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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Not-So-Speedy

12/8/2016

 
Lytha, from A Horse Crazy American in Germany, recently snickered over the idea of Speedy not being a very forward thinking horse. That's how I described him in a post from a few days ago. You can see it here. Yeah, I know ... Speedy's not very speedy.
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Three year old Speedy
So in case you missed it before, here's how Speedy got his name ...

When I bought Speedy, I was many years into endurance riding and had completed numerous races. My number two horse was being downgraded to a family trail horse, so I needed a new back up horse for my mare.

I was looking specifically for a gray gelding. I spotted Speedy on Endurance.net and made arrangements to see him. He checked off most of my boxes, so I bought him. He was a very green-broke three year old.
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Five year old Speedy
We made arrangements to pick Speedy up the next day, so on our three-hour drive home, I tried out lots of names. His Arabian Horse Registery name is G Ima Starr FA, but I didn't want to call him Star. I looked at his parents' names and saw that his dam's name was G Im Fast, and her sire's name was Fast Ptrack. That got me thinking.

Speedy was to be my next endurance horse, but I didn't know how quick he'd be. Slow or fast, I thought it would be cute if he had a racing name. Even back then I was following NASCAR, so we tried out a few drivers' names: Dale, Jimmie, Gordon - but none of them quite worked.

Then I thought of Speed Racer. You might remember the cartoon; I loved it. There was this catchy little jingle that went something like Go, Speed Racer; Go, Speed Racer; Go, Speedy Racer ... Goooooo!
So Speed Racer started to get the nod, but then I remembered how much I liked to tell my students not to be such a Speedy Gonzales. If you're old enough, you might remember that cartoon, too. If you were a kid growing up in the 70s like me, you know all about Saturday morning cartoons.
And that was it. Speed Racer meets Speedy Gonzales. My gray pony had a name: Speedy G. As it turned out, Speedy never was very speedy. He poked along the endurance trail, but he took excellent care of both of us, never once getting us into trouble. As a dressage horse, he's not very forward thinking, but on the other hand, he's super reliable and fun to show.
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Seven year old Speedy
I've already got a forward thinking horse in Izzy. I don't need two of them. I love Speedy just the way he is ... Not-so-Speedy!
Tracy link
12/8/2016 05:42:43 am

Oh my goodness, I LOVE this story, haha! Even though he's not very fast, his name just... suits him. I can't imagine calling Speedy G anything else

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/8/2016 06:45:18 am

I know, right?! He's just Speedy G. :0)

Leah link
12/8/2016 06:00:55 am

I loved Speed Racer when I was a kid!! 😁

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/8/2016 06:46:18 am

Me too!!!! I guess I shouldn't be so surprised that I am a NASCAR fan now. :0)

jenj
12/8/2016 06:35:38 am

I love stories of how horses get their barn names!

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/8/2016 06:49:04 am

I do too! Izzy doesn't have a fun story. His RPSI registered name is Imperioso. I wanted something to play off that, and Izzy just came to mind, although I do like to play around with it. I ask him "Is he" questions all the time. Izzy big and brown? Izzy hungry? And so on. :0)

Dom
12/8/2016 08:05:52 am

I knew he wasn't very speedy, but I always wondered how he got his name. Great post!

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/8/2016 12:38:32 pm

I've told the story before, but it's been a while. :0)

lytha
12/8/2016 09:28:57 am

If only you knew!

I'm at a big barn now to restart my horse, and I rode for the first time this week. A lady who did endurance on her Standardbred said, "Hey, I saw you have an endurance saddle, very nice!" I said, "Oh, you think so?" She said, "You plan on doing endurance with Mag?" I said, "Oh, that would be nice...." But honestly I'm so stuck in the thought of just riding him at all, I cannot think about it. (And, well, endurance in Germany...)

Later I said to her, "I have to tell you why I hesitated when you asked if my Arabian could do endurance. See, I was looking online and found his brother for sale, because he was supposed to be an endurance horse, but turned out to be too lazy."

"An Arabian, unmotivated to do endurance? I cannot imagine," she said.

I agreed, "I've never heard of it."

Then I thought well, I might know one Arabian who prefers to save his energy for other things....in Bakersfield.

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/8/2016 12:41:06 pm

Even without the "speed," Speedy was an excellent endurance horse. He never wasted a drop of energy, but he went where I pointed, drank like a fish, and ate like a ... well, like a horse! Lol

AareneX link
12/8/2016 10:14:31 am

I love this--Speed Racer and Speedy Gonzalez, and Speedy G!

I'm always careful about names. My friend has a "dressage" horse she named "Willfullness," which was a nice play on his parents' names, but asking for trouble--like naming a boat "Titanic!"

Bakersfield Dressage link
12/8/2016 12:39:45 pm

Yep. No animal of mine will never be called Lucky. LOL


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
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    Photo by Lori Ovanessian

    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
Contact her at bakersfielddressage@gmail.com
  • Home
  • About
  • My Horses
    • Horses
    • Imperioso
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Local
    • Shopping List
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