Morgan

   

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Names:  Morgan.  There have been some breeds named in honor of one horse, but never before or since has there been a whole breed named for one man.  For, in this case, both the man and the horse carried the same name, Justin Morgan.

Origin:  There are many versions of the story of the origin of the Morgan breed, but they all agree on some key points.  In the 1790's, a Vermonter named Justin Morgan acquired a little, dark bay colt named Figure.  This horse became well known for his many talents--pulling stumps, dragging logs, and plowing, as well as winning races and pulling contests.  In those days, a horse was often called by its owner's name, and Figure became known as "Justin Morgan's horse" and finally, after his master's death, as Justin Morgan.  His descendants, of course, became known as Morgans.
    The ancestry of "Justin Morgan's horse" is not known for certain.  A relative of Morgan supported the claim of some that the horse's sire was a famous racing stallion, once the war charger of a British officer, named True Briton (also Beautiful Bay).  Others say that the horse Justin Morgan was sired by a
Dutch-bred horse named Young Bulrock.  Mr. Morgan, it was said by his son, called the bay stallion a "Dutch horse."  His dam was supposed to have been of the strain begun by an imported stallion named Wildair that was part Thoroughbred and part Arabian.  The Morgan Horse Register opts for True Briton and the Wildair mare as parents of Justin Morgan and puts the year of his birth at 1789.
    Breeding area and studs--USA; about one third of all breeding located in California, but also bred in most of the other states.  The most famous stud is the United States Morgan Horse Farm in Vermont.  Oldest breed of horses originating in the United States; has been breeding true to type for over 150 years.  Founded with a stallion born in Massachusetts in 1789.  The first volume of the Morgan Horse Register issued in 1850.  Considerable influence of the Morgan on all subsequent breeds originating in the United States, especially on the
Standard-bred Horse.

Breeding:  The stallion Justin Morgan is perhaps the best-known sire that has ever lived.  He is the direct ancestor of all Morgan horses and his characteristics have reproduced faithfully from generation to generation.  The quality of his get began to be noticed after he died at age 29.  The establishment of the Morgan breed came about largely through three of his sons--Sherman, Bulrush, and Woodbury--each of whom founded a family over many years of standing at stud in New England towns.  The Sherman strain was outstanding for speed.  Sherman's son Black Hawk was champion trotter of his day, supposedly unbeaten; he became founder of a subfamily, the Black Hawks.  Ethan Allan, a son of Black Hawk, was named trotting Champion of the World in 1853.
    By the 1850's, Morgans were in great demand, and Vermont was their foremost producer.  In the Civil War they proved fully as serviceable as the excellent
Thoroughbred cavalry mounts of the Confederate army.  Fortunately, the Army continued to propagate the breed for cavalry use after the war.  The Morgan's rank in the trotting world slipped as Standardbreds began setting the records.  But the Morgan remained a standby for farm, ranch, and road work.
    In the later 1800's, the integrity of the Morgan as a breed was threatened by interbreeding with
Standardbreds for the sake of giving the Morgan added speed.  As yet no registry existed, although a book, Morgan Horses by D. C. Linsley, published in 1857, had traced the development of the breed.  The Morgan Horse and Register finally appeared at the turn of the century, due to the efforts of Colonel Joseph Battell of Middlebury, Vermont, who had studied the breed for many years and had even given the Government a farm in Vermont for the breeding and improving of Morgan horses (run since 1951 by the University of Vermont).
    In the rivalry between horse and automobile that enlivened the early 1900's, the Morgan, like other breeds, lost ground.  Among its faithful supporters were Charles A. Stone and his son Whitney, who kept the register going.  Following World War II, Morgans began their comeback.  The current (1974) annual number of about 1,500 registrations is much more heartening than the 75 or so being registered yearly in the late 1920's.

Description:  Justin Morgan, the horse, was described as a smallish horse, about 14 hands high, that weighed perhaps 900 pounds.  A dark bay with a bold eye and big, lively action, its compact look was distinctive--part Arabian, part Dutch light-draft horse, closely coupled, with a short back, short, muscular legs, a thick, round barrel, massive shoulders, a full neck, and a fine head.  Today's Morgan has left behind some of the draft-horse style of Mr. Morgan's prepotent stallion, but the basic character is there.

Action:  Not a long stride, yet exceedingly industrious.  Energetic, springy action, especially in the trot.

Body:  Solid and well muscled.  Closely coupled and sturdy.  Deep and elegant.  Low and compact.  Neck characteristically powerful and arching with lofty head carriage; relatively short and packed with muscle.  Considerable depth in the girth.  Powerfully muscled shoulders.  Low withers.  Broad, short back.  Short, solid loins.  Long, slightly sloping quarters.

Color:  Bays, browns, and blacks are the colors usually seen, with an occasional chestnut.  Predominantly bay and chestnut.

Hair:  Thick tail.

Head:  Short and broad with strong cheeks.  Noticeably small ears; protruding eyes; nostrils, large and wide.  Intelligent face.

Legs:  Well-muscled.  Unusually long forearms and extremely short cannons.  Sound joints and tendons.

Size:  14-15.1 hands.  Between 14 and 15 hands.  15.2 to 16 hands.

Temperament:  Friendly, generous disposition.  The Morgan has a great calmness and courage for facing things as they come.  Justin Morgan, the horse, was noted for his patient and willing disposition and his eagerness to go.
    Very easily taught, of fiery temperament and faithful character.

Features:  Morgan's compact bay (Justin Morgan, the horse) was a true all-purpose horse:  mighty at moving stumps, rocks, and logs; unbeatable in quarter-mile sprints in harness or under saddle; fast-stepping and stylish on the road.  Morgans are long-lived.
    Versatile riding and carriage horse.  Exceptionally energetic, hardy, enduring, economic.

Uses:  Morgans were used principally as light harness horses and as harness racers until they were ousted from the tracks by less sturdy, but even faster Trotters.  Mechanization nearly finished the breed, but modern Morgans have been developed into first-rate saddle horses; the smaller type is now used as a general utility stock and pleasure horse.  Bred as ideal all-purpose horse.  Frequently used in police work.

Accomplishments:  Morgan influence can be seen in the Standardbred, the Saddlebred and the Tennessee Walking Horse.

Curiosities:  The breed can be seen at its best at the Morgan Horse Show held each year in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Profiles:  Justin Morgan - the foundation stallion of the breed, foaled in Vermont in the late 18th century, named after his owner, Justin Morgan, who is the only man to have a breed called after him.  It certainly owned Thoroughbred blood, if not conformation, and type-stamped its progeny so effectively that an admirable breed was established between 1795 and 1821.  His ability to outwalk, outtrot, outrun and outpull other horses was legendary.  (See the rest of the article for further information.)

Conclusion: 

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