Horse and pony names

[FellaZephyr]

A fun thread really. I was thinking about this on a long drive this morning. I learned to ride in the seventies and a yard was not complete without a Misty, a Fella, a Shadow, a Blue and a Prince.
Fast forward, and every horse in a yard of eight where i keep mine have 'human' names ie Arthur, Bob, Tom, Jasmine, Henry, Mary.
I learnt to ride on Hawk, moved onto Flurry, and worked with Zephyr and Solo when I was younger. It seems horse names go in fashion just like baby names.
I'd love to hear the names of horses you started out on, and the kind of names belonging to horses you know now
I've got dozens of names of horses I've known, but I'm curious to know if the human name thing is just round my way!
Ok I'm adding Flossy, Blossom and Laddie from my 70s childhood.

My first rides were on Snowy, Trigger, Lady, Bella, Jake, Sun Dancer, Zillah, Kelly, Frisky. Fancy, Chief, Robin, Toffee, Prince Charming.
All 1970s.

I love that you've all joined in! Thank you for sharing names and stories.

First pony I fell off was little fat grey Prince. My first and very unexpected canter sent me off backwards. The duns: Dundee, Hawk, Dusty, Merry, Heather, Dunboy. The piebalds: Jigsaw, Magpie, Cherokee, Jupiter, Puzzle and Peter.
And the Gods: Apollo, Neptune, Odin. Sure there are more.
Mermaid, Nimrod, Tigger, Velvet, Holly, Mermaid, Gem, Star, all beautiful bays.
Lovely trip down memory lane!

Yes, to the elastic! And later, jockey skull cap with the plastic moulded chin strap.

Remembered a couple more - Hunky. Diego. Sugar. Tikka.

Learning in the 80s on Crackers, Toby, Prince, Justin Thyme (rescued from the knackerman), and Flinders. There was also a huge ginger gelding called Piper and a black thoroughbred called Scallywags, but i wasn't allowed near them. Then at a livery yard on Charlie, Ella and Noggin. Charlie and Ella were both 16.1 ginger thoroughbreds, and Noggin was a short legged hairy black cob. In the 90s, it was TG (another ginger thoroughbred gelding), Figaro, Red, Polo, and Steffan.
My own horses have been Syd, a 15.2 bright bay CB x TB, who was a brilliant horse, genuine all rounder and not scared of anything except being on his own. Also Rowan, 14.2 liver chestnut section D, who I loved but he was an acquired taste! Paddy, a 15.3 connemara x TB, now 27 and I've been lucky enough to have him since he was 3.
Thanks for this lovely post bringing back some really great memories, and a few scary ones!

My daughter does pony club and there is: Pete, Splodge, Kylie, Sasha, Hope, Risby and Jasper!

Ahh lovely memories.
In the 90s at our yard and riding school we had prince, herbie, star, Ellie(!), monsoon, sonny, beau and daffydd (welsh cob).

Our 90/00 childhood ponies were

• Tia
• Yanna
• Merry

Also remember riding school ponies
Pilgrim, Lucy, Pippa, Belle.

In the 90s:
Chieftain
Sherman
George

90s / 00s:

Sonnie, Sovereign, Ben, Jester, Sugar, Silver, Fella, Blue, Harry and Amigo.

the horses in the fields nearby that I dreamt of owning and gave imaginary names to were were Dapple (grey pony), Shannon (chestnut mare), and Prince (black gelding) 😄

Late 80s early 90s: Bella, Lottie, Toffee, Scooby, Ricky, Demelza, Blaze, Tarak, Breeze, Santino, Murky, Freckles, Jasper, Sabrina, Goldie, Fella, Ablo, Nessie, Bessie, Nobby

Ooh and Candy and Dusty!

The first stables I went to early 90s had a Ricky, Sweep, Candy, Callie, Tiny, Patch, Foxy, Blue, Snowflake, Heather, Jigsaw, Lady...oh there were loads!
I haven't been involved in horses for years so that's make me chuckle that they don't have 'horse' names anymore!

Pinky, Corky, Slurp, Bobby, Basil, Trixie - 80's

Ella, Barry, Chianti, Katie, Micha - now

I wish I had kept my book
When I was younger I had a notebook and I used to write down every horses name. We moved a lot so I've ridden hundreds of different horses and it would be interesting to see!

Names from my riding school years in the 70s were a mix of human names and not . My favourite horses were Henry , Pi , Simon , Cherry and Diplomat . I’m not putting my horses names up as it’s too outing but only 1 has been mentioned and they are not human names .

Starting in the late 60s my first pony was called Donna, 11 hands of bad temper, and I don't really blame her, being a lead rein first ridden must be a trial. Then after Donna I had Jolly, a lovely sweet Welsh section C, I rode her for 12 years until she retired and I didn't ride again until the 2000s due to discovering boys. (should've stuck with ponies) I started again with riding school Arthur a cob, and Carter a connie cross, who was a darling. Last horse was my Jack, a cracker of a pony, a Fell type, an absolute gentleman.

Colonel (blind in one eye but a total gent)
Freddie
Thomas
Whisky
Buttercup
Jack
Charlie
Domino
Jasper
Crackers

All from the 80s!

Learning to ride in the 1980s, I rode ponies called Flossie, Rosie and Bessie. There was also a Willow and a Jack Sprat. I started riding again in the early 2000s, and the horses had names like Paddy, Molly, Chip, Belle, Ruby, Dale and Ricky. I then rode at a riding school where all the horses were named after army ranks (Major etc).

Now human names seem to be in, with a Sam, Harvey and a Brian at the yard where I ride. However, I’ve just got my first horse and his name is Curly. I have no idea where that came from, but it suits him and I can’t imagine him being called anything else.

Early names are Blaze and Mojo - great name and a great mare.

1990s names:
Rolo
Roxy
Charlie
Solitaire (Solly)
Wanda
Clive
Indie
Pat
Whizzy
Molly
Martha
Rosso / Roscoe
Magic
Henry
George
Joe
Milly
Ellie
Sam
JohnJo
Teddy
Jasper
Ben
Sooty
Red
Tex
Smith
Jones
Joe

I don’t ride currently

Wonder if anyone here recognises any yards / riding schools from this!

70's and 80's Rhona, Goldie, Flicka, Rosie, Trigger, Emma, Prince, Poppy, Twinkle, Mistral, Storm, Sinbad, Conker, Apache, Redwing, Blue, Cilla, Solo, Jupiter, argh can't remember any more but can see them in my mind's eye!

Growing up in the 80s/90s -
Merlin, Buttons, Solo, Sunny, Ginger, Freddie, Blackie and Cirrus.
Most recent yard acquisition is Danté, we also have a Freya, Lia, Bounce, Tailor, Samuel, Rocco and Boyce (a variety of ages and sizes.)
I agree the trend seems to be more human names these days.

Every horse on our yard seems to have an ie/y name.

Rosie
Bonnie
Bobby

Etc etc.

I also have seen lots of
Murphy, Jazz, Solomon, Melody, Whisper, Rolo. Type names.

My favourite was Tank, given to a two year old by a 16hh stallion, out of a 15.1hh mare, who was 17.1hh at two, I wonder how giant he is now!!