| Justin Morgan was a teacher, composer,
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| | household words. The majority of Morgans,
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| businessman, and horseman who had moved
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| | however, did their daily work willingly
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| to Randolph, Vermont from Springfield,
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| | and efficiently. They were highly
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| Massachusetts in 1788. He acquired a bay
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| | regarded as general-purpose horses
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| colt, born in 1789, giving him the name
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| | capable of performing a wide variety of
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| Figure. This colt was the founding sire
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| | tasks. During the Civil War, Morgans
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| of the Morgan breed. While his true
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| | served as cavalry mounts and artillery
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| origins remain hidden in history, Figure
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| | horses. A cavalryman was only as good as
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| is thought to have been sired by True
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| | his horse and the Morgan is mentioned in
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| Briton, a horse widely respected for his
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| | many sources as a highly desired horse
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| excellence and known as a sire of quality
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| | during the Civil War. The First Vermont
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| horses. Figure's dam, was "...of the
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| | Cavalry, mounted entirely on Morgans,
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| Wild-air breed, of middling size, with a
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| | gained a wide spread reputation as a
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| heavy chest, of a light bay color, with a
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| | fighting unit. Of their more than 1200
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| bushy mane and tail - the hair on the
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| | horses, only 200 survived the war.
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| legs rather long, and a smooth, handsome
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| | Morgans are noted for their small ears
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| traveler." Her sire was Diamond; a son of
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| | set above a broad forehead with large,
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| Church's Wildair by Wildair (Delancey's)
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| | kind eyes, tapered muzzle and expressive
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| out of a mare owned by Samuel Burt named
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| | nostrils, an arched neck set on a well
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| Wildair. As Figure grew, his compact
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| | angled shoulder, broad chest, short back;
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| muscular body and stylish way of moving
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| | deep, compact bodies set on legs with
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| impressed many of the pioneer farmers and
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| | flat, dense bone; round croup, and round,
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| settlers. Soon tales of his beauty,
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| | hard hooves. Their proud bearing gives
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| strength, speed, hardiness, endurance,
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| | them a distinctive beauty that catches
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| and gentle disposition spread amidst the
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| | the eye of all.
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| small New England towns. His ability to
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| | The stamina and spirit of the Morgan,
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| outwalk, outtrot, outrun, and outpull
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| | combined with its build and way of
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| other horses were legendary. His stud
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| | traveling, contributed greatly to the
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| services were offered throughout the
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| | formation of other American breeds. These
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| Connecticut River Valley and various
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| | breeds include the Standardbred, Quarter
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| Vermont locations over his lifetime. His
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| | Horse, Tennessee Walking Horse, and
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| most valuable asset, however, was the
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| | American Saddle Horse. The first Morgan
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| ability to pass on his distinguishing
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| | Horse Register was published in 1894.
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| characteristics, not only to his
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| | Since it's establishment, the registry
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| offspring but also through several
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| | has listed over 147,000 Morgans with
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| generations.
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| | breeders located in all fifty states and
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| After Justin Morgan's death, Figure moved
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| | overseas.
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| on to other owners and spent a life
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| | Morgans Today
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| working on farms, hauling freight, and as
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| | Today, Morgans can be found in all 50
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| a parade mount at militia trainings. In
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| | states and in more than 20 foreign
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| the practice of the day, he became known
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| | countries. Individuals generally range
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| by his former owner's name, the Justin
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| | from 14.1 to 15.2 hands, with exceptions
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| Morgan horse. He spent his life working
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| | under and over that. Colors allowed
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| and died in 1821 from an untreated kick
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| | within the breed include bay, black,
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| received from another horse. His three
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| | brown, chestnut, gray, palomino, creme,
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| most famous sons - Sherman, Bulrush, and
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| | dun and buckskin. The Morgan has remained
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| Woodbury - would carry on his legacy to
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| | a stylish mount with conformation that
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| future generations of Morgan horses.
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| | lends itself well to a vast range of
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| Growth of a Breed
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| | disciplines. Morgan versatility is widely
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| The offspring of Justin Morgan's sons and
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| | recognized. The breed's soundness, power,
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| daughters grew along with the young
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| | agility and stamina make it the choice of
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| nation that was building itself upon hard
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| | many driving enthusiasts. Morgans
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| work and determination. Morgans worked
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| | comprise a large number of entries at
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| along side their owners clearing fields
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| | Combined Driving and Carriage events, and
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| and forests. When the week's work was
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| | were the first American breed to
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| done, they provided transportation to
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| | represent the United States in World
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| Saturday market and Sunday meeting. In
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| | Pairs Driving competition. Morgans also
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| addition, they pulled stagecoaches
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| | excel in many other disciplines,
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| throughout New England. In the 1840's
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| | including Park Saddle and Harness,
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| several breeders in Vermont and western
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| | English and Classic Pleasure Saddle and
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| New Hampshire began efforts to
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| | Driving, Western, Hunter, Jumper,
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| concentrate the Morgan lines. By locating
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| | Eventing, Dressage, Reining, Cutting,
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| second, third, and fourth generation
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| | Endurance and Competitive Trail. They are
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| descendants of the original Morgan horse,
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| | gentle enough for lessons, 4-H and Pony
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| they established the foundations of the
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| | Club involvement, and due to their
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| breed. By the mid-1850's Morgans were
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| | steady, comfortable gaits, are in great
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| selling for high prices and were widely
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| | demand as therapeutic riding horses.
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| distributed across the United States.
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| | Morgans are equally well known for their
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| Morgans set world-trotting records when
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| | loving, kind dispositions. Those who buy
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| the sport of harness racing was in its
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| | a Morgan often say they have not only
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| infancy. Black Hawk and his son Ethan
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| | purchased a horse, but have welcomed a
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| Allen were nationally famous and became
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| | new family member.
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