Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-25
SHOW INTEREST
IN EXPERIMENT
DEPARTMENT TRIES TO SAVE
MORGAN HORSE
FAMILY NOTED As NEAR PER-
FICTION
Horssmen of the United States Await
Results and Hope Steps Of Cow
eminent Officers VIII
Prove Successful

.Horsemen of the United States have
not often awaited the result of any ex-
pertinent with keener interest than
they are now following the efforts of
the department of agriculture to save
from extinction the vanishing type of
Morgan horse.
1t has been said that the old-time
Morgans, as a family, were nearer
perfection for all-around work in light
and heavy harness than any other
family of horses ever produced In this
country.
These horses were long and justly
celebrated for their admirable quail
ties. They were particularly remark
able for their great strength In proper
ton to their size and for their powers
of endurance. The Morgan horse,
though a small animal, was noted for
his bottom and hardness. as well as
for compactness and roundness of form.
He was a very sprightly animal and
was more sagacious than the general
ity of horses.
The Morgans of that day were rarely
more than fifteen hands high and were
even more COLBY and thick set than
the present day hackneys. Their heads
were fine and wonderfully expressive
of countenance, with small ears: necks
well formed, though rather short, chests
broad and deep, backs short, quarters
wide and powerful, legs short, fiat and
sinewy, with big bone and tendons. But
their most striking characteristic was
their carriage-stylish and proud In
the extreme, with quick, short trappy
action.
Popularity of the Morgans
| Fifty years ago there was no family
| of horses in America SO popular as the
Morgans. They were sought after In
every part of the country from Maine
| to California and Vermont, the place
of their origin, was well-nigh depopu-
| lated of stations to supply the breed
| ing studs of the west AMI south with
stock horses. This was before the
Hambletonians came into prominence
| through the fast performances of Dex-
| ter, George Wilkes and other trotters.
| When the craze for speed set in the
death knell of the Morgans was sound
| ed. Disregarding beauty. style and ac-
| ton the breeders went in for extreme
speed, and to produce 1t made reck-
| lessly general use In the stud of ami
| mails possessing no matter what de-
| fects of form, provided they were win
ners or came from winning families.
For racing purposes the Morgans were
| outclassed by the Hambletonians and
Mambrino Chiefs, and were soon sup
planted In popular favor by the fami-
| lies which gave to the trott1ng TURF
such celebrities as Dexter, Goldsmith
Maid and Lady Thorn. Breeders who
owned the best Morgans fastened to
cross them with racing stock. The
natural result was the alarmingly low
average excellence and the neglect and
finally the almost total extinction of
the 11organs.
| OF late years the high prices paid
| for carriage horses and the growing
scarcity of good ones have brought the
Morgan type again into high favor
among breeders. Many horsemen were
long ago impressed with the idea that
steps ought to be taken to revive and
perpetuate this valuable family of
horses, but there is question whether
the recent action of the government
authorities in this direction has not
come too late. First-class specimens
Of the breed are extremely scarce, even
in Vermont. This was strikingly DEM
onstrated a year or two ago, when an
| imported Arab horse at a leading YER
mont show won the prize offered for
the horse of the Morgan type.