The series ' title music , `` Old Ned '' , won its composer Ron Grainer his second successive Ivor Novello award . The series had no standard set of opening titles but the opening sequences would often feature the Steptoe 's horse , Hercules . `` Steptoe and Son '' is the Steptoes ' trading name , but as established in the first episode , the `` Son '' is not Harold as initially believed , but Albert . The name dates from when he and his mother -- Mrs. Steptoe -- worked the rounds . The first series has the pair as very rough looking and often dirty and wearing ragged clothes , but they quickly `` tidied up '' for later series .

Question: what was the name of the horse in steptoe and son
Answer: Hercules