| Justin Morgan owned a bay colt born in 1789, he named Figure.
Figure's ability to outwalk, outtrot, outrun, and outpull other horses
was legendary. After Justin Morgan's death, Figure became known by his
former owner's name, the Justin Morgan horse. In the 1840's breeders in
Vermont and western New Hampshire began efforts to concentrate the Morgan
lines. These horses were highly prized as general-purpose horses capable
of performing a wide variety of tasks. The first Morgan Horse Register
was published in 1894. Morgans have always been noted for steady, comfortable
gaits. Several sons of Justin Morgan, including Sherman and Hawkins Horse
have been said to be gaited. Though it has only been reciently that
some breeders specialize in breeding for gaited Morgans.
Unofficial breed estimates states that from 10 to 20% of all Morgans
perform some sort of intermediate gait! History shows that there
were many Morgans used in the Calvary remounts breding program by government
stables. A good percent of these were smooth traveling, coveted singlefooters.
General Stonewall Jackson's favorite horse was a ground covering, smooth
gaited Morgan, "pacer" which was often a term used at that time for
a singlefooter. The Morgan Horse has contributed to the formation of most
American gaited breeds. These include the Tennessee Walking Horse, the
Missouri Fox Trotting Horse, and the Racking Horse, among others.
The foundation sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed, Allen F-1, is
the great-grandson of the famous Morgan stallion, Black Hawk,
who is himself beleaved to be a Naragansett Pacer. Bloodlines that most
typically display gait include Jubilee King and Flyhawk.
Gaited Morgans are normally 14.2 to 16 hands tall.
The Morgan Single Footing Horse is a service organization of The American
Morgan Horse Association; the requirement for registry in this association
being that these are registered full blooded Morgan Horses that are gaited.
They may walk, trot, and canter, but, must also readily perform their gait
which may be a running walk, a rack, fox trot or stepping pace. |
