178 THE HORSE 



published in 1857, and still the main authority on the 

 subject, relates that a lady of St. Johnsbury once told 

 him that, as a girl, she had often ridden Justin Morgan 

 to balls and other entertainments, and that she could 

 never forget " his noble appearance, his high spirit, 

 and perfect docility." 



Morgan horses became exceedingly popular in the 

 first half of the nineteenth century and were extensively 

 bred and used not only in New England, but in many 

 parts of the West, and also in Kentucky. They were 

 almost equally good in harness and under saddle, and 

 were extremely courageous, gentle, intelligent, and 

 enduring. They made ideal chargers for dashing 

 militia colonels, and in the Civil War they proved to 

 be more enduring than any other horses used by 

 cavalry on the northern side. The horses used by the 

 First Vermont Cavalry were all Morgans, and they 

 made a remarkable record for efficiency and endur- 

 ance. 



Wonderful stories of Morgan intelligence and cour- 

 age are still told by the dim light of a lantern in many 

 a country livery stable of northern New England. Not 

 a few of these stories relate to midnight rides in storm 

 and darkness by country doctors ; and it was a country 

 doctor who thus described the roadster qualities of the 

 Morgan horse : 



The Morgan will trot all day except when ascending a hill. 

 As he approaches it, he will raise his head higher and higher. 

 First, one pointed ear, then the other, will snap backward, then 

 forward, as if he were asking permission to gallop, and then, 

 if the driver does not object, he will lay both ears flat to his 



