Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-07-30
Something about the Morgaus.

SVanctuiuS ABOUT tHe M0rXdnS.
We do not at times realize how dear
or valuable something may be until it il
gone. A parent does not at times real
ize how dear child is to him until he ID
| taken away, and it is so at times in re-
gard to the child to the parent.
Now it is felt that it was a great mis-
take letting the breed of horses called
Morgans die out, and an effort is now
being made to breed them back. 1t il
well to know in regard to them and the
cause of their being allowed to die out.
Fifty years ago the horses in the eastern
part of Vermont were mostly all Nor.
gans and of the Woodbury. branch. The
head of this branch, Old Woodbury., was
by far the best son of the Justin Morgan,
the original Morgan horse.
1t may be asked. What made the Nor
gan the popular breed so long? The
answer is: First, they were so hardy,
tough, such lasters. Second, they were
so intelligent and affectionate. These
qualities, with their great beauty, style
and get up, made them the popular
horse for long time.
When Vermont was first settled the
roads were few and poor. There were
no wagons, so that the horses were
mostly used to ride and as beasts of
burden. In taking the grain to the
mill they would at times be loaded with
bags of grain, and with someone on top
of them. Henry Clay was called the
Mill Boy of the Slashes. The most of
the business, the riding around, was
done on horseback, and 1t was found
that the Morgans, with their short, light,
easy step (as sure-footed as the mule)
were the best saddle horses that there
were. The settlers were poor at first
and but few could afford the luxury of a
saddle. There was not that need of a
saddle with the Morgans' broad backs as
there was with the rail-back ones.
With good roads and wagons it was
found the Morgans were the most free,
pleasant driving horses that there were,
and enduring, too. No road was too
long for them.
As the Vermonters went west they
took with them their Morgan horses.
From 1850 to 1860 there was quite call
from the west for the Morgans, and
many of the best specimens were taken
west. 1t can be supposed that there are
now as fine specimens west as there are
east. 1t was about 1860 that the call
was for horses having more size and
speed for the mile. The Morgans with
their broad breasts, short bodies, legs
and stride, could not have speed for the
mile, but for an all days drive, or
several of them they would tire out and
outlast many of the fast ones. The Nor
rills then seemed to be the horses want
ed, as they had more size and speed for
the mile. The Morrills are called Nor
gans, as it is understood that their
Old Morrill,, traces on his sire'S
side to the Justin Morgan through Bull
rush Morgan. Yet they have no more
to the Morgans than have
the Clays or Hsmbletonians.
The Morrills crowded out the Nor
gans, yet they did not prove first class
trotters, as they lacked the lasting or
staying blood of the thoroughbred to
carry their speed to the finish. They
could trot quarters and halves fast, but
could not last in the race, aud they have
now been crowded out by the Lamberts
and Hambletonians.
An attempt is now being made to
breed back the Morgans, and this can be
done by looking the country over and
finding the best specimens that there are
and mating them. There are many
horses that are called Morgans that
have no more resemblance to the Nor
gans of the Woodbury. Morgan pattern
than does black sheep to a white
sheep. They may have very little of
the blood, but it has been so diluted
that the Morgan characteristics are en-
tirely obliterated and gone.-Allen w.
Thomson, in The Trotter and PAGER.