paul' and it says sorry I don't know 'Karl" etc
So perhaps horses are less sensitive to their names but actually recognise their owners or carers tones x
 
I really like the name Maisie, have known a few horses called it. So I'd keep her name. I've heard far worse being shouted across fields lol

Tbh I think horses learn to recognise their owner and their owners voice more so then their name as such. Mine come up to the gate when they hear or see my car or see/hear me up at the stable block.
 
Funny isn't it really, I didn't like Belle's name when I got her and thought about changing it, no matter what name I thought of she always was Belle so I never bothered, Belle by name and Belle by nature, she definitely knows her name but she will also come running if I shout 'Koooee' in the fashion of crocodile Dundee :giggle:
I like the name Masie to be honest but if you want to change it I'm sure she'll get used to whatever you call her over time if you are consistent.
 
Maisie is a nice name.

I don't think mine really know their names, they respond more to other words and tones of voice.

I don't tend to change names, its confusing with the paper work for one thing, but like you they have all very quickly picked up nick names which we all understand them by even if they don't lol.

Don't forget the pictures!!!:smile:
 
Oooh, how exciting! Best of luck, whatever you decide to call her (I quite like Mizzy). I like driving horses, they tend to be bombproof!

She must be quite unusual colouring too - I think all the tricoloureds I've known have been mainly red and white with maybe a bit of black, and black in their mane and tail, so I'm looking forward to the pictures!
 
Well ...passport says Bella! There is another Bella at the yard so they decided to call her Maisie. Passed three stage vetting, says she needs to put some weight on, and has some mites . I'm just going to ask the horse!
 
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