Add me to the giggling crowd. I’ve been lurking this thread and “Backstage MF” made me :lol:
I can understand being frustrated at having a name change but (like so many others here), I just don’t think it is that big a deal. And yes, I am a breeder. A few of my buyers change their horse’s names - they always let me know, and I’ve never had a problem with it. Buying a horse is such a personal thing - if the owner wants a name that THEY chose, shouldn’t that be OK? All I ask is that I still be named as the breeder (and my stallion’s get credit if it is their offspring).
As for suffixes, we thought about MO (for Mystic Oak),but realized it could sound kind of silly because some announcer is going to say “Moe”, and all my horses will end up sounding a little like trailer trash, Carmen-Moe just doesn’t sound as upscale as Carmen :lol: Most people don’t know what the Suffix stands for anyway.
OP - I hope you can maintain a professional relationship with the buyer and he can help promote your lovely horses.
[QUOTE=JackSprats Mom;6131115]
I understand where breeders are coming from (I really do) BUT when I buy a horse I am not buying the name and there are some names I just couldn’t live with and sadly the OP’s is one of them!
I also agree with others that the OP would be crossed off my list of breeders based on this thread.[/QUOTE]
I’ve been following this thread with interest from the start because a) I am another of those rotten owners who has dared change a horse’s registered name and b) I can’t believe something so trivial (in the grand scheme of things!) has created SUCH an emotional thread.
Of the five registered horses we currently own, I have changed the name of one. I won’t touch the sales horses’ names. I haven’t touched the Thoroughbreds because their names have been unique and interesting, and often are a reflection of their bloodlines (which I like). In addition, they do have lifetime (race) accomplishments etc, that I want individuals to be able to follow more easily. Their barn names sometimes are derived from their registered names, other times they differ (ie, Lala Boom’s barn name is Phoenix). Anyone’s show name will be their registered name - I can’t handle having more than two names for a horse :eek: The one name I have changed, the mare’s registered name was Whiz :dead: I changed it to something better suited (imo) and that included a reference to her sire. I am this mare’s third owner and have never had any contact with her breeder. At this point it is my horse, my money, my name. I give credit to her former name and her breeder where appropriate. I would (will) do it again :winkgrin:
I like the idea of contacting the breeder re: a name change however I don’t believe any new owner should be under any obligation to do so - OR to keep the horse’s current name. I also think it is nice if the owner retains the suffix or prefix even if they change the horse’s name - yes people DO look up farm names by suffixes and prefixes (raises hand), but it is not the be-all-end-all.
I understand breeders put a lot of thought and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into their foals and they wish to be recognized for their efforts. Maybe my opinion will change as I begin breeding, but as an owner I feel it is the owner’s prerogative to change the horse’s name. Same as they have the right to (cringe) ruin that horse and compete on it - with incorrect muscling and maniac behaviour that horse is not going to exactly be a shining example of its breeder either. In the end, the horse world is a small one. If people do not already know where the horse came from, they WILL approach and ask (had that happen many a time in the past!). Your reputation will precede you whether you are a rider, a trainer, a breeder, or an alien. Although nice, you don’t NEED a suffix or a prefix or a certain name to identify a horse as coming from a certain breeder. The breeder’s info remains on the horse’s papers and is registered in other databases, to boot - it is not like the information is lost.
I can understand the OP feeling upset - your feelings are your own, OP. But to project those feelings in an unprofessional manner (no matter how friendly you were with the buyer) is wrong, imo, and reflects badly on you. I don’t think this thread is in good taste nor that it reflects well on the OP. It’s a small world. We have bigger things to worry about, imho. Update the horse’s new name on your website OP and keep those lines of communication between you and the buyer open (starting with an apology for your behaviour).
ETA: I do think the buyer should have held to his word had he made a verbal agreement with the OP however there are also always two sides to a story and as others have mentioned, there may have been a misunderstanding or miscommunication. Had the OP approached the new owner in a different manner maybe something could have been worked out. As it is, the new owner instead seems to have felt attacked, which shuts down all means for communication and only sets the OP back in regards to updates on this horse.
