MORGAN HORSE: HIS RELATION TO BREEDING. 305 



no doubt, in any candid man's mind who investigates the 

 matter, that Justin Morgan was sired by True Briton or 

 Beautiful Bay, owned by Sealy Norton of East Hart- 

 ford, Conn., and then kept by John Morgan at West 

 Springfield, Mass., where he then lived. That his dam 

 was a mare of good breeding is also beyond question. 

 Whether the sire of Beautiful Bay was the imported 

 horse Traveller or not, — and this point I do not 

 attempt to decide, — it cannot be denied that Beautiful 

 Bay was a horse noted for his fine-blooded qualities. 



But, outside of and above all considerations of ap- 

 proved pedigree, the horse, as I have said, demonstrated 

 his fine breeding in his get. All authorities agree that 

 none but high-bred horses can mark their colts. The 

 power to transmit his own likeness to his descendants is 

 peculiarly the characteristic of the thorough-bred horse : 

 and none can deny that Justin Morgan had this power 

 in a marvellous degree ; and, higher proof yet, he gave 

 this poiver to Ms sons. This, to my mind, constitutes a 

 demonstration, and makes written pedigree of little 

 account. Fortunately, also, we know what manner of 

 horse he was ; and, as a matter of interest to the general 

 reader, I will insert at this place the following very 

 accurate description and history of the Justin Morgan, 

 as found in Mr. Linsley's work on " The Morgan 

 Horse : " — 



" The original, or Justin Morgan, was about four- 

 teen hands high, and weighed about nine hundred and 

 fifty pounds. His color was dark bay, w^ith black legs, 



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