What's in a Name?

I thought the issue had been settled. Except last night as I was doing chores Stella escaped. She must have felt she had done something special with her head held high, spring in her step, prancing around the larger corral. Watching her I decided I wasn't going to try to herd her back into her pen, she could wait until daylight.

Today I waddled out in my winter boots, Carharts, winter jacket, mittens, toque and balaclava. Stella took one look at me, snorted and began the prance, blow routine. Thinking she'd settle down, I got on with the business of feeding everything. With everything thing happily munching on breakfast I began the let me catch you dance with Stella.

She'd gallop to a corner, I quietly (well as quietly as one can in winter gear during frigid temperatures) walk towards her, doing the sideways shuffle hand held out. She'd squirt out and begin to run around the corral, stopping only to bounce and blow. Around and around we danced. Starting to feel aggravated as my nose burned from the cold, I stepped up the pressure. Muttering unkind words about her heritage I tried to chased her into her smaller pen. Stomping back to the hay storage shed, I pulled out the big guns, shaking the oat bucket I walked into her little pen and dumped some oats into her feeder.

Back to the get her into her pen dance. Finally she went into the small pen. I once again began the let me catch you dance. Starting with her sniffing my hand, I moved up to touching her neck and face. The next challenge was to get the lead rope around her neck. More dancing. Rope on, I began the operation of no sudden movement haltering. Finally, finally the halter was on. I snapped the lead rope to the halter and led her to the water trough and back. She happily pranced along side of me. And this got me to thinking, was she really a Stella or was she a different name?

Initially, when thinking of names for her I went along alcoholic lines, to fit with the rest of my horse herd. Whiskey (for the song 'Whiskey Girl"), Buddy (works with Budweiser), and Stella (for the British beer). However, the name Stella seems to stumble off my tongue when I try to use it. The name implies to me a lady-like quiet, classy horse. I'm starting to wonder if Stella is really a Roxy. I usually resort to calling her Squirt. But I really don't like the name Squirt for a name. My friend's horse is named Dirt Face so I really shouldn't be so picky. But I am. So I ask what's in a name? Does it really matter?

Top photo: Roxy (December 25/08) deciding if she's going to let me approach.
Bottom photo: Roxy (October 2008) just after she came home, running away.