608 THE MORGANS. 



of our general progress in fast time has heen the result of training 

 and progressive development, it will not be claimed that by such 

 means the Morgan family has l)een brought to the position of a first- 

 class trotting family. The analysis of the progressive breeding 

 processes by which this has been achieved affords us an interesting 

 and highly instructive lesson, and forms a fitting conclusion to the 

 pages of this work, devoted to the study of our American Roadsters 

 and Trotting Horses. 



VERMONT BLACKHAWK. 



This was the most distinguished of all the grandsons of Justin 

 Morgan, and it may be said that with him came in the first elements 

 of a departure from the original stock, and toward the real roadster 

 families. He stands as the recognized head of a class of roadsters of 

 acknowledged type, and with far greater claims than Justin Morgan. 

 All the information we have concerning his dam is that she was a 

 ^'mare raised in New Brunswick, and represented as a half-bred Eng- 

 lish mare." A gentleman who knew Hill, the owner of Blackhawk, 

 informs me that he always claimed that she was a daughter of Mam- 

 brino. In the family descended from Blackhawk I find more that is 

 reliable than in any traditional account of the origin of his dam. The 

 gait and manner of going of the family is clearly marked, and in gen- 

 eral well defined; that of the descendants of Ethan Allen differing 

 slightly from the others. They trot with an elastic and smooth gait, 

 with an easy propelling power behind, and less of the trappy action 

 of the front leo;s than the other Moro-ans. The resemblance to the 

 gait of the Champions and Abdallahs is about as near as they resem- 

 ble each other, there being a difference, but it is one of degree, and 

 not very great. They are handsome, rangy and blood-like, and em- 

 body the beauty and style of the Morgan family in the highest degree. 

 The gait and manner of going of the Blackhawks of full size, which 

 I have seen and studied with great care, carries to my mind an evi- 

 dence of kinship with that of the Messenger family; and while Hill's 

 version of the pedigree may have no foundation, the im])ression on 

 my mind as to the origin of the blood qualities which give the Black- 

 hawks their character is clear and well defined. Accepting the state- 

 ment that she was raised in New Brunswick, and was represented to 

 be a half-bred English mare, and my sokition of the matter is equally 

 clear and in no respect changed. Every lineament of their character 

 points to one source, from which we have in this country so many 



