The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-02-13

III harness. the JuSJl0 Morgan was
quiet but full of spirit, all eager, MIN
bic traveller, but patient in bad spots !;
and although for long time steadily
engaged in the heavy work of new
farm, the one who owned him at that
time informs us that he never knew
him to refuse to draw as often as he
was required to, and pithily added, Il
did not often have to ask him but once
for whatever he was hitched to gener-
ally had to come the first time trying
This uniform kindness at a pull was
one of the striking characteristics of the
horse, and the same trait may be OBJ
served in the greater part of his de-
scendants. Pulling matches and pull
ing bees were as common in those days
as short races, and the little horse, as
he was often called, became quite cee-
brated for his unvarying willingness to
do his best, and for his great power at
what is called a dead lift"
Under date of March ~, 1886, Mr.
Solomon Steele, gentleman of good
standing, and well versed in matters
pertaining to the horse, wrote Mr..
Linsley, from Derby Line, VT, saying
that cit was my privilege in early life
to often see the original Morgan borse
which Mr.. Morgan let to Robert Evans
for one year for the sum of SIS. I'm
mediately after this, Evans undertook
the job of clearing fifteen acres of heavy
timbered land for Mr.. Fisk, and before
the first of June following, had COM
pleted the job with no other team but
this colt, though not regarded as a sal
able horse.
"While Evans was engaged in piling
this timber, the remarkable p ,wers of
this horse, it would seem, were in a
measure developed, as he was found
able to out-walk, out-trot or out-run
every horse that was matched against
him. An instance was related to me
by Mr.. Nathan Nye, who was an eve
witness, and whose testimony was new
er questioned. | noted it at the time
and will relate it In his own words.
cat the time Evans had this horse, a
small tavern, a grist-mill ana saw.mill
were in operation on the branch of
White River in Randolph, and at this
place the strength of men and horses in
that settlement were generally tested.
'On one OCCASION says Nye, Il went to
these mills, where l spent most of a
day, and, during the time, many trials
were made, for small wager, to draw
certain piue log, which lay SOME ten
rods from the saw-mill.
"'Some horses were hitched to it
that would weigh 1900 pounds, but not
one of them could move the log its
length. About dusk Evans came down
from his logging field, which was near
by, and / told him the particulars of
the drawing-match. Evans requested
me to show him the log, which [ did !;
he then ran back TO the tavern and
challenged the company to bet gallon
of rum that he could not draw the log
fairly on to the log-way at three pulls
with his colt. The challenge was
promptly accepted, and, each having
taken glass, the whole company went
down to the spot.
"Arrived on the grounds, Evans
said, 81 am ashamed to hitch my horse
to little log like that, but if three of
you will get on and ride, if don't draw
1t | will forfeit the rum" According
ly, three of those least able to stand
were placed upon the log. | was pres.
ent with a lantern, and cautioned those
On the log to look out for their legs, as
| had seen the horse draw before, and
knew something must come. At the
word of command the horse started log
and men, and went more than half the
distance without stopping. On the next
pull, to The establishment of all present,
he landed his load at the spot agreed
upon. Not many days after this the
beaten parry proposed to Evans to run
a certain horse against his eighty rods,
for another gallon. Evans accepted,
went from his work, matched his horse
against four other horses the same
evening, and beat them al with ease.'
"Thus early in the history of the
Morgan horse it was an admitted fact
that, though small, he could not be
beaten where strength, speed and en-
uurance were the test. When we see
this same animal driven in harness, or
ridden by the aged and infirm with
perfect salty and confidence, and next
see him at military review, mounted
by the commander-in-chief, displaying
all the fire and pride imaginable; and,
after lapse Of nearly fifty years, wit
Messing the same remarkable traits in
many of his descendants, we are CON.
strained to admit that blood is, indeed
of no small importance in the business
of horse breeding. 1t should be well
understood that, throughout the long
lite of Justin Morgan, and also of his
Immediate offspring, want of size was
the universal and only objection. No
man OF ordinary judgment could fail to
discover his peculiar points OF excel
lence, his oblique shoulders, high crest,
fine ear, prominent and sagacious eye,
perfect head, large aud expanded nos
trils, strong loins, long hips, deep and
Widespread chest, high withers, short
pasterns, strong and sinewy limbs,
with all the important muscles far sur.
passing in size those of any other horse
of his weight seen in America.
The quietness and exceedingly
pleasant temper of the Justin Morgan
is strkingly evidenced by the fact that
he was often ridden and driven by
ladies. A lady of St. Johnsbury once
told Us she remembered his appearance
perfectly, and had repeatedly ridden
him, when girl, to balls and other
parties, and spoke with much enthusi.