This sums up my own feelings on the matter. I do ask buyers to stick with my suffix if they don’t mind, but, if they don’t want to, all I really ask is that they let me know what new name is given. I love it when buyers stay in touch once in a while and let me know how things are going. All to date have been great about that and all have given me credit for breeding the horses that they enjoy. That’s all I could ever hope for. :yes:
Aren’t there other ways to advertise it?
Having dealt many years with JC TBs I always unofficially changed names! We had one horse named “Mean Irene,” and no way we would call her either or show her under that. That said, I didn’t care about the JC name, we left it as that, but showed her under a name we didn’t find repulsive.
We’ve sold a few we registered, and I know one changed a name and shows under the new name, but she keeps me posted on the horse so I don’t mind at all what she calls her. The others, if the person wants to change the name, so long as I can follow the horse and the horses success and share in the joy with them, again I don’t mind so much what they call “their” horse, as it is no longer ours. If it was that important I would add it to our sales contract.
So I guess it wouldn’t really bother me unless they sold the horse and I lost track and couldn’t find them. I know we are getting a mare by Incognito and I could not find anything on him until the new owner actually found me and said he had been gelded at some point and renamed Ivan, and then I was able to find his more recent show information. The trick is staying in touch and following where the horse goes, you can still “brag” about their success under a different name as their breeder 
Edited to add, we purchased a horse from ISF that we call “Annie” around the barn, but will keep her name Amulet ISF. In that instance, I’m pretty proud of where she came from. So I guess it just depends on the situation and the name 
Look what happened while I snuck to town! :lol: too funny, leave to the COTH mentality to resort to humor when it’s been hashed to the nines. Love how the name evolved into One Bad MF. :lol::lol:
Tamara no disrespect meant your way. I’ve tried to remain factual. My first post to the OP only asked a question about facts, without judgment. The answer was she was confused, had no idea that she had a horse missing their suffix. Then - " I do not use the JSF because of a law suit between some other people that did not really involve me, but involved my horse" and this in no way infers that the lawsuit was about a name change, which was all I posted back to you. I have no clue what it involved, or who. Not my business, don’t care. My original question was merely to clarify a bit of history with the OP’s story.
I am currently searching for a horse and if I bought one that was named Backstage MF, there is no way in heck that I would keep it. I’d change it and let the breeder know. Done, my horse, my money, my name.
OP if you called me almost crying over a name change I would not return the phone call.
:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
I find amm2cd’s One Bad MF pretty funny too! Especially at the awards ceremony!
I think I’m changing the name of my farm to White Tree Farm. Can’t wait to show my homebreds with my new suffix!:lol:
[QUOTE=Harold;6131498]
I think I’m changing the name of my farm to White Tree Farm. Can’t wait to show my homebreds with my new suffix!:lol:[/QUOTE]
Ha…good one!!!
As a small newish breeder I have been following this thread and here’s my 2 cents FWIW.
Of course I would love for the name to say the same, but I also understand that the new owner may and can change it. Would be great if they left my suffix, but again realize this is not always going to be the case. For me all I want is to still be listed as the breeder on such things as a USEF card, etc. It’s the new owner’s right to call their horse whatever they want after all. I would also like to be informed of a name change simply because I enjoy seeing what they are up to. Like most breeders, I love getting updates on my babies as they go on to other things.
So please call it whatever you want, but PLEASE just be sure to take the extra minute to fill in the breeder info!
[QUOTE=LaurieB;6131201]
There are many, many good horses in the world. If I were shopping and saw that clause in your contract, I’d raise my hand and say, “…next!”
There’s no use in bemoaning the fact that buyers go to europe to shop when it’s American breeders’ demands and drama that send them there.[/QUOTE]
European breeders don’t put that in contracts it’s true. possibly because only an American would be so self-centered as to drop the the breeders suffix/prefix. As the practice originated in European countries, and are used, frequently, there… but I doubt anyone has put it in a sales contract because, as pointed out earlier, they’d sooner goose the Queen than change it.
