Just Horsing Around

‘Blush’,’Star Gazer’,’Su Chaliyo’,’Savage Garden’ – words that would not conjure pictures of handsome thoroughbred horses. But these are the very names that many horse-owners have chosen to call their horses. If they are to be believed,naming a horse is not a mundane affair,but akin to baptism. “Horse-owners share a special bond with their horses and that is reflected in the names that they have for them,” says Khusro Jalnawala,owner of close to 120 horses,some of whom have been accorded interesting names. “Of the top of my head I remember,Set Afire,Colossus and even Savage Garden. We had named Colossus thus because when we first got him,he was this huge athletic horse who looked like a giant. Savage Garden,as I can recollect,was named by a friend who was a big fan of the band of the same name.”

Interestingly,a horse can only be named twice in its entire lifetime. “If I purchase a horse from another owner and do not like the name,then I can change it. But if someone else buys the horse from me,then he or she cannot change the name again,” Jalnawala says. A lot of the owners name the horse by combining the first three letters of the stallion and the first three of the mare. Some name them after places that they have visited or travelled to. Vivek Jain,chairman of RWITC,says,“My horse,Dancing Dame,is actually the name of the stallion and the mare combined.” Geoffery Nagpal,another horse owner,adds,“I named one of my horse Lion Woods after golfer Tiger Woods. In fact,a lot of my other horses are named after the female line that they come from.”

These names are registered for life,with the exception of course of being open to change just once. “Even if the name is changed,while displaying the horse name in the race,they make a mention of its ex-name. That is done to let other members know which horse they are betting on,” informs Jalnawala. K N Dhunjibhoy,who owns the Nanoli Stud farms,smiles,“I have forgotten how many horses I own. Now it’s my trainer’s wife who names them,because she is more imaginative with the names. I had named one of my horses Venus Rising,after the painting I love,’The Birth of Venus’. Some are named after cities,others after ports,and even after people.”

Champak Zaveri,owner of a number of thoroughbreds,says,”I have named a lot of my horses after places that I have visited. One of them is called Sangria,after the popular wine punch from Spain,another is called Hakunamatata from my visit to Kenya,and a third is called Peoria,after the place in America. One of my personal favourites,however,is my horse Allah Rakha (Blessed by the Almighty).”

“The fact that the horses have interesting names also helps to improve the entertainment factor of the sport,” says Gautam Lala,another owner. And,arguably,one of the most interesting names for horses has been coined by him. “I happened to buy a horse from a devilish breeder,whom I had encountered some time back. Hence I named him,Devil’s Been Busy,” he laughs.