Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1894-03-24
THIS ORIGINAL MORGAN HORSE.


Developed For Size.
Solomon Steele. who knew the orig
iDal Morgan horse. Justin Morgan. sal
he could Cutdraw, outwaik, o.ttrot and
outrun any horse ever matched against
him. D. c. Linsley. who wrote his
tory of him, says:
The original. or Justin Morgan, was
about Ii hands nigh and weigh ID about
$50 pounds. His color was dark bay
with black legs, name and tail. Ho
had no white hairs on him. His mane
and tail were coarse and heavy, but not:
so massive as has sometimes been de-
scribed; the hair of both was straight
and not inclined to curl His head was
good, not extremely small. but lean and
bony, the face straight, forehead broad,
ears small and very fine. but set rather
wide apart. His eyes We're mediuni
size, very dark and prominent, with
spirited but pleasant expression, and
showed no white round the edge of the
lid. His nostrils We're very large, the
muzzle small and the lips close and
firm. His back and legs were perhaps:
his most noticeable points. The tor1ner
was very short, the shoulder blade an'1
hip bones being very long and ob!;que,
ard the elQinsoSceet.ingly broad and mus
cular. His body was rather long, round
and deep, close ribbed up; chest deep
and wide, with the brcastbone project
ing a good deal in front His legs were
short, close jointed, thin, but very wide,
hard and free from meat. with muscles
that We're remarkably large fer horse
OF his size, and this superabundanca of
muscle exhibited itself at every step.
His hair was short and at almost alI
seasons soft and glossy. He had lit,
tie long hair about the fetlocks and for
two OF three inches above the fctlock on
the back side of tho legs: the rest Of
the limbs was entirely free from it.
His feet were small, but well shaped,
and he was in every respect perfectly
sound and free from any sort of blenl-
ish. He was a very fast walker. In
trotting his gait was low and smooth
and his step short and nervous; he was
not what i'll these days would be called
fast, and we think it doubtful if he
could trot a mile much if any within
four minutes, though it is claimed by
many that he coulsl trot it III three.
Although he raised his feet but little,
he never stumbled. lis proud, bold
and fearless style Of movement and his
vigorous, untiriiig action have perhaps
never been surpassed d. When rider
was on him, he was obcGient to tho
slightest motion cf the rl;n, would walk
back rapidly under a gentle pressure Of
the bit and move Sideways almost as
willingly as lie moved forward. III short.
was perfectly tiained to all the PAGES
md eyolutions of a parade horse. and
when ridden at military reviews-a:s
was frequently the case-his bold, i'm
posing style and spirited, nervous ac~-
ion attracted universal attention and
admiration. l:e was perfectly gentle
and kind to handle and loved to be-
sroomed and caresscd, but he disEked
0 have children about him and had all
nveterate hatred Tor dogs, If loose al
ways chasing them out of sight the in
tant he saw them. When taken cnt
With halter or bride. he WAS in cor
y
! fleet runner at short distances. Run
hing horses short distances for small
takes was very common in Vermont so
ears ago. Eighty rods was very gen
rally the lcngth of tie course. Among.
he many races Of this description that
'e ran were two in / 1876, at B1ookfield,
IT,, one with I; horse called Sweepstakes
rom Long Island, and the other with a
orse called Silycrtail from ST. Law
ence county, n Y Both Ct these he.
eat with ease. Mr.. Morgan, who then
wned him. offered to give the owner of
ilveltail two more chances to win the
take, which w2s 800, hy walking or
rottins Tie horses Tor it, but tho o.Ter
7as declined.
In harness Justin Morgan was quiet,
ut flll CT spirit, s,l eager and nl.rble
'ayeler, Int patient in lad arots, and
Though for a long time steadily cn-'
aged in the heavy worh, Of a new farm
is owner at that time informs US that
G never knew him to refuse to G1aw as'
ten as he was required to, but he pitE-
y adds, II didn't very often have to-
* hlm but onca, for whatever he was
'tched to generally had to come the
cst time trying This uniform kind
ess at q pull was one Ct the striking
of the horse and the
me trait may be Observed i'll the great
part Of his descendants. Pu!iin.
atches and pulling bees were as COM
on in those days as short races, and
e little horse, as he was often called,
came quite celebrated for his unvary-
g willingness to do his best and for
g great power at what is called dea,s
e.