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History of the Breed Justin Morgan was a teacher, composer, businessman, and horseman who had moved to Randolph, Vermont from Springfield, Massachusetts in 1788. He acquired a bay colt, born in 1789, giving him the name Figure. This colt was the founding sire of the Morgan breed. While his true origins remain hidden in history, Figure is thought to have been sired by True Briton, a horse widely respected for his excellence and known as a sire of quality horses. Figure's dam, was "...of the Wild-air breed, of middling size, with a heavy chest, of a light bay color, with a bushy mane and tail - the hair on the legs rather long, and a smooth, handsome traveler." Her sire was Diamond; a son of Church's Wildair by Wildair (Delancey's) out of a mare owned by Samuel Burt named Wildair. As Figure grew, his compact muscular body and stylish way of moving impressed many of the pioneer farmers and settlers. Soon tales of his beauty, strength, speed, hardiness, endurance, and gentle disposition spread amidst the small New England towns. His ability to outwalk, outtrot, outrun, and outpull other horses were legendary. His stud services were offered throughout the Connecticut River Valley and various Vermont locations over his lifetime. His most valuable asset, however, was the ability to pass on his distinguishing characteristics, not only to his offspring but also through several generations. After Justin Morgan's death, Figure moved on to other owners and spent a life working on farms, hauling freight, and as a parade mount at militia trainings. In the practice of the day, he became known by his former owner's name, the Justin Morgan horse. He spent his life working and died in 1821 from an untreated kick received from another horse. His three most famous sons - Sherman, Bulrush, and Woodbury - would carry on his legacy to future generations of Morgan horses.
The offspring of Justin Morgan's sons and daughters grew along with the young nation that was building itself upon hard work and determination. Morgans worked along side their owners clearing fields and forests. When the week's work was done, they provided transportation to Saturday market and Sunday meeting. In addition, they pulled stagecoaches throughout New England. In the 1840's several breeders in Vermont and western New Hampshire began efforts to concentrate the Morgan lines. By locating second, third, and fourth generation descendants of the original Morgan horse, they established the foundations of the breed. By the mid-1850's Morgans were selling for high prices and were widely distributed across the United States. Morgans set world-trotting records when the sport of harness racing was in its infancy. Black Hawk and his son Ethan Allen were nationally famous and became household words. The majority of Morgans, however, did their daily work willingly and efficiently. They were highly regarded as general-purpose horses capable of performing a wide variety of tasks. During the Civil War, Morgans served as cavalry mounts and artillery horses. A cavalryman was only as good as his horse and the Morgan is mentioned in many sources as a highly desired horse during the Civil War. The First Vermont Cavalry, mounted entirely on Morgans, gained a wide spread reputation as a fighting unit. Of their more than 1200 horses, only 200 survived the war. Morgans are noted for their small ears set above a broad forehead with large, kind eyes, tapered muzzle and expressive nostrils, an arched neck set on a well angled shoulder, broad chest, short back; deep, compact bodies set on legs with flat, dense bone; round croup, and round, hard hooves. Their proud bearing gives them a distinctive beauty that catches the eye of all.
The stamina and spirit of the Morgan, combined with its build and way of traveling, contributed greatly to the formation of other American breeds, including the Standardbred, Quarter Horse, Tennessee Walking Horse, and American Saddle Horse. The first Morgan Horse Register was published in 1894. Since it's establishment, the registry has listed over 179,000 Morgans with breeders located in all fifty states and overseas.
Today, Morgans can be found in all 50 states and in more than 20 foreign countries. Individuals generally range from 14.1 to 15.2 hands, with exceptions under and over that. All colors (with the possible exception of appaloosa spots) are allowed and found within the breed.The Morgan has remained a stylish mount with conformation that lends itself well to a vast range of disciplines. Morgan versatility is widely recognized. The breed's soundness, power, agility, and stamina make it the choice of many driving enthusiasts. Morgans comprise a large number of entries at Combined Driving and Carriage events, and were the first American breed to represent the United States in World Pairs Driving competition. Morgans also excel in many other disciplines, including Park Saddle and Harness, English and Classic Pleasure Saddle and Driving, Western, Hunter, Jumper, Eventing, Dressage, Reining, Cutting, Endurance and Competitive Trail. They are gentle enough for lessons, 4-H and Pony Club involvement, and due to their steady, comfortable gaits, are in great demand as therapeutic riding horses. Morgans are equally well known for their loving, kind dispositions. Those who buy a Morgan often say they have not only purchased a horse, but have welcomed a new family member.
