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Stable Eyes

Justin Morgan had a Horse

- but do you know that horse's name?

Of course for horse lovers, horses have a big part to play in the holiday scene. My favorite Christmas card shows a majestic bay colored Clydesdale pulling home the Christmas tree. His red coat and shaggy black legs contrast against the white snow. The famous Budweiser draft horse team also makes holiday appearances.

When I hear bells jingle I think of Bob Tail. (Bob Tail is the name of a horse in the song, “Sleigh Ride.”) I picture a light breed of harness horse pulling “a one horse open sleigh.” In my mind the horse is jet black with flowing mane and tail. His head is held high, on a well-crested (arched) neck that sets back on a broad chest and long sloping shoulder. Bob Tail looks like a Morgan to me. Known for their stamina, vigor and eagerness to please, Bob Tail could easily whisk us away all afternoon and into the night. He would enjoy it almost as much as we would!

The Morgan’s face is inquisitive, slightly dished (concave shape) with big eyes and nostrils. The tail is high set and elegantly held. They average 14.1 – 15.2 hands (about five feet from the ground to the withers on his back). They are usually a black, bay, or chestnut color.

It is commonly known that the Morgan breed was established from a single stallion owned by a man named Justin Morgan. Not many people know the name of the horse though, and no one knows all the details of his life. And did you know that Justin Morgan gave our country musical gifts as well as a wonderful breed of horse to treasure?

His music has just been recognized in this century. Born in 1747 in Springfield Massachusetts , his music is considered to be America ’s first distinctive style. By 1810 his music went out of style and was even made fun of as European composers came in vogue. His music continued to be used however, and has developed into today’s folk music.

Like most men at the time, Justin Morgan was a “jack of many trades” including that of a Stallioneer (known today as a breeder). Springfield Massachusetts was a good place for him to be. It was a cavalry depot for the Revolutionary war, and it was also close to the acknowledged horse center of the times, Hartford , Connecticut .

For some reason however, Justin Morgan sold his property in 1788 and moved to Vermont . The move may have been due to high taxes in Massachusetts . He had only one mare left at the time and he bred that mare to a stallion named True Briton. True Briton was said to have “the best of English blood.” It is speculated that may have referred to Thoroughbred, Welsh Cob, or Friesian bloodlines.

In the spring of 1789 that mare gave birth to a bay stud colt that would sire a whole new breed and become known as the Justin Morgan horse. The colt’s name was Figure.

Legends of his racing and pulling ability abound. Some are fact, some are myth. His life is not easily traced. Justin Morgan stood him at stud from 1792-1795. A very valuable asset during a time when bartering and trading were common forms of payment, Figure was leased and sold many times within the Vermont , Connecticut , and Maryland areas.

One story that we know to be true is Figure’s big racing victory over two New York running horses. The bay farm horse won the race easily. It was 1796 in Brookfield , Vt. , and you can go there today to see the stretch of road now called, “the Morgan mile.” We also know that Figure was a parade mount for President James Monroe in Montpelier , Vt. on July 22, 1817.

Figure’s most respected quality was his ability to reproduce himself. His foals were instantly recognizable for their distinctive look. They were sought after for their stamina, beauty, willingness to please and heartiness. They were known to be “easy keepers” meaning they maintain their weight and strength with little feed. They were the perfect general-purpose horses of the farm, stagecoaches, and early harness racers.

In 1798 at the age of 57, Justin Morgan died, from what is known today as Tuberculosis. And in 1821, at the age of 32, Figure died from an injury.

The Morgan horse was in such high demand by the 1830’s and 1840’s that many owners in Vermont were able to pay off their mortgages or provide school tuition for their children with the sale of a single Morgan horse. The 1st Vermont Cavalry was mounted exclusively on Morgans during the Civil War.

After the Civil War other, more specialized breeds of horses became popular. The Morgan helped lay the foundation for other American breeds such as the Standardbred, American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse, and Quarter Horse.

Today the Morgan breed is still popular. As in many breeds, there are “foundation” lines that try to stay true to the founding sire’s form, and then there are more modern bloodlines that evolve the breed to modern tastes and styles. Visit the American Morgan Horse Association http://www.morganhorse.com/ and check out the beautiful photos of the 2001 featured stallions. My favorites are Merriehill Chicagoan, and UVM Springfield.

Morgans in the show arena today are almost indistinguishable from the American Saddlebred. Surely it is the majestic head and neck that Figure possessed, but I think Figure’s disposition and way of going may have been closer to the Standardbred. Morgans, Saddlebreds, Standardbreds, Tennessee Walking Horses and Quarter Horses all boast about their versatility, which was undoubtedly one of Figure’s strongest traits.

You can learn more about the history of the Morgan breed at the National Museum of the Morgan Horse. http://members.tripod.com/%7ENMMH/ The site has special sections for the Morgan’s history in the west, in American history and in the Civil War.

I hope you will take a moment during this busy season, close your eyes, and pretend you are with your best friend, snuggled under nice warm blankets in an open sleigh. In front of you a strong, elegant Morgan eagerly pulls your sleigh as you glide across the countryside. Feel the tingle on your cheeks and nose as you breathe in the cold crisp air. The only sounds are the soft hoof beats in the snow and jingle of bells on the harness. My Christmas gift to you!