Though for years I would have said “never,” now my answer is “sometimes.” If an animal has a perfectly good name and answers to that name, I think it’s a bit rude to make a change. Especially if the animal is an adult who has become accustomed to his or her name over many years.

I especially dislike when people copy animal names from popular culture or literature, particularly when it’s patently clear it was done to pump up the person’s ego. Generally I consider it presumptuous to change a perfectly good horse name just to make the owner feel cool. Call me a purist, but “Black Beauty” and “Shadowfax” and “Flicka” belong to horses who, though they may be “real” only in literature and my mind’s eye, own those names.

I’m also not fond of the kind of cutesy names that, I think, diminish and demean the animal’s role as an adult member of your family or part of your business. I remember as a kid feeling sorry for the Shetlands in the carnival pony rides in part because their lives seemed pretty dull, but mostly because I was certain their “real” names weren’t “Precious,” “Fluffy” and “Sweetiepie.” Gag!

There are cultures that attach power to names. I must concur, because I certainly believe you are tempting the horse gods if you’re dumb enough to name a horse something like “Killer” or “Fireball.” I’m not even too sure about the old standby “Buck” for a buckskin. My rule of thumb: don’t name your horse anything you don’t want him to do. And if you just can’t stop your macho self from naming your new greenie “Feisty,” well, you might just as well call him “Buckmeoffandstompmyhead” and double up your life insurance.

On the other hand, if you purchase or otherwise end up with a horse with a ridiculous or suggestive name, I think it’s not a bad thing to make a change.

Sport and Ichobod

Two of my horses have gone through name changes, but only one by me. My dignified old Quarter Horse gelding was cursed with one of the worst registered names I’ve ever encountered – Paco Hippie. I can picture a horse (or, more likely a donkey) who would fit “Paco,” but it’s not this horse. And “Hippie?” That’s just dumb. The woman who gave him to me called him “Ichobod” and, while I can’t imagine ever naming a horse that, it works for him. There’s even a good reason for it – she bought him off a remote Wyoming ranch where he was low horse in the herd and didn’t get enough to eat. A hundred-plus pounds underweight on a rangy 16-hand frame – he was the equine version of the Headless Horseman’s lanky victim.

And yes, I do know the literary character’s name is “Ichabod.” I was too lazy to look it up when I first got my Ich (pre-Internet) and decided it looked better when I wrote it with an “o” than an “a.” When I finally realized my mistake, I did make an effort to change the spelling, but it just looked wrong. So, we’ll agree to call his name a tribute to Washington Irving’s iconic lanky schoolteacher, shall we? It’s doubly apt because my Ichobod has grown into a formidable teacher.

Horse number two is a grade QH/Paint cross whose rich hobby-rancher breeders called him “Slash.” From my theory that you should never name an animal something you don’t want them to do, I have to say that’s a horrible choice. And, as if to illustrate my point , this horse as a 2-year-old got hung up in a barbed wire fence and nearly sliced off his left hind at the hock.

As soon as he followed me home I decided that he needed a new name. He certainly didn’t answer to his old moniker – he’d never even been taught to be caught other than by being roped. So, despite my misgivings about critter name changes, I started right away thinking up a new one for him. I settled on “Sport,” as in “he’s a good sport,” in part as wishful thinking and in part as recognition that he really did seem good-natured under the fear of humans that resulted from him being pretty much unhandled for the first four years of his life.

Another horse begging for a name change was a gelding that lived on the ranch where I moved as a youngster. Built like a tank, he had a big, square head and an expression, depending on your perspective, either placid or vacant. He had been, aptly, called “Stupid” for the first decade or so of his life. In a charitable moment my mom dubbed him “Roscoe” and sent him off to a quiet cowboy to see if the horse could master the intricacies of, say, steering. He came back 60 days later having earned high marks for his brawn, but not much else.

That was okay. His main job was relocating recalcitrant Hereford bulls that seemed to have an aversion to crossing paved roads (something they had to do twice in each trek from summer to winter pasture and back). Just rope the balking bovine and dally hard, shift Roscoe into low gear (pretty much his native speed) and point him in the direction you wanted him to move the bull. Not a job you’d imagine assigning to a cute little pony named “Puddin’” or a pretty filly called “Dancer.”

"Poopface"

Clients know that most of their horses end up with one or more nicknames from me, and some of them are silly. A rather nice Paint gelding with a highfalutin registered name became “Spot.” A filly a former barnmate bred and raised has been Poopface since the day she was born; she’s in her late teens now and still answers to that as well as her much-more-lovely registered name.

During my short stint working at a hunter/jumper barn, I was introduced to the concept of giving a horse a “show” name and a “barn” name. And there were some really clever and creative ones in that bunch. For example a big horse with plump ears like a cow’s got the barn name “Norman” after the orphan calf in the movie City Slicker, which made a good show name. My favorite was a school horse known affectionately as “Tipsy.” In her hunter show days, she was called “Too Tight to Dance.”

I have known quite few horse lovers (girls and women!) over the years who had given thought to what their dream horse would look like and what his or her name would be. Did you ever do that? Do you have an opinion about changing horse names? Or a really great horse name to share?

