150 THE MORGAN HORSE 



trotter, but was not a very spirited driver ; she was said to be, and had 

 the appearance of being, part French. She was owned by Mr. Moses 

 Belknap of Randolph, Vermont, at the time Bulrush was sired. Mr. 

 Belknap obtained her of a Mr. Boutwell, a teamster from Montpelier, 

 Vermont, who worked her in a six-horse team, hauling merchandise 

 and produce between Montpelier and Boston. She was a very 

 rugged, hardy, enduring animal, but Mr. Boutwell thought her too 

 small for his business, and he exchanged her with Mr. Belknap for a 

 larger horse. She weighed about ten hundred pounds. Mr. Bel- 

 knap sold her late in the winter, when in foal by Justin Morgan, to 

 Ziba Gifford, Esq., of Tunbridge, Vermont, Mr. Gifford to keep the 

 colt until four months old and return it to Mr. Belknap, or pay thirteen 

 dollars more and keep it. Mr. Gifford preferred to return the colt 

 and did so. 



" Bulrush was a dark bay, with a few white hairs in his forehead, 

 and no other marks; his legs, mane and tail were black, and his mane 

 and tail were very heavy; the former came down nearly to his knees, 

 and his foretop came down to his nose ; his tail was cut off when 

 young and left about nine inches long ; his legs were large and had 

 some long hair; were close-jointed, broad, flat, and exhibited a more 

 striking development of muscle than either Woodbury's or Sher- 

 man's ; his back was not so short as either of the others, but it was 

 very broad, and he was freer from any imputation of sway-back 

 than any of his brothers, though toward the close of his life he in- 

 deed fell away in his loins, as is always the case in old stallions. His 

 hips were very good, but not so long as Sherman's, and he was not 

 so well quartered as Woodbury, but he was deeper in the chest than 

 either of them ; his shoulders were thicker and not so well placed, 

 and his head and neck were not so well set up. He was not so proud, 

 bold and lofty in his carriage as Woodbury, and he had not Sher- 

 man's short, nervous step, and tractable but high-spirited temper; 

 but he was a sharp, quick driver, and a faster trotter than either of 

 them. He was a little inclined to be cross, but was not fierce or in 

 any respect unmanageable ; on the contrary, he was very kind in 

 harness, always working pleasantly wherever put. His most remark- 

 able characteristic was his power of endurance. For this, we think it 

 is generally admitted, he had no rival ; and his extraordinary lasting- 

 ness has become proverbial where he was known. His stock bear 

 a strong resemblance to him, and are very numerous ; are mostly dark 

 bay without marks, never sorrel or light chestnut ; occasionally a dark 

 gray from a white mare may be found. Bulrush was about fourteen 

 hands high, and weighed about one thousand pounds. 



