Foundation Horses Series #4:
Blue Monday, Choctaw's Most Influential Daughter?

The little grey mare named Blue Monday SMR #157 was bred on the Cayuse Ranch, sired by Choctaw, the Oklahoma transplant whose fictional alter-ego carried Bob Brislawn in Margueret Henry's San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion. Her dam was Jennet #151 which the SMR Stud Book simply lists as "Iron grey mare, foaled 1964, with both sire and dam listed as "feral Spanish Mustang". The today's SMR Stud Book lists Jennet's last owner as Robert Elkens of Richardton, ND. However in her original listing in Tally Book of the SMR, published in 1969, she was still owned by Emmett Brislawn. It is interesting to note that Choctaw's SMR number today is #66, but in the Tally Book he was recorded as #156, just before Blue Monday, and #66 was a blank or unused number. Was it a tribute to Choctaw's good qualities that he was chosen to fill in the blank, and given an earlier number in later issues?

Blue Monday was primarily a brood mare and produced many horses which continue her legacy today, most notably the many foals by Crane bred at Porterville at the Wild Horse Research Farm which later became the Horse of the Americas. But she also produced Macho #413 by Ka-Maw-I.

Other Choctaw daughters include another great producer Chilili #253 out of Cedro #28, and Apache Maid out of Lio Mercy #11. His son Choctaw II #318 out of Mexicali Rose #28 was much more prolific.