Today temps hit 90 here in Arizona, reminding those of us who work and play outdoors that hotter days are on the way. In preparation, one of my students surprised me last week with this luxury teaching station, complete with well-weighted umbrella, comfy swivel stool and sturdy side table for both our water containers. Now I can sit in shaded comfort and watch her put her lovely draft-cross gelding through his paces!

Thanks Heidi! Your kindness and creativity are much appreciated!

Barbara Wright of Harmony Horseworks posted the good news in her recent newsletter, which provided information about Little Big Man and his former herdmates.

Apparently the two men charged in the case said the horses were underweight due to some mystery condition. However, it appears that all the horses that survived are making good weight gains now that they are being fed. Go figure.

For those of you in Colorado, a fundraiser is being planned to help cover the veterinary care and other costs for the six horses.

I was a journalism student once upon a time, looking for good sources for class assignments. So I was happy to help and curious to see what Hannah would come up with.

If you’ve never done it, having someone observe what you do on an “average” workday is pretty interesting. That which is routine for you becomes newly fascinating when observed through someone else’s eyes. Hannah followed me to two clients’ places, one where I was exercising a horse and another where a shoer I had recommended was evaluating horses for a potential change in hoof care and where I was teaching a lesson.

It was a pretty average day, but describing to an interested observer what I was doing and why I was doing it made it more engaging for me, too. There’s nothing quite like having someone sit you down in front of a microphone to answer questions about a subject you are passionate about. I gained a new degree of clarity about myself and my work while telling a friendly interviewer how I connect with horses and considering the ways that shapes my approach to teaching both people and animals

I knew by the end of the my time with Hannah that regardless what those hours spent being photographed and recorded produced for her, that I had gained something  special from the experience.

A couple of months passed before I got to watch the finished product. I was so curious to see how much substance someone could distill out of such a short acquaintance with a person in her workplace. Honestly, I have to say as I hit the “play” button for the first time, I was prepared to cringe. Not because I doubted Hannah’s skills – she handled the whole experience entirely professionally. More, probably, because I’m more used to being the interviewer and the creator, the one in control.

Instead of cringing, though, I was captivated. Seeing my clients, both the four-legged and the two-, in Hannah’s photos and hearing the familiar sounds of horses. Listening to the interview clips she chose to tell about the horses and their humans. She really got it just right and the resulting video is, I think, a beautiful reflection of the work I am privileged to do each day.

Thanks Hannah! Your project gets an A+ from me!

See what you think of “A Labor of Love – Desert Horse Equestrian Services.”

Desert Horse Equestrian Services from Hannah Gaber Saletan on Vimeo.

Stacey Kollman founded Desert Horse Equestrian Services out of her love for horses, and a deep understanding of all that horses and people can bring to one another’s lives. Meet Stacey and see some of her pupils here while she explains a bit about her philosophy and practice. Email her at stacey@deserthorseinc.com, or call her at (520) 762-9124

The story of a group of young horses allegedly being starved in Bailey, Colo., has been showing up in my inbox and invading my web wanderings.

You can see a slideshow of the rescue of the youngster pictured above courtesy of Barbara Wright of Harmony Horseworks. And read more about the frustrations of rescuers with local law enforcement in the Chronicle forum.

Also, here’s a news story that indicates county law enforcement initially left most of the horses in place with plans to monitor their condition. Yeah, well I’ve heard that one before. sigh. Later it seems the horses were moved to an undisclosed location after concerned citizens complained that all the horses should be siezed. Unclear whether the owner still has custody.

The most surprising detail in this story:  the alleged owner of these starving animals is the owner of the local feed store, the Bailey Depot Feed & Supply.

Best of luck to Barbara and the rest of the people trying to ensure the safety of these youngsters. If you watch the slideshow, you’ll see the colt nicknamed Little Big Man – who is supposedly a 2-year-old – is small enough he’s wearing a foal blanket.

Note: Barbara Wright was featured in the April 2010 issue of the Desert Horse Newsletter. She kindly allowed me to reprint her article “Mitigating Traumatic Stress in Horses.”

This morning my wise old gelding Ichobod demonstrated the horse version of yin yoga with a bit of yang for Jenny Kendall‘s advanced Yoga With Horses students.

Jenny’s very experienced teacher gelding Gary has been my assistant lately helping my two young winter-visitor girls learn to ride. But today, the girls got to meet Judith Tarr‘s Lipizzan herd and ride her teaching mistress Capria.

Judy’s diverse group is the featured attraction and force behind Jenny’s White Horse Yoga class, a monthly yoga/horses field trip for her students.

And one of my riding students regularly treks to draw insights from the white horses, experiences she brings back to apply to her lessons with me.

Around and around. And the connections continue to ripple.

This post is for Ichobod, my 28-year-old gelding
who has been a wonderful teacher for me
and many others in many amazing ways.

Elderly Animals: Photographs by Isa Leshko from Mark & Angela Walley on Vimeo.

Photographer Isa Leshko discusses her series entitled Elderly Animals. Learn more about Isa and her work at http://www.IsaLeshko.com. Learn more about the filmmakers at http://www.WalleyFilms.com.

See a gallery of photos from the “Elderly Animals” project and learn more about the artist.