What’s in a (show) name?

Readers, I need your help.

Before we can go to any show, Addy’s owner and I have decided that she needs a new show name, and it’s gotta be a good one. You may be wondering why she needs a new one- what’s so wrong with what she has now? And to explain that properly, I need to give a bit of backstory on Addy and her owner.

Addy was bred to be a pony horse at the racetrack out in California, but somehow ended up in the jumping world with her current owner (we’ll call her Owner Lady). Addy got very little playtime due to the abysmal turnout situation there; going under saddle in the arena was the biggest space she had access to on any given day. Owner Lady quickly discovered that Addy is the type of horse that really values her outside time, because by all accounts she was a devil horse who would toss you as soon as she could. Between the poor turnout and her confidence issues, she would spook often and refuse any jump that was even vaguely scary.

Which brings us to her show name: No Remorse. Because she would show no remorse when she dumped Owner Lady on her butt.

In this picture you can see the malicious glint in her eye as she tries to violently throw me off into the wall.

Owner Lady even warned our trainer- don’t put a beginner on her, and I’m so sorry if she acts up. If you’ve read anything I’ve written about Addy here or here or here, you know that she doesn’t have a spook in her body and absolutely loves jumping! We can’t find anything that even remotely annoys her at all. We’re all demanding video evidence that she was ever crazy like Owner Lady says- she’s a totally different horse.

WOAH THERE CRAZY STEED CALM DOWN

STOP TAKING OFF YOU WILD BEAST
(fun fact- she actually dozed off while I was setting up trot poles for us.)

This is in huge part a testament to the amazing care here (check out Clairvaux’s website!). She gets feed that’s specifically tailored to her needs, a gigantic field to run around and play in every single day, and consistent work under saddle. Not to mention that by the look of her, rolling around in mud is a welcome change from dry California.

Whether it’s the superb care or that she’s simply matured, “No Remorse” just doesn’t fit her as a name anymore. My 12-year-old self is begging me to name her something like “In The Nude” or “A Moped” (can you imagine the announcer saying “number 14 on course is Olivia riding In The Nude? I’m giggling as I type); I think Owner Lady would prefer something a little less hilarious childish.

I told her that I would brainstorm some ideas but I need to cheat. Readers, help me out here!

How did you come up with your horse’s show name? Do you have any suggestions for Addy?