92 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



his life, it was the merest caccident that his value as a 

 stock-horse was discovered at all ; and even then he 

 was bred indiscriminately to mares, unassisted by the 

 least intelligence in the matter. Still, in spite of all 

 obstacles which neglect and ignorance opposed, the 

 reproductive faculty was so superlatively strong in him, 

 that he founded a family truer to the original type, and 

 more able to protect itself from the infringements of 

 foreign blood, than any family of horses, perhaps, that 

 the world has ever seen. Whatever men may say for 

 or against the Morgan horse jyer se, none can deny that 

 his blood was strong enough to dominate over every 

 blood with which it was brought in contact. No 

 matter to what mare he was bred, the offspring w^as 

 invariably a Morgan colt. In outward conformation of 

 structure, in color, in temperament, in style of action, 

 and even habits of the stable, the foal grew up to look 

 and act like the sire. Not only was this reproductive 

 faculty strong in the old horse, but he transmitted it to 

 his sons ; which is the highest form of all excellence in 

 a stock-horse. Nor did this power die out in one or 

 two generations, but continued on like a stream having 

 a constant source; and might have been prolonged, 

 doubtless, unto this day, had not the State which had 

 been enriched and made famous by this animal and his 

 descendants committed financial suicide by allowing 

 the family to be scattered, and the family type itself 

 bought away from it. Not alone Vermont, but the en- 

 tire country were losers when the Morgan family ceased 