[QUOTE=hansiska;6127579]
I don’t mean to play devil’s advocate – believe me, I can empathize with you – but in a world of text-speak it occurs to me that the buyer may have wanted to eliminate one alternate reading of MF. (Starts with mother, rhymes with trucker…).
Regardless, I think the important thing is to make sure you continue to be named as breeder on the horse’s paperwork.[/QUOTE]
^^^this
I’m 50 and prior to text speak this is what MF meant. My first thought was why would anyone use that as a prefix or suffix.
[QUOTE=lifesabreeze;6131557]
^^^this
I’m 50 and prior to text speak this is what MF meant. My first thought was why would anyone use that as a prefix or suffix.[/QUOTE]
True… which is probably why she also changed it to just an M… and offered that as an option. And the OP said she had np with the name change, she just wanted her suffix (M or MF) on the name the horse used.
I can see how the name change would annoy the breeder. I can see a buyer wanting to have their “own” name. Unless it was in a written contract, it is truely unfortunate and I feel for the OP.
Backstage MF I think is kinda a cute name, even with all it implies. =)I could care less what people outside the ring think if I am the owner. snicker all you want, if I am winning, who cares? =) and I am an avid Howard Stern listener so my mind is always in the gutter…
Bad MF would be awesome, but I’d never be able to tell people his/her name w/o mouthing the MF part. Oh- dear boyfriend just pointed out ALL of our horses are MF, according to my language in the barn…
Sorry this did not work out the way you wanted, OP.
[QUOTE=Tapperjockey;6131550]
European breeders don’t put that in contracts it’s true. possibly because only an American would be so self-centered as to drop the the breeders suffix/prefix. As the practice originated in European countries, and are used, frequently, there… but I doubt anyone has put it in a sales contract because, as pointed out earlier, they’d sooner goose the Queen than change it.[/QUOTE]
Looking at a site like Horse Telex I don’t see many horses with a prefix or suffix.
And most of the horses that are imported as hunters or jumpers do not come from a country that has a Queen. LOL
Are you speaking of ponies?
^^ (Pennywell Bay) :lol::lol:
Maybe the buyer of Maggie’s horse might reconsider and keep the suffix, just change the first word!
[QUOTE=S A McKee;6131604]
Looking at a site like Horse Telex I don’t see many horses with a prefix or suffix.
And most of the horses that are imported as hunters or jumpers do not come from a country that has a Queen. LOL
Are you speaking of ponies?[/QUOTE]
Most appear to be ponies. (well breed wise at least). Connemaras, Welsh (they require it it appears), Fell, Dales, etc. So it’s easy to see breeding programs in the ponies… and yet aside from Moorland’s Totilas…not easy to find out whom the breeder is (w/o digging) on some of the top WBs.
And, I don’t know if their country has a queen or not (as I don’t know where everyone is from) but i can’t imagine that any of them would goose her if they did, or goose another county’s queen either. (Accept any husbands of said Queens to this obviously).
Given general announcing capabilities at shows here - I had to DROP the last name of my Filly
Her original and registered name was “Simone Signoret”
Not only does/did no one in the show world seem to know WHO “Simone Signoret” was
They pronounced it
“CIG NO RET”
:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Names not the issue :lol::lol::lol:
I changed her name (with USEF with AHS) to “Simone”
Best to go with simple :lol::lol::lol:
I think it’s important to have a way to track the horses. What I like about BWP and AHHA (for example) is the you get lifetime registration with USEF with the name you have given the animal. Now if people do the paperwork required for transfer of ownership, then USEF should be able to track these animals regardless of name changes. BTW it’s $1000.00 to change 1 letter of a name on an FEI passport… food for thought?!
Another thing that is now required for all Dutch horses (for example) who are bred in Holland… MicroChip Numbers. I agree! Enough said!
