150 Hobby Horse Names: Ideas by Coat Colour, Breed and Show Style
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Every hobby horse gets a name, and most riders agonise over it. It goes on the entry form, the announcer reads it out, and you will shout it across an arena. Here are 150 that work, sorted the way riders actually think: by the colour of the coat, by the breed the horse is modelled on, and by the style of name you want on a start list.
How riders pick a name
Three habits separate names that stick from names that get changed after a month.
- Match the coat first. A black horse called Sunny confuses everyone at the show. Start from the colour and the name half-writes itself.
- Say it out loud, twice. You will call it across a field. Two syllables carry; four do not.
- Give it two names if you compete. Real equestrian sport uses a registered show name and a short barn name. Hobby horsers do the same: Midnight Serenade on the entry list, Sera at home.
Names for black hobby horses
Black coats carry drama, so the names lean dark and glossy.
- Onyx
- Raven
- Ebony
- Midnight
- Sable
- Shadow
- Jet
- Nero
- Noir
- Storm
- Eclipse
- Obsidian
- Zorro
- Vesper
- Coal
Names for bay and brown hobby horses
Warm, solid, dependable. These suit the everyday horse that goes to every training session.
- Ranger
- Cocoa
- Walnut
- Bear
- Mocha
- Sienna
- Tobias
- Hickory
- Teddy
- Barley
- Otto
- Juno
- Marlow
- Baron
- Hazel
Names for chestnut hobby horses
Red and gold coats want fire, spice and autumn.
- Copper
- Ember
- Blaze
- Ginger
- Amber
- Flame
- Penny
- Rowan
- Cinnamon
- Saffron
- Autumn
- Phoenix
- Marmalade
- Rusty
- Scarlet
Names for grey and white hobby horses
Light coats take names of weather, metal and moonlight. Dapple greys in particular suit the silver family.
- Silver
- Ash
- Misty
- Pearl
- Frost
- Arctic
- Snowflake
- Cloud
- Luna
- Sterling
- Ghost
- Ivory
- Nimbus
- Opal
- Dove
- Winter
Names for palomino and cream hobby horses
Golden coats with a pale mane. Sweet works here in a way it does not for a black horse.
- Sahara
- Honey
- Sunny
- Butterscotch
- Goldie
- Biscuit
- Sandy
- Dune
- Caramel
- Blondie
- Spirit
- Toffee
Names for pinto, paint and piebald hobby horses
Two-tone coats are the easiest to name: anything with patches, pieces or patterns.
- Domino
- Patch
- Puzzle
- Mosaic
- Pixel
- Checkers
- Marble
- Oreo
- Splash
- Jigsaw
- Freckles
- Tobiano
- Harlequin
Names by breed
If your horse is modelled on a specific breed, a name from that breed's home country tells everyone you know your horses. It is the touch that realistic-category judges notice.
Friesian names (Frisian and Dutch)
The Friesian comes from Friesland in the north of the Netherlands, and Frisian names are short, hard-edged and unmistakable.
- Sjoerd
- Wietse
- Fenna
- Tjalling
- Jelle
- Nynke
- Bauke
- Hidde
Arabian names
Arabic names for the oldest refined breed. Soft consonants, two or three syllables.
- Zahra
- Amir
- Layla
- Sahar
- Jamil
- Nadia
- Farah
- Khalil
Haflinger names (Tyrolean)
The Haflinger is an Alpine breed from the Austrian and Italian Tyrol. Names from the mountains suit the golden coat.
- Heidi
- Franz
- Liesl
- Edelweiss
- Anton
- Greta
- Sepp
- Alpen
Fjord names (Norwegian)
Norse names for the Norwegian breed with the striped upright mane.
- Freya
- Odin
- Astrid
- Bjørn
- Solveig
- Leif
- Ingrid
- Erik
Andalusian names (Spanish)
Spanish names for the Spanish horse. These suit dapple greys and whites especially well.
- Sol
- Duende
- Carmen
- Bravo
- Alma
- Cielo
- Diego
- Estrella
Appaloosa names
The spotted coat calls for names of stars, sky and open country.
- Comet
- Scout
- Dakota
- Speckle
- Nova
- Galaxy
- Maverick
- Willow
Show names for the entry list
A show name is two or three words that sound good when read out by an announcer. Riders usually pair it with one of the short names above as the barn name.
- Midnight Serenade
- Northern Light
- Silver Lining
- Golden Hour
- Winter Solstice
- Wild Card
- Second Chance
- Autumn Fire
- Royal Flush
- Sea Breeze
- Morning Glory
- Velvet Thunder
- Paper Moon
- Last Dance
- First Frost
- Quiet Storm
In Finland, where the sport began, riders often name their horses in Finnish, and the same is true in Germany, Sweden and everywhere else the sport has spread. A name in your own language is not less serious. The point is that the horse feels like yours.
Naming a horse you have not bought yet
Plenty of riders choose the name first and then look for the horse to match it. That works well with a breed in mind: pick a Frisian name, then find the black Friesian that suits it. Every horse in our range comes without a name on purpose. The first thing most owners do is write one on the tag.
Find the horse, then give it the name. Every coat and breed, ready to ride.
Shop Hobby HorsesFrom our stable
Leonore - Black Friesian Hobby Horse · Goliath - Black Tobiano Paint Horse Hobby Horse · Spirit - Palomino Hobby Horse, Cream Mane · Ash - Dapple Grey Andalusian Hobby Horse
Can two hobby horses at a show have the same name?
Yes, there is no registry. But announcers and judges appreciate it when they do not have to say "the other Shadow", which is a good reason to check your club's start list first.
Should the name match the sex of the horse?
Only if you want it to. Many riders give their horse a sex when they name it, and it is part of the fun. Nobody checks.
Can I rename a hobby horse?
Of course. Riders rename horses when they change discipline, when the horse gets a new bridle, or just because the old name never fit. A horse that has been Biscuit for two years can become Duende tomorrow.
What is a good name for a unicorn hobby horse?
Anything from the grey and palomino lists works, or go all in: Aurora, Stardust, Prism, Candy, Celeste, Nebula.