I just got a new horse who’s registered name and barn name are the same (I like it as a barn name, but sort of boring as a show name), and I am tempted to change the show name to something a bit more fun, but not sure whether this is frowned upon for any particular reason. I wouldn’t plan on updating the name with the breed registry or passport unless we started doing FEI. The horse has only been competed overseas so far, so there’s no USEA record yet. This is the first time I have imported a horse, or had a horse that is part of a breed registry. I would plan to comply with the breed registry’s name requirements for the new name just to be safe. Are there any reasons to NOT change the show name that I should be aware of before I start competing under a new name?
Not worth it…keep the name the same. It is considered bad luck to change names of boats…I’ve always considered it the same for horses unless the name is REALLY bad.
ETA: I also don’t change their names so it is easier for their breeders and former connections to follow.
I don’t buy into the bad luck game. Life is too short, if you want a new name, change it up! I rename almost all of my horses (barn and show). Had plenty of good luck 
I say change it if you want to. I’ve kept names and changed names, with no difference in luck.
Usea / Usef will allow the name change if The horse doesn’t have a previous competition record. Every horse I’ve imported has had no competition experience and I’ve been able to register the name to whatever I want, but if the horse had had prior competition record, they said I had to register it under the current show name.
Since the horse has no competition record here, I say “go for it”! Give him or her the name of your dreams. As @Jealoushe said, life is too short, so have the name that makes you smile called over the loudspeakers 
Does the breed registry have an awards program ?
USEA will allow it, record or not. Changed my horse’s name no problem.
Went searching in USEF and found this:
GR1107 Change of Name 1. The recorded name of a horse competing in divisions that do not require breed registration may be changed by submission of the original recording certificate to the Federation office accompanied by the required fee. The recorded name of a horse can also be changed by submitting the Horse Name Change Request form which lists the fee and can be found at www.usef.org.
Nothing about a competition record in there.
As a breeder I find it a bit more than sad people rename horses making them somewhat impossible to trace. But if you want to change it I believe it is up to you to do so.
My horses all get fun show names. My OTTB JC name is “Bud’s a Flyin” and his show name is “Spuds McKenzie” I call him Spud. My Paint/QH Odin isn’t registered his show name is “Let’s get Kraken”
What if the name is truly awful?! Plenty are!
OP - personally I prefer boring over “fun”, for both horses and children, but your horse your decision!
Mine’s an OTTB. I bought him from his breeder (who also owned and trained him through his racing career). I changed his name, and I told the breeder what I call him and send her periodic updates.
I think it depends on the horse and breeding/breeder. Changing a JC name doesn’t really effect the breeder of a racing TB.
I agree. A friend of mine imported a horse to sell here. Had top sire SJ bloodlines and had points on his passport - showed here under his passport name which included the sire’s name. Like wouldn’t you want to keep it in there? But the new owner changed his name and got rid of the sire’s name. He was a nice horse too. It’s like all these Fernhill or Cooley Event Horses -you get one you deal with the name that’s attached haha.
I had a horse of the racing circuit with one of the worst names in history. Never ever did we think of changing her name but instead it almost became a brand 😉
Yeah, Fernhill, DHI and Cooley for sure brand “their” horses very cleverly. I would be seriously offended if my studname was removed and replaced with their trade name ðŸ¤
I met a woman at Badminton 2019 who was a breeder who had a couple of horses go thru Fernhill. It was an interesting conversation.
As a breeder, it would make me a bit sad if a buyer changed the registered name, but what I most important to me is that when you do obtain the recording numbers with USEA, USEF, etc that you list the breeding, the breeder, etc so all the horse’s connection get proper credit for your success.
Can imagine
Your horse. Unfortunate breeder.
Just scanned through the latest world ranking of Studbooks. Zangersheide have a Global DHI birthname Dencer Z on the ranking.
Searching for Global DHI on the FEI website I came across another DHI horse with basically the same name Global DHI Discovery. A KWPN with the birthname Igor Solier HB. Solier is this breeders like “tradename” and no one but the eager database searching nutters such as myself will ever know.
