How Ivan Got His Full Name

When the new horses came to the farm last week the girls knew that they wanted to rename them. The names they had weren't terrible but they just weren't the girls' names.

I was surprised when they had them renamed that very evening after getting them home and snuggled in. Holly and Ivan. After the girls' favorite Christmas carol, The Holly and the Ivy.

"Ivan," dad said, "is a perfect name for the gelding cause he is certainly big enough to be an Ivan, and he is kinda blonde."

The names have stuck. No second guessing. Everyone is totally comfortable with the new names, including Holly and Ivan.

But now Ivan isn't just Ivan anymore. After today...

It's "Ivan-Hoe"