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Painting of Justin Morgan likeness
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| Classic Morgan Families | |
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Old Government Most Morgans alive today, and most of the horses bred for sport purposes, include in their pedigrees horses from the Government farm. What was the Government farm, why was it created, and why should anyone breeding and using Morgans in the mid-1990's even care about such ancient history? In 1905, the U.S. Department of Agriculture established a Morgan breeding program at the experiment station in Burlington, Vermont. The purpose of this program was to produce horses with true Morgan type, while increasing size and yet retaining the traditional Morgan virtues: strength, athletic ability, endurance, versatility, temperament and economy. Two years later, Col. Joseph Battell (first editor of the American Morgan Horse Register), donated his family farm at Weybridge near Middlebury, Vermont. The breeding stock from the experiment farm station was relocated, and the United States Morgan Horse Farm was officially established. The foundation stallion for the Government farm was General Gates, foaled in 1894. General Gates was a full brother of Lord Clinton (the fastest trotting Morgan of his day). He remained as the primary Government stud until 1920, siring three famous stallions: Red Oak 5249 and Linsley 7233 (both of whom figure prominently in "western working" Morgan pedigrees), and Bennington 5693, who took his place as the primary stallion at the farm in 1925. Bennington was initially used as a sire of cavalry mounts, but went on to sire many of the most famous of the Government Morgans. Bred to Artemisia, a chestnut mare of old Vermont breeding, this "golden cross" produced a succession of top quality offspring that included Mansfield, Canfield, Ulysses, and Querido. These horses in turn created their own lines of champions in various fields and extended the influence of the Government Morgan throughout the breed. The Government Farm also instituted a testing process to ensure that only the best stock was used for breeding. This included 300-mile endurance rides, jumping, timed races, etc. The horses that were successful in the testing passed on their good conformation and fluid gaits as well as their stamina, versatility and good disposition. The long line of champions in the ring, on the trail and field, and in harness bear witness to the success of this program. Despite the farm's success, the government discontinued funding the U.S. Morgan Horse Farm in 1950. The University of Vermont took part of the herd and continued breeding. The remaining stock was dispersed among four universities and the general public. A number of Morgan horse breeders have based their breeding programs on the government lines and the influence of the U.S. Morgan Horse Farm is felt through out the breed to this day. In addition to the horses mentioned
above, some of the best known names in the government breeding
program are: Jean Martin |
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| Lippitt Of the four family lines, the Lippitt strain has the fewest numbers, though probably the most devoted fanciers. The Lippitt Morgan is a unique horse. It is a member of a group of morgans who trace back to the original "Figure," Justin Morgan's stallion, on a maximum number of lines with a minimum of known out crosses to other breeds of horses; no crosses at all to the Saddlebred. Other strains of horses appear of course, when pedigrees are traced back far enough, as is inevitable in the case of a breed descending from a single stallion. The name "Lippitt" is borrowed from the breeding prefix of Robert Lippitt Knight, a prominent Rhode Island figure, who established and operated the Green Mounntain Stock Farm in Randolf, Vermont from 1927 to 1962. With the purchase of the stallions Ashbrook and Moro and the mares Adeline Bundy, Nekomia, Croydon Mary and Green Mountain Twilight from the estate of A. Fullerton Phillips, he reestablished a strain already well known in northern Vermont. Carrying the blood of Ethan Allen 2nd and the famous old Peters Morgan, they were of a type best described as that of old Green Mountain Morgan 42 and his famous old sire Gifford Morgan 30. Small, shorter body and up-headed with a trappy gait, they were strong harness horses ideally suited to their mountain location. Tracing as they did in numerous lines back to Billy Root, Royal Morgan and the Hubbard Horse, they are often referred to as high percentage Morgans, carrying numerous crosses back to the original blood. Robert Lippitt Knight chose almost exclusively from the "Old Vermont" stock, although a few times he did outcross to Government and other lines to produce horses such as Lippitt Mandate, by the government stallion Mansfield. The foundation stock of the Lippitt
