The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-01-23

easier 10 rluc upon DuTc- DdCh ludu INC
sharp rail-back horses that there were
aud are. The holidays then, and as
late as 1915, were the training days,
aud the musters were the big trainings.
Here the MOrgans showed at the best
of advantage. Their beauty, style and
fine action and great courage made
them the favorite saddle-horses of the
commanding officers.
The reputation of "tbe Justin Nor
gan" as fine saddle-horse was so great
that he was sent for on the big days
from Boston to Montreal to be the sad
dle.hOrse of one of the officers. The
regulations of his son Woodbury. in this
respect, his grandson Clifford, and
cat.grandson Green Mountain Nor
gan OIale's) were all equally as good.
When the trainings were done away
with, the agricultural fairs took their
places as the days tor pleasure, and IA
great advance was made, as they are
much more interesting aud instructive
and all can enjoy them. The fairs were
not at first what they were in few
years. They were first held in the viii
lage, with the pens tor stock on each
side Of the street, and the horses were
shown in the street.
The Morgans were the popular
horses at first at the firs, and they
were awarded the palm.
The fairs proving so very attractive,
il was soon found that the streets were
not the place to hold them, so suitable
and perman mt grounds were had with
all the needed conveniences, and that
indispensable one, the trotting course.
This caused some of the good members
to groan-their piety being shocked at
racing being upheld, which would lead
to gambling. They do not see it qnile
as bad now, as many of them enjoy see
ing an interesting race.
The trotting course showed that the
form and gait of the MOrgans were
against them for developing great
speed. This does not include the Black
Hawks. 1t showed, too, that horses
more rangy.made, with longer stride,
could get over the ground faster with
out seeming to go as fast. The gait of
the saddle-horse is so different from
! that of the trotter that it is impossible
for a horse to be a good saddle-horse
and be fast trotter, the same as a ra-
Ger cannot be fast trotter. Had the
gait of the Morgans been cultivated tor
| trotting instead of for the saddle and
| the draught, then they would have
shown much better, as their high for.
ward action was taught them. They
were taught to dance, to tread, to take
short mincing steps. Those that did
not like them would say, they could
trot all day in half bushel, and they
would ask, when they were taking their
short steps, which way are they going
Quite laugh was caused by the re-
mark, when one of old Green Noun
tain's sons was treading his best,
"Why, he would make good turkey"
The Mexicans learned their horses to
step high by having them wear magni-
tying glasses. The lack of size and the
demand for larger and faster horses
caused the popularity of the Morgans
to decline. Their size was always
against them, as they did not average
more than II - hands, and their aver
age weight was not more tEan 900 lbs.
Had they averaged ID ID hands, and
weighed 1,0jO lbs, with their other
great qualities, they being sucn fine
drivers and great roadsters, they
would have been wanted for the
carriage, though they were not able
to go mile as fast as some as
f they could 60 all day and for a mum.
Der Of days with any of them. Since
1860, when the Morgans were the most
numerous in Vermont, Morgan stall
lions have been neglected, aud now
where once they were all MOrgaus
there is scarcely one of the old type OF
thirty years ago. Horses have been
used to give more size and speed; oc
, caslonally colt crops out at the pres
ent time, having all the characteristic,
of the Morgan blood, it having takeI
f back to some of its Morgan ancestors
, The MOrgans can be bred back trOu
/ the specime is, and many say they
! should be. 1t seems little provoking
; that it was not more generally known
, in regard to the blood and origin o
r ''the Justin Morgan when the horse
was living. 1t was nearly twenty.fiv,
: years after his death, and when his de
: scendants were becoming popular, tina
it was investigated and then it wa
caused in part by the lies that had beer
2 told in regard 10 it. There is in every
! town few that assume to know every
! thing in regard to horse matters au(
horse history. They disgust every in
G telligent person by their ignorance anC
: lack of conscience. They think to ge
/ some reputation by claiming to know
{ in regard to a celebrated horse. Tin
e false statement of one of these persons
/ that the horse Justin Morgan was tax
e en- from Canada and was FrencI
I horse, brought out the indignant denia
n of those that knew better. There wer
e those then living that knew Mr.. Nor
1 gan took the horse to Randolph from
S Springfield, Mass. This fact was estab
|. lished beyond "A doubt. 1t was wei
e known, when Mr.. Morgan owned tn
5 horse, where he came from. Nothin
J. has been found to show that Mr.. Mon
e gan said anything in regard TO the ped
II igree OF his horse. He must have civ
2 EN- it to some, and they did not think
= Of consequence enough to preserve il
!, But the statement of John MOrga
s. makes it clear. lie said he was Twin
d at West Springfield at the time JUST
Is Morgan got The two-year-old colt an
@ knew his sire was True Briton and hi