Name Decided

After many months spent worrying over both his name and wondering what his final color would be, both are decided and Danny's registration papers were mailed yesterday. The color was actually the hardest; Danny has been through so many changes and sometimes, I swear, he's been almost spotted...or maybe I should say splotchy since there was never a touch of white on him. Now his face and especially his nose are covered with gray hairs that are starting to spread to the rest of his body. The nice lady that I spoke with at the MFTBA told me that I should register him Black turning Gray. She assured me that this choice was on the breeding certificate but I couldn't find it. What I did find was Black Roan. I had no idea what that was and thought perhaps that was his color but roaning, from any color, never occurs on the face just the body. I never thought he was Black anyway. Huston has always said that Danny is a Liver Chestnut but there is no selection for Chestnut turning Gray either. So, in the end, I just put Gray and in the notes for markings area, I put, "None but born without any markings and now Liver Chestnut turning Gray." Huston told me that he wished he'd registered Mouse as a Silver Dapple instead of a Gray but it is almost impossible to truly determine eventual color at this young age. I did "google" chestnut turning gray and discovered that the lovely rose gray called steel gray is the color he will most likely be by the time he's a yearling. I'm sure that he'll be beautiful whatever his color. I'd planned on showing him at model class but my friend, Fran Forrester, told me that I'd have to keep him out of the sun and free of scars and marks for that. I don't want to restrict his youthful exuberance and also, he's been skinning his knees...shoulders, nose, etc...since he was two weeks old, typical little boy.

Although the color was difficult to determine, choosing a name wasn't much easier. Huston loves the name Flyby which is the name of a horse in a favorite book of his. Flyby was the easiest choice because I searched the MFTBA registry records and there are no Flybys and only three Fly Bys. Danny or Danny Boy was impossible since there was a famous WGC champion in the 70's that was short lived unfortunately but evidently very prolific. His foals were sought after and established a long line of Danny name variations. My next choice was Sandman or Sandeman (indulge me;). Again, there was a stallion named Sandman and many foals named after him. So, I called Huston and I said, "What about just Traveler's Flyby?" He said that he liked that. I said, "Well, why not his sire's second name also, Traveler's Sensational Flyby?" He got very excited and said that is the one! He felt it had impact and he feels people will remember it when Danny is one day WGC. Of course, I'm joking but I'm not so certain that Huston is. He is so happy that we are now planning on leaving Danny a stallion for now. He kept telling me before, when I was determined to geld, that a gelding had never won the world championship. Now, I think, whether he will actually admit it or not, that he truly feels that Danny might have a chance at the championship. He said to me when he met Danny, "This may be the horse that changes the entire breed." I need to get busy and make enough money to pay for all that training, haha. Who actually knows what the future holds for my sweet little guy? I still am not even sure what color he will be and even though a registered name is finally decided, Traveler's Sensational Flyby, he will always be Danny Boy to me.