Club includes: Nancy Cowne |
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| Brunk One of the most prominent families in modern Morgans is that bred for many years by the Brunk family in and around Springfield, Illinois, established in 1893 with Joseph Brunk. The family's horses were known for their high action, sound, correct legs and feet and all around athletic ability. They were often line-bred and usually high quality, showy individuals. Their influence is felt strongly in the ranch breeding of the west known as the Western Working family. The original group of Morgan horses purchased by the late Joseph C.. Brunnk before the turn of the century were bred similarly to the old Lippitt founndation mares. These were old Daisy and Lucy, both by Billy Bodette, one of the best bred stallions of his day, carrying as he did lines back to Billy Root, Royal Morgan and the Hubbard horse. On mares of this type and breeding, Brunk first used the fine stallion Morgan Rupert by Ethan Allen 3rd. The Lucy-Rupert cross produced the stallion Senator, sire in turn of the great mare Senata, whose dam was old Daisy. Later the stronger trotting lines of Daniel Lambert were added to increase both action and size. Senata, with close to 100 lines back to Justin Morgan, remains the foundation stone of the Brunk line. A grand champion mare in her own right, her name is found with great frequency behind the best horses from this strain. Known for outstanding temperament, splendid action and great elegance, Brunk Morgans are probably best known by the great stallions Jubilee King (Penrod X Daisette) and Flyhawk (Go Hawk X Florette). Jubilee King was a big golden chestnut with flaxen mane and tail. He was rich in the blood of Daniel Lambert and is remembered for his superb style and his highly carried tail. His naturally high carried head was topped with tiny ears and gentle eyes. These characteristics as well as his springy step and big, wide-open trot are found in his descendants through many generations. Flyhawk was well known as one of the greatest sires of the Morgan breed -- he sired many great Morgans and his influence is still seen in many breeding programs who seek his big, ground-covering trot, dense bone, toughness and athleticism. The cross between Flyhawk and Senator Graham is considered by some breeders to be the golden cross in Morgan breeding. Some well known individuals
produced by this line: |
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| Working
Western The Western Working Family was developed over a long period of time (1880s to 1950s) by several ranchers and breeders in different Western states. With the rapid expansion of the cattle ranching empire in the mid 1800s, there developed a need for a tough, agile, sensible cow horse to work the ranches that often encompassed thousand of acres of rugged, open range. The Western Working Morgan was developed from a combination of old Vermont, Government, Brunk and old Midwest bloodlines. (The Midwest bloodlines traced back mainly to Black Hawk, with some Thoroughbred influence through Diomed, Messenger and Eclipse.) The result was a family of Morgans noted for good feet and legs, deep bodies, strong hindquarters, fast, ground-covering walk and trot, stamina, and an intelligent, sensible, willing temperament with lots of "heart" and cow savvy. Today, there are pure descendants of the early Western Working Morgans still being bred for ranch use as well as competitions and pleasure. Following are some of the many founding breeding programs of this family of classic Morgans: Sellman Ranch (1880s - 1925) Horseshoe Cattle Co. (1922-1955)
California Foundation stock: Mares from Sellman Ranch and Elmer Brown. Stallions: Piedmont Land and Cattle Co.
(California) Elmer Brown (1911 - 1939) Kansas Stallions: E.W. Roberts (1940 - 1956)
California Jackson Ranch (1920s to present)
Montana (Mortana Morgans) L.U. Sheep and Cattle Co.
(1927-1965) Wyoming. The L.U. horses were known for their amazing uniformity, quality, and versatility, reliable dispositions, easy gaits, stamina, agility and soundness. They also possessed great beauty, refinement and lofty carriage.. The stock was performance tested at the ranch and the diamonds were selected out by Mrs. Greenwalt to prove themselves in the show ring. Bloodlines used were a combination of Brunk and Government. Stallions: The Cross Ranch (1930s to 1960s)
Wyoming Foundation stock: Warhawk (Flyhawk x Sentola) bred by Helen Brunk Greenwalt. Renowned for his talent as a cow horse, his remarkable disposition, endurance, and longevity, he passed these characteristics on to his foals. Warhawk produced 100 foals for Cross and subsequent owners. Modern day prefixes and breeding
programs based on the Western Working family: Cindy Barlow |
Flyhawk
The Admiral
Stetson
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