What is a Morgan?
The typical Morgan standard for height is between 14 and 15.2 hands,
with a strong muscular body, substantial bone, and outstanding endurance.
All colors are allowed.
Type is the ideal or standard of perfection for the breed. A Classic
Morgan is distinctive for its animation, stamina, vigor, personality,
eagerness to please, and a strong natural way of moving. It should have a
broad forehead, large eyes, straight or slightly dished face, with short ears
set wide apart. The neck comes out of an extremely angulated shoulder with
a slight arch. The body should be compact with a short back, close coupling,
broad loins, deep flank, well-sprung ribs. The tail should be set on high and
carried gracefully away from the body. Legs should be straight and sound
with short canon bones and giving the appearance of substance and
refinement.
A Morgan has a good rapid walk, smooth canter, and excellent
trot. Gaits are smooth, athletic, and flowing with no tendency to wing
or paddle. Some purebred Morgans have an additional gait known as
the single-foot, that is unsurpassed for extended rides in rough
country.
The typical Morgan stands between 14 & 15’ hands with sizes above
and below acceptable. A Morgan has a strong muscular build, substantial
bone, and outstanding endurance. Morgans come in a rainbow of colors,
including palomino, gray, buckskin, dun, chestnut, bay, black, cremello,
perlino, silver and even overo and sabino white patterns are expressed.
The Morgan horse has contributed to several breeds, including
the American Saddlebred, Standardbred, Tennessee Walking Horse,
and Quarter Horse.
The origin of the Morgan horse began in West Springfield, MA, in
1789 with the birth of a bay colt named "figure". He is thought to be
descended from thoroughbred, Arabian, and Dutch ancestry. “Figure” was
such an outstanding horse, he later became known by his owner’s
name, “Justin Morgan”. He was known for out-pulling, out-trotting, and out-
running most other horses. His gentleness, hardiness, athleticism, and
intelligence, besides type of body have been stamped on his progeny to
this day.
There are 4 main Morgan families. The first is old government. Most
Morgans alive today, and most of the horses bred for sport purposes, include
in their pedigrees horses from the government farm. What was the
government farm, why was it created, and why should anyone breeding and
using Morgans in the millennium even care about such ancient history?
In 1905, the U.S. Department of Agriculture established a Morgan
breeding program at the experiment station in Burlington, Vermont. The
purpose of this program was to produce horses with true Morgan type, while
increasing size and yet retaining the traditional Morgan virtues: strength,
athletic ability, endurance, versatility, temperament and economy.
Two years later, col. Joseph Battell, first editor of the American Morgan
Horse Register, donated his family farm at Weybridge near Middlebury,
Vermont. The breeding stock from the experiment farm station was
relocated, and the United States Morgan horse farm was officially established.
The second Morgan family is the Lippitt Morgan. Of the four family
lines, the Lippitt strain has the fewest numbers, though, and probably the
most devoted fanciers. The Lippitt Morgan is a unique horse. It is a member
of a group of Morgans who trace back to the original "Figure," Justin
Morgan's stallion, on a maximum number of lines with a minimum of known
out crosses to other breeds of horses. Other strains of horses appear of
course, when pedigrees are traced back far enough, as is inevitable in the
case of a breed descending from a single stallion. The name "Lippitt" is
borrowed from the breeding prefix of Robert Lippitt Knight, a prominent
Rhode Island figure, who established and operated the Green Mountain
stock farm in Randolph, Vermont from 1927 to 1962. With the purchase of
the stallions “Ashbrook” and “Moro”, and the mares “Adeline Bundy”,
“Nekomia”, “Croydon Mary” and “Green Mountain Twilight” from the estate of
A. Fullerton Phillips, he re-established a strain already well known in
northern Vermont.
