First Things First. The Names.

Hello again to my fellow not-so-cowfolk!
     I believe in putting first things first, so I solved the biggest (or at least the most annoying) mystery first: horse names. You've heard my rant about how weird they are. Now I know why, and if you keep reading, you will soon know, too.

     Shakespeare once asked, "What's in a name?" Well, apparently, there's a lot more than you would think. In the horse world, a name is much more than what you call someone. It shows the horse's history and his bloodline. Horse names incorporate the names of the horses parents, especially their daddy. One of the horses at my barn, Generator's Got Color (we call him Ben) is a prime example. His mother's name is not really involved in his name at all, but you can tell that his great-great-granddad's name impacted his great-granddad's name, which impacted his grandpa's name, and I think you get the point. If not, refer to the chart. If a horse has a parent that is a big deal, then you want that to be known. If a horse has great genetics, then they are likely to become something great as well.
     This makes sense to me, but horse names are still weird. I just want a horse to be named Fido. It is a pet name.
     Another thing I learned this morning about horse names is that you can't register a name more than once. This also contributes to why horse names are so strange. Once Generator's Got Color dies, there will never be another Generator's Got Color. The Walking Horse Celebration has been going on for 75 years. Over those years, all the normal pet names (like Fido and Spot) have probably been taken. If you want to register a horse named Jasmine, you can't, because its been used. You have to get a little creative. Lots Of Jasmine becomes the alternative.
William S., now you know what's in a name.