MOONBOW
(Adiel's Casino Gold X TMB Harvest Moon)
2003 cremello mare, 14.0

photo: Janine Welsh

What is a moonbow? You can find out more here. Moonbow's name is a nostalgic throwback to the simple one-word names of famous Morgan broodmares of the past (many colorful Morgan mares from the Cross Ranch, for example, had one-word names of flowers and native plants).

Moonbow is a friendly mare who has a high opinion of herself- it's as if she knows she's beautiful and special. She was sold at three months of age and after producing several very nice foals for Homestead Morgans in BC, is now owned by Elnoresh Morgans in Ontario.

Adiel's Casino Gold	Sweet's Dexter	T-Bone Bimbo
		T-Bone Fella Della
	Eden Rose	Nugget Red Hanneman
		Patty Eager
TMB Harvest Moon	Carrollton	Culpepper Crescendo
		Render's Gold Torch
	Moon Magic	Shine On
		Becky Boone

Moonbow, just born. About 10:45 PM 1/17/03. The coldest night of the winter so far- the temperature was around 20 degrees and dropping. This was unusually cold weather for us here in the sunny south. Luna did not mind us working on drying her filly off vigorously, including using a hair dryer on her! The vet who saw the filly for us the next day (my regular vet was in Florida at a veterinary convention, the lucky guy!) commented that  foals born outside and unattended on raw nights like this often have the tips of their ears die and drop off from frostbite (eww!).


All the other horses are very excited and curious when a new foal arrives. Here Mimi and Pat are trying to get a better look. Moonbow is a small foal and my foal blanket was too big for her. We made due until morning when Jim went out and found this nice warm dog blanket for her. She is pretty furry too- definitely well dressed by mother nature for the occasion. In a week or so as she fills out and gets some meat on her bones I will not worry so much about her being cold.


Luna and her baby, day one. Look at those little curled ears on Moonbow! Her head looks very much like her half brother Roadie's did at the same age. She is also very compact, another Casino trait. She has her mama's funny cowlicks on her forehead.


It was 60 degrees this day (day three) and Moonbow is certainly enjoying it after her cold start!


Moonbow (3 days old) talking to Maddy through the fence.


Here is Moonbow with Luna on day ten.


It amazes me how much Moonbow's head resembles her half brother Roadie's. Casino definitely stamps his foals!


Moonbow at two weeks old. This is kind of an artsy photo. I wish I had gotten all of mama's head in the frame, but it also works like this. I really need to shoot some pictures with the "real" camera so I don't miss things, but the digital with its instant gratification has me spoiled!


Here are Moonbow and Luna with Roadie, Moonbow's palomino half brother (also by Adiel's Casino Gold) on the other side of the fence. Moonbow and Luna are standing with their butts up the hill a bit, so forgive Luna's topline in this picture- she is NOT rump high in the slightest. I am really pleased with Moonbow's conformation. Look how light Roadie's mane has gotten!


Another photo taken at two weeks. Moonbow is really filling out nicely.


Moonbow is not as active a foal as her brother Roadie is, but she is a lovely mover and when she's playing it is really something to watch!


Moonbow at one month old.


"A little to the left, please..." Moonbow gets scritchies from a visitor. She is five weeks old here. The look of ecstacy on her face is priceless! Cassidy is one of my former riding students/boarders who nowadays is busy with college. Her aged Morgan Almogordo now resides in FL with her uncle, so when she goes into "horsey withdrawal" my herd provides a much needed dose of "horse"!


Moonbow's camel imitation! Yes, she LOOOOVES to be scratched. Kellie Sharpe is doing the honors here.


Moonbow at two months of age, March 2003.


This was not an easy picture to get! Moonbow is very friendly and she thinks people exist for the sole purpose of giving her scritchies. Trying to keep her off of me long enough to get a head shot was NOT easy!


Moonbow is growing into an elegant, typy filly. Here she is in late April 2003 at just over three months of age.


October 2003, 9 months old, with Frosty.


December 2003, 11 months old. This was taken the day before Moonbow left for her new home.


Moonbow at the Celebrate the Morgan event at Eclipse Stables in Guthrie OK on September 10, 2005. Representing colorful Morgans in elegant style!


Moonbow and her 2008 cremello colt Hmstd Cream of the Crop (aka "Niblet") by Hmstd Gonna Tie One On. Photo courtesy of Janine Welsh.


November 2008: "MB" in training at Adiva Murphy's in Vancouver BC, and doing great!


May 2009- Moonbow and Adiva, both with and without a bridle! Moonbow has become one of the favorite lesson horses at Adiva's.


September 2009.