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Breed of the Month: Morgan Horse, Go Figure
BREED OF THE MONTH
Morgan Horse, Go Figure!
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Meet Figure, the Founding Father of the Morgan Breed.
by Jackie Emory, Staff Writer
The Morgan horse traces its hooves The Morgan Horse reputation didn’t back to 1788, when Justin Morgan came die with Figure, either. In fact, Morgans to Randolph, Vermont. Within a few were the horse of choice during the Civyears he owned a foal he named Fig- il War. Because of their loyalty, brute ure. Little strength did he and ability know, Fig- to march ure would for days, be the the Morfounding gan Horse father of became a the Mor- standard gan breed. for the
T here cavalry is some soldiers. debate T h e on who American was Fig- Morgan ure’s sire, Horse Asbut many sociation agree that shares sevhe was the eral letters son of True Briton and a mare from from soldiers about their beloved MorWildair. As Figure grew from foal to gans. One reads: stud he developed a compact muscular body, with distinct fluidity when he moved. The villages and towns of Vermont and New England talked of his beauty and strength.
When Justin Morgan died, Figure was sold to successive owners, and spent the remainder of his life working on farms and hauling equipment. Although Figure died in 1821 after a kick from another horse went untreated, by then he had sired many colts and fillies, guaranteeing his line would continue.
Photo: by Dave & Andy
“The other day, a very fine horse being offered at the Inspection Ground, I bought him…”
It continues:
“He is of the Morgan breed, proud and high spirited, yet fearless…In fact, he is a prince among horses, and I doubt not that I shall be envied my treasure when I rejoin my regiment…