The third Morgan family is the Brunk Morgan. One of the most
prominent families in modern Morgans is that bred for many years by the
Brunk family in and around Springfield, Illinois, established in 1893 with
Joseph Brunk. The family's horses were known for their high action, sound,
correct legs and feet and all around athletic ability. They were often line-bred
and usually high quality, showy individuals. Their influence is felt strongly in
the ranch breeding of the west known as the western working family. The
original group of Morgan horses purchased by the late Joseph c. Brunk
before the turn of the century were bred similarly to the old Lippitt
foundation mares. Known for outstanding temperament, splendid action and
great elegance, Brunk Morgans are probably best known by the great
stallions “Jubilee King” and “Flyhawk”.
The fourth and final Morgan family is the Western Working Family
(WWF or 2WF). The western working family was developed over a long
period of time (1880s to 1950s) by several ranchers and breeders in different
western states. With the rapid expansion of the cattle ranching empire in the
mid 1800s, there developed a need for a tough, agile, sensible cow horse to
work the ranches that often encompassed thousand of acres of rugged, open
range. The western working Morgan was developed from a combination of old
Vermont, Government, Brunk and old midwest bloodlines. The result was a
family of Morgans noted for good feet and legs, deep bodies, strong
hindquarters, fast, ground-covering walk and trot, stamina, and an intelligent,
sensible, willing temperament with lots of "heart" and cow savvy. Because of
their ability, several western ranchers bred them specifically for ranch
work. Some of the main stallions such as “Jo Bailey”, “Jubilee King”
otherwise known as “Yellow Jacket”, “Joe Hancock”, and “Lucky” were
either double registered as quarter horses, or descended from Morgans.
Today, there are pure descendants of the early western working Morgans still
being bred for ranch use as well as competitions and pleasure.
Some of the ranches that principally bred using and western working
Morgans were the Horse Shoe Cattle Co., owned and run by Roland Hill;
Jack Davis and the Davis breeding farm in California; J.C. Jackson in
Montana; LU Sheep Ranch in Wyoming; Oglala Sioux and Rosebud Sioux
reservation programs in South Dakota; the cross ranch in Wyoming; the
Theiss Ranch in Oklahoma; W.T. Carter who was breeder of Selman line
horses in California; the Warner Angus Ranch in Kansas; and the Triple-S
and Red Correll horses of the Painters in Nebraska were all and are principle
breeders of old type western working and ranch using Morgans of the west.
with a strong muscular body, substantial bone, and outstanding endurance.
All colors are allowed.
Type is the ideal or standard of perfection for the breed. A Classic
Morgan is distinctive for its animation, stamina, vigor, personality,
eagerness to please, and a strong natural way of moving. It should have a
broad forehead, large eyes, straight or slightly dished face, with short ears
set wide apart. The neck comes out of an extremely angulated shoulder with
a slight arch. The body should be compact with a short back, close coupling,
broad loins, deep flank, well-sprung ribs. The tail should be set on high and
carried gracefully away from the body. Legs should be straight and sound
with short canon bones and giving the appearance of substance and
refinement.
A Morgan has a good rapid walk, smooth canter, and excellent
trot. Gaits are smooth, athletic, and flowing with no tendency to wing
or paddle. Some purebred Morgans have an additional gait known as
the single-foot, that is unsurpassed for extended rides in rough
country.
The typical Morgan stands between 14 & 15’ hands with sizes above
and below acceptable. A Morgan has a strong muscular build, substantial
bone, and outstanding endurance. Morgans come in a rainbow of colors,
including palomino, gray, buckskin, dun, chestnut, bay, black, cremello,
perlino, silver and even overo and sabino white patterns are expressed.
The Morgan horse has contributed to several breeds, including
the American Saddlebred, Standardbred, Tennessee Walking Horse,
and Quarter Horse.
The origin of the Morgan horse began in West Springfield, MA, in
1789 with the birth of a bay colt named "figure". He is thought to be
descended from thoroughbred, Arabian, and Dutch ancestry. “Figure” was
such an outstanding horse, he later became known by his owner’s
name, “Justin Morgan”. He was known for out-pulling, out-trotting, and out-
running most other horses. His gentleness, hardiness, athleticism, and
intelligence, besides type of body have been stamped on his progeny to
this day.
There are 4 main Morgan families. The first is old government. Most
Morgans alive today, and most of the horses bred for sport purposes, include
in their pedigrees horses from the government farm. What was the
government farm, why was it created, and why should anyone breeding and
using Morgans in the millennium even care about such ancient history?
