502 THE MORGANS. 



wiicreas a remarkable similarity is known to prevail in all of tliis race. And 

 here we may notice that the breeder is apt to find an essential difference in 

 the two races ; the Morgan, crossed or mixed with the various common breeds, 

 inclines to retain its peculiar characteristics and its small size in the offspring 

 for many generations, while all the French Canadian races, though not larger 

 for the most part than the Morgan, when used as a cross, increase the size of 

 the progeny, and frequently assimilate so that the blood can only be recog- 

 nized by a practiced observer, in the greater development and robustness of 

 form, and the courage, spirit, and aptness to thrive, which are commonly 

 reckoned as constitutional health. 



The Morgans differ essentially from the Canadian horses in their action or 

 mode of traveling. A Morgan horse glides over the ground eight or nine miles 

 an hour, with such easy movements of his legs, that one would think they 

 only felt relieved when so employed; the Canadian, if he has speed, seems to 

 go by main strength, everj^ stride arising plainly from a purposed exertion of 

 his powerful muscles. 



Another principal dissimilarity is in the endurance of the feet; and here 

 the Canadian horse has all the advantage. The Morgan appears to be subject, 

 as much as equally strong-constitutioued horses of any breed, to founder, and 

 other diseases of the feet, while with the Canadian such ailments are less 

 known, perhaps, than wdth any other breed in the world. There are numl)ers 

 of horses in Canada that, under a mass of shaggy hair, possess dry, sinewy 

 legs, on which the severest service never raises a wind-gall. The legs of the 

 Morgan, though destitute of long hair, have this excellent conformation in a 

 very high degree. 



The Morgan is a great traveler ; an untiring, all-day horse, but seldom a 

 very fast trotter or galloper, and less frequently a perfect saddle horse. The 

 Canadian, if he has the power of rapid locomotion, inclines for the most part 

 to put forth his energies oulj^ for a short time, and then to take a leisurely 

 gait, as if a slight sense of fatigue overbalanced the alacrity of his nervous 

 system. There are, however, splendid exceptions to this description; horses 

 that with no light load behind them will travel eighty and even ninety miles 

 in a day. Some of the light-footed Canadian horses, too, are very pleasant 

 under the saddle, though in general the weight of the neck and uprightness of 

 the shoulder disqualify them for this use. The head of the Morgan, though 

 'not less energetic, is somewhat dissimilar to that of the Canadian. The ears 

 of one are upright; of the other, more apart. The head of the Canadian 

 horse is broader at the upper part than that of the other. Each has a great 

 space between the eyes, which is considered a sure indication of energy in an 

 animal. The Morgan has the best open nostril for wind and bottom, more 

 like that of a race horse ; and the whole of the muzzle, as well as the eye and 

 ear, indicate more breeding, or a longer cultivation than those of the Cana- 

 dian. There is a difference of shape observable throughout the whole figui'e. 

 The Morgan is long in the side, but alwaj's short on the back, and strong and 

 beautiful in the loins. His fine shoulder, too, differs from that of the Canadian 

 horse. It is deep, well sloped, comparatively thin at the top, and hea%y at 

 the bottom, serving, conjointly with a wide chest, and the forelegs set far 



