The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-11-30
Present Estimate of the Morgan Horse.

There is no breed of horses in this |
country 30 purely American as the |
Morgan. He dates back to the time
that tried mems souls. He is ours as |
trophy of the revolution, as the sire of |
the first animal that was ever known as |
Morgan was captured from a British |
officer. AT the time this breed origin
ated the demand was for an all-purpose
horse, and how well it filed this place,
every wel-posted lover of horse flesh
the country over knows. Numerous
tests and trials established the fact that
Justin Morgan, the first of his race,
could outwalk, outtrot, outrun, outpull
aud outstyle any other horse of his day,
and this same claim was made for his
offspring for years to come.
The old-time Morgan was small
animal, being fourteen and a half to
fifteen hands high and weighing from
eight to nine hundred pounds, but the
interesting and incredulous tales told
of his wonderful achievements, his
strength, powers of endurance, speed,
style and almost human sagacity would
ill volumes and yet the story would
not be half told. Up to the time that
Ethan Allen was dethroned as king of
the turf he had been the great speed
horse of the county, and even today,
many of our latest, truest, handsom-
est and enduring speed horses carry a
large percentage of the old Morgan
blood, and it detracts nothing from
their ability to achieve success, or their
price when put upon the market
But the Morgan horse today excels, as
he aid century ago, as a general pur-
pose horse. 1t is true this is an age of
specislties, and we now have breeds of
horses adapted to many special pur-
poses, but wthal there is a place and
and an increasing demand for an all
purpose horse, especially on the farm,
and the Morgan of today comes nearer
meeting the demand than anything
else.
MODERN LINES OF BREEDING.
AT the present time we find several
branches of the Morgan family in diff
ferent parts of the country, varying
| somewhat in size, condition aud points
| OF exec Hence. Some breeders there
are who still fancy the makeup of the
old-time pony Morgan, and breed
along the old lines as closely as posi-
Bile, aiming to keep out all blood foreign
to the breed. Their animals trace in
direct line through both sire and dam
to the old Justin Morgan. The fault
that is found with this sort of breeding
is that it produces animals that are too
small for present demands. Other
breeders there are, equally as ardent
admirers of the Morgan, who are bend
ing their energies not only to perpet-
uate the many points of excellence that
have been so long characteristic of this
breed, but by judicious infusion of
speed and roadster blood, are produc.
ing animals of increased size, up TO
present demands for fancy roadsters
and the farmers all-round horse. OF
these different branches of what we
term improved Morgans, there are the
Black Hawks, GClddusts, Fearnaughts
Morgan Eagles and some others. AL
these possess sufficient Morgan blood
to fill the requirements and rules pre-
scribing what shall constitute stan
dard Morgan.
The future Morgan will be bred along
one of the two lines as above indicated
and while few may persist in breed
ing along the old lines and producing
the small fourteen and fifteen hanC
horse, the large majority of Morgan
breeders will strive to meet demands
Of fashion and markets instead o
vainly trying to mold tastes and opin
ions. No stock breeder ever achieved
success by producing a model after hi
own standard and then trying to edu
cate people up to his ideas of perfec
ton. Most any one will agree with IN,
that sixteen hand Morgan is prefer
able for either sale or service to tn,
fourteen or fifteen hand animal provid
ing we sacrifice none Of the importan
points of style, strength, durability OF
speed in obtaining it. About the only
objection urged against the Morgan to
day is that he ia too small. Breeders
who are getting them of desirable size
have no great surplus of stock on hand
even in these times when the horse
market is at its lowest ebD.
GOOD FARM HORSES.
AS to the adaptability of The Morgan
10 the general farmer or village resi-
dent there is no animal of the horse
kind that will suit better. On the
farm they are tractable and kind any.
where and everywhere their services
are required, pushing along their work
American citizen. They may not be
able to draw as many pounds as the
heavy draft, but they will take two
steps to his one and at The end of the
day will show as much labor performed
and with less signs of exhaustion. He
al ways adapts himself to his work, be
it in the field drawing the pillow OF
hitched to the family carriage, or pre-.
haps the road wagon, speeding as fast
as one can go and feel safe. We have
yet to find farmer who ever owned
and used Morgan that did not speak
in his praise and wish for another like
unto him when he was gone.
And for the villager, who desires a
perfect roadster, an animal that is al
ways level-headed, safe for any member
of the family to drive that is old enough
to manipulate the lines, one that is
ever ready to do whatever is asked OF
him without the use of whip or spur,
no mistake will ever be made in select
ing a good Morgan No horse Will