In 1905, the U.S. Department of Agriculture established a Morgan
breeding program at the experiment station in Burlington, Vermont. The
purpose of this program was to produce horses with true Morgan type, while
increasing size and yet retaining the traditional Morgan virtues: strength,
athletic ability, endurance, versatility, temperament and economy.
Two years later, col. Joseph Battell, first editor of the American Morgan
Horse Register, donated his family farm at Weybridge near Middlebury,
Vermont. The breeding stock from the experiment farm station was
relocated, and the United States Morgan horse farm was officially established.
The second Morgan family is the Lippitt Morgan. Of the four family
lines, the Lippitt strain has the fewest numbers, though, and probably the
most devoted fanciers. The Lippitt Morgan is a unique horse. It is a member
of a group of Morgans who trace back to the original "Figure," Justin
Morgan's stallion, on a maximum number of lines with a minimum of known
out crosses to other breeds of horses. Other strains of horses appear of
course, when pedigrees are traced back far enough, as is inevitable in the
case of a breed descending from a single stallion. The name "Lippitt" is
borrowed from the breeding prefix of Robert Lippitt Knight, a prominent
Rhode Island figure, who established and operated the Green Mountain
stock farm in Randolph, Vermont from 1927 to 1962. With the purchase of
the stallions “Ashbrook” and “Moro”, and the mares “Adeline Bundy”,
“Nekomia”, “Croydon Mary” and “Green Mountain Twilight” from the estate of
A. Fullerton Phillips, he re-established a strain already well known in
northern Vermont.
The third Morgan family is the Brunk Morgan. One of the most
prominent families in modern Morgans is that bred for many years by the
Brunk family in and around Springfield, Illinois, established in 1893 with
Joseph Brunk. The family's horses were known for their high action, sound,
correct legs and feet and all around athletic ability. They were often line-bred
and usually high quality, showy individuals. Their influence is felt strongly in
the ranch breeding of the west known as the western working family. The
original group of Morgan horses purchased by the late Joseph c. Brunk
before the turn of the century were bred similarly to the old Lippitt
foundation mares. Known for outstanding temperament, splendid action and
great elegance, Brunk Morgans are probably best known by the great
stallions “Jubilee King” and “Flyhawk”.
The fourth and final Morgan family is the Western Working Family
(WWF or 2WF). The western working family was developed over a long
period of time (1880s to 1950s) by several ranchers and breeders in different
western states. With the rapid expansion of the cattle ranching empire in the
mid 1800s, there developed a need for a tough, agile, sensible cow horse to
work the ranches that often encompassed thousand of acres of rugged, open
range. The western working Morgan was developed from a combination of old
Vermont, Government, Brunk and old midwest bloodlines. The result was a
family of Morgans noted for good feet and legs, deep bodies, strong
hindquarters, fast, ground-covering walk and trot, stamina, and an intelligent,
sensible, willing temperament with lots of "heart" and cow savvy. Because of
their ability, several western ranchers bred them specifically for ranch
work. Some of the main stallions such as “Jo Bailey”, “Jubilee King”
otherwise known as “Yellow Jacket”, “Joe Hancock”, and “Lucky” were
either double registered as quarter horses, or descended from Morgans.
Today, there are pure descendants of the early western working Morgans still
being bred for ranch use as well as competitions and pleasure.
Some of the ranches that principally bred using and western working
Morgans were the Horse Shoe Cattle Co., owned and run by Roland Hill;
Jack Davis and the Davis breeding farm in California; J.C. Jackson in
Montana; LU Sheep Ranch in Wyoming; Oglala Sioux and Rosebud Sioux
reservation programs in South Dakota; the cross ranch in Wyoming; the
Theiss Ranch in Oklahoma; W.T. Carter who was breeder of Selman line
horses in California; the Warner Angus Ranch in Kansas; and the Triple-S
and Red Correll horses of the Painters in Nebraska were all and are principle
breeders of old type western working and ranch using Morgans of the west.
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