The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-03-27
S5orse Department.
Morgan Horses.

FACTS ABOUT THE BREEDING OF JUSTIN
MORGAN, VERMONT BLACK HAWK AND
ETHAN ALLEN.
We propose to republish from the
american CultirdtOr u series of arti-
cles on the above topics. The eighth
instalment is given below. The sub
ject under discussion is Ethan Allen:
Mr.. Liusey, in his essay on Morgan
horses, mentions four of the sons of
Flying Morgan. These were the
Rounds Colt, which was black; Fly
ing Morgan Sprout, a dark chestnut;
Robin, light chestnut or sorrel, and
Stranger, whose color was also Il dark
chestnut. The above were all excel
lent horses, but the records show that
neither of them ever got a winner. 1t
will be noticed that they are all unlike
their sire in color, yet it must
not be inferred that Flying Nor
gan got nothing but blacks and
chestnuts. His son Ira Allen was a
bay. BY comparing Flying Morgan
with his near ancestors, it will be no.
ticed that he bears but little resem-
blance to them in size and color than
Ethan Allen to Vermont Black Hawk,
or the latter to his sire. Sherman Nor
gan.
Flying Morgan's sire, grandsire and
great-grandsire, on his paternal side,
were all chestnuts, and were from 100
to 40 pounds heavier than himself.
His dam was also from chestnut stock,
her sire being dark chestnut weigh
ing about 1920 pounds. 1t was an AK
ION among breeders few years since
that "like begets like" but it was found
necessary to qualify that somewhat, and
the modern axiom is, like begets like,
or the likeness of some ancestor" Fly
ing Morgan seems to have been a re-
production of the original Justin Nor
gan with slight notifications, that is,
he threw back, as it is termed, to JUS
tin Morgan and inherited the form,
color and general characteristics of the
founder of the Morgan family. Ethan
Allen, which was one remove nearer
the original Morgan on his slre's side,
also threw back to his great grandsire,
Justin Morgan, the same as Flying
Morgan, hence the resemblance be-
tween the latter and Ethan Allen was
very strong. In some points, however,
they differed very materially, the finish
of Ethan Allen, as well as his marks,
bearing a strong resemblance to the
dam of his grandsire, Sherman Nor
gan.
While Ethan Allen possessed some
of the leading characteristics of his
great-grandsire, Justin Morgan, it will
be perceived that he also bore strong
resemblance in three important particu-
lars to the dam of his grandsire, Sher-
man Morgan, which, although not per
feet in the hooks, was very handsome,
| highly finished animal, with three
white feet and q white stripe in her
face. Ethan Allen was a much better
! finished horse than Flying Morgan, and
excelled in this respect every other
member of the Morgan family. This
quality he must have inherited from
some ancestor, and it was one of the
distinguishing characteristics of the
dam of Sherman Morgan. Now while
the hooks of Flying Morgan were de-
scribed by his owner as every conpact
and wedge-shaped," those of Ethan
Allen were of qnie diff rent pattern,
as were also those of Sherman Morgan's
dam, The marks of Ethan Allen, too,
above.named mare, both having three
white feet ana stripe in the
face.
Instances of animals throwing back
in this manner are so frequent that
they will readily suggest themselves to
the mind of every breeder of even or
binary experience. Last season when
the beautiful little trOtting mare Belle
Shackett dropped into the 2.30 list, it
was generally suppose that she was a
daughter of Daniel Lambert. IL was
finally learned from Mr.. A G.. Harris.
who had charge of Daniel Lambert and
Abraham at the time Shackett was
bred, that she was by Abraham The
resemblance between Belle Shackett
and Daniel Lambert is strong that ma
ny refused at first to believe that
she was by the bay son of
Lambert, arguing that her form, style
and color pointed Enthusiastically to
Daniel Lambert as her sire. The
: books, witnesses and dates, however,
show that she was by Abraham, while
e. her general characteristics prove that
she was got in the likeness of some an
cestor.
In communication from Waits
: field, VT, correspondent, published in
5 our issue of August % last, the state
= ment is made that none of the descend
ants of Ethan Allen were black
] Speaking from his own limited obser.
l walton, and Judging from his stand
: point, he may think himself correct
a for, according to his argument, if q
: mare bred to Ethan Allen dropped 8