The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-12-28
OLD JUSTIN MORGAN.
Could Outwalk, Outrun and Cutdraw
Any Horse of His Weight.

/
It is no disparagement to the ex
cellence of the Morgan horses to say
that their famous progenitor belonged
to the common stock of New Eng
| land horses, with a large infusion of
French Canadian blood. Their pedigree
can be traced no farther back than Old
Justin Morgan, a horse owned by
man of that name, who removed from
| Springfield, Mass, to Randolph in Yer
mont, in 1895, taking this two-year-old
colt with him. Strange as it may seem,
nothing is certainly known of his pedi
| gree-not even the name of his sire
1t was said by some that he was sired
by "True Briton,'' kept somewhere IN
Massachusetts about that time, and
that ''True Briton s ancestry could
be traced back to Byerly Turk, an
Arabian horse, but there is no proof
of it, and the probabilities are against
it.
Mr.. Morgan knew the sire of his
colt, but as the horse had no fame or
pedigree to boast of, he was willing
his horse should stand on his own mer-
its. He never claimed that the horse
had any thoroughbred blood in him,
but was willing that people should
think so if they saw fit. That he had a
strong infusion of Canadian blood was
proved by his heavy name and tail. He
had a fine head, of medium size, with
straight face, broad forehead, small
ears set wide apart, and eyes full of
intelligence and gentleness. His back
was short, but rather long body, and
wide, muscular loins. His body was
round, closely ribbed, and compactly
built, with deep, wide chest, short,
closejointed legs wide and thin, but
remarkably muscular and with long hair
near the fetlocks He was small horse,
only about IA hands high, and his
weight about $50 pounds. In color he
was a beautiful dark bay, with black
legs, and coarse black tail and name.
He was said to have been a very
fast walker, but not a remarkably fast
trotter, as no attempts were made to
develop his speed in that direction. It
: was said that he could outwalk, out
run, and outdraw any horse of his
weight ever pitted against him.
His style of movement says a
writer of his day, was lofty, bold,
: majestic, full of life and spirit, but
he was managed with the greatest
ease, and lady could drive him with
perfect safety"
|, He was much admired as a parade
horse, at military trainings, where he
would dance at the music of the fife
and drum, and stand on his hind legs
: half the time. Like most of the stock
? horses of his time, kept in the country
districts, he had to work hard in clear
ing and cultivating new Iand-a work
most trying to spirited horses He ex-
hiBited wonderful strength and will
ingness to draw heavy loads, and pa
thence in enduring uncomfortable la
Dor.
Old Justin Morgan lived to be %
years old, and died in 1921, from the
: effects of a kick by another horse. He
r had three sens who inherited his good
qualities in an eminent degree, and
n well sustained his fame.
;. Sherman Morgan, the oldest, was
foaled in 1908. Nothing is known OF
9 the lineage of his dam. He was bright
chestnut in color, less than IA hands
: high, and weighed only 925 pounds, be
ing smaller than his sire. In shape anC
build, he greatly resembled his sire
: except being more swag bellied. From
) the age of four years he was kept al
n hard work for nine or ten months Oh
S the year, his owner being engaged il
teaming. He was a free, quick travel
IS er, with great power of endurance. He
=, was willing, steady, and powerful tt
# draw at "dead lift, which some
e horses dislike. He was less stylish, les
nervous, and not so high-tempered a
l. his younger brother, Woodbury. Nor
r gan. He died at the age Of p years.
l. Woodbury. Morgan, another son o.
l. Old Justin Morgan, was foaled in 1916
Not much is known of his dam, ex
10 cept that she was Of good size. Wood
4 bury Morgan was over Is hands high
s. and weighed over 1000 pounds. Wood
ir bury Morgan was a beautiful darl
chestnut, with white stripe in tn
h face, snugly and compactly built, witt
+ heavy quarters, deep TANKS, with
n, short, broad back and loins. He wa
: bold, resolute, spirited, like his father
40 making fine parade horse. His powe
of endurance was unsurpassed Dy an
horse of his time. He left a numerou
III progeny of good trotters.
ne Bullrush Morgan, the other son q
ne Old Justin Morgan, was foaled i
be 1913, being five years younger tina
OF Sherman Morgan and three years ole
~ er than Woodbury.. He possessed
~ more remarkable development than h
70 sire, showing more of the Canada
=, conformation, and more evidence {
!; | the Canadian blood He had longt
back, without the swag belly, while
was considered Objectionable in h
brothers. He was a faster trotter tina
. either of them, and had greater powt
of endurance. He died at the age {
re, 20 years.
Ia The Morgan horses possessed a wol
m derful combination of good qualitie
ne which they were able to transmit I
their colts.-J. W. Ingham in MAR