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Business Name Help/ Ideas

We are rebranding/ doing an overhaul of our business and marketing materials to try to increase the overall quality of the materials and the leads they bring in. My wonderful marketing manager is working on a new logo but suggested to revamp the business name as well. The current name is “Last Name Sport Horses” and is quite long. Marketing manager (not a horsey person) suggested “Last Name Horses & Training” as she believed that was more general and would reach a wider audience. I am actually leaning towards the Horses & Training version but obviously that doesn’t solve the length issue, so I am looking for other ideas!

The business focuses on training (mostly OTTBs, but also other breeds) and sales and will be soon expanding to include a small number of foals each year. While I focus on the jumper ring for the most part, I also compete in dressage and dabble in other disciplines such as eventing and western so do not want to narrow the focus too much with the name (for example, “Last Name Dressage” or “Last Name Jumpers”).

Also, I don’t want the name to focus on the facility as the services I am focused on are not facility dependent (such as boarding, hosting events or similar would be) and we are looking to purchase a different facility in the next few years. So all the Stables, Acres, Farms, Equestrian Center type names are a no for me.

Any ideas??

Are you getting a new logo? If so let it “say” horses and discipline. You don’t need horse, if your logo shows it. You don’t need jumper if it is shown. A triad of horses with jumper in the middle says a lot. Your name training says the rest

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I would personally keep the Sport Horses if you don’t want to go with “Farms” or similar. “Horses & Training” is long and not particularly attractive to me personally.

On the somewhat boring side, you could use initials, and change Hopper Sport Horses to FH Sport Horses. Or you could find a compelling word that’s shorter than your last name to replace it.

On the subject of using “Farm” or “Stables”, I do think it can work if you move facilities - I.e. “Hopper Farm” at “Rolling Hills Equestrian Center”. I see it done all the time. I suppose it could be a bit awkward if you move to a facility that shares the same descriptor… Hopper Farm at Rolling Hills Farm might sound strange. Although you could always say “Hopper Farm at Rolling Hills”.

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This is just me, not market research data … That sounds to me like a general purpose horse-breaker & lesson barn. Lots of western saddles, although probably does everything. If I want someone to start a future h/j/e or eventing horse, I’m not going call that name.

“Sport Horses” is far more specific to a program that focuses on competitive horses. H/J/E. Eventers. Dressage.

So the real question is for you – who do you want to get in touch with you? Who do you want in your program? If you do have more general services beyond sport horses, then watering it down to “Horses & Training” is a good way to go. But if you want to stick to sport horses, I’d stay with that name.

Is your marketer a competitive rider steeped in the sport horse world? If not, with all due respect to her, she has no idea how terms sound in that world. This is jargon specific to the sport, and not understood organically outside of the sport. She is thinking like the general public who doesn’t have a perspective on sport horses.

That’s just how it sounds to me.

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You hit it on the head! I was trying to explain the nuances between “sport horses” and “horses and training” as I have the same connotation/ imagery as you described for each and it just doesn’t make sense to the non horse person.

My target market is the “middle class” of the horse world (which is not necessarily the same as the true middle class) - lower to mid range budgets (5 figure range for purchase) with plans to show some rated shows, but are not the ones who go to FL for the circuit or only stick to the schooling shows. I don’t have the desire or means to pursue the circuit-only market. If that makes sense?

I do like the idea of Hopper Training - but also worry that it gives the idea of a colt-breaker? What say you?

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A few questions: (I’m a branding and creative director, for reference)

Can you clarify the problem and the solution you’re seeking: do you have too few leads, leads that are low quality, leads that are “unqualified” (ie not your target market), marketing materials that are low quality or something else?

I’m guessing you understand the cost associated with changing your business name everywhere - in physical cost (printing, embroidery, signage, clothing etc etc) as well as public perception (rebuilding your market’s understanding of you), but it might not be insignificant.

Why is this a problem? Is it because your logo has to be quite large to be legible depending on the use? if so have your designer come up with a wordmark, graphic logo, and a lockup of the two for various uses, as well as vertical and horizontal formats.

Are you trying to reach a wider audience (see first question)? I would agree with the others that say Sport Horses is better: it’s discipline-agnoistic per your post, and can apply to selling, breeding and training which are all things you are doing/will do. Also your target market understands this meaning.

It doesn’t cover the sales and breeding sides, so to me it’s not as good as Sport Horses (or Sporthorses)

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I am not good at using the quote feature still, so please bear with me.

For the first question - it is a bit of an all of the above situation. Low quality materials, low quality leads, and looking for an increase in leads.

Second - yes, totally get the costs involved! This is being done now as preparation to investing in new materials (we have some physical materials already, but not a lot and nothing big like a sign). For anyone reading this - don’t forget the cost to file a DBA or new entity as well (my background is business compliance so that was first on my mind).

Yes, the text has to be made much larger to be legible on some of the print materials due to the character count. We are working on creating various mockups for different uses/ print materials.

Sport horses seems to get the vote - now for the real nitty gritty question. Is it “Sport Horses” or “Sporthorses”? I have seen it both ways and am unsure which is the more correct.

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Lastname Equestrian is one I see a lot, and could be another option if you think that “sport horses” or “sporthorses” might lead someone to think you just do breeding or sales.

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When I hear “sport horses” I think the English disciplines and more likely breeding and sales than training and teaching

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I second this idea.

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Around here at least, “Name Equestrian” means boarding and lessons, and “Name Sporthorses” means sales, training, competing and breeding. Since OP does sales, training and will do breeding, “sporthorses” would be better. Perhaps different in their market?

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We are currently in the midwest, but hope to move to the coast (either, but leaning to East) in the upcoming move, if it helps!

I’m on the west coast so there’s that!

I’m not a fan of using “Sport Horses” since I had a registered Irish Sport Horse I’m a bit biased or jaded in my definition of a sport horse. As others have mentioned I see sport horses and I think Jumpers and/or eventers, preferably Irish (that’s my heart breed, sorry). I would probably lean more towards using Equine over Equestrian as to me Equine is more horse focused, and equestrian rider and horse.

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Another vote for “Sporthorses”. Around here (east coast) that denotes HJ, Event, or Dressage horses, usually training and breeding and sales. Would avoid Equine but Equestrian is okay. I’d do initials if the last name is quite long, like TM Equestrian or TM Sporthorses. Easy enough to shorten to TME or TMS for things like shirt and pad logos. Just make sure it doesn’t turn into a funny acronym before you commit :rofl:

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I’m glad I’m not the only one! I tend to associate “sport horses” with jumping and athletic, purpose-bred warmbloods. Obviously if I was recommended a business because of its other services and types of horses, I wouldn’t discount it. But that’s my immediate association.

What is the first letter of the current name? Sometimes alliteration can be helpful.

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Wait, but now I kind of want to create my own ‘TinFoilHat Sport-horses’ and have it be exclusively competitive Shetland ponies. That would be hilarious!

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