160 THE MORGAN HORSE 



and he had the whole care of him. He was the first one to bridle 

 him, the first to mount him on the back, and the first to break 

 him to harness. The colt was a pure-gaited trotter from the first, 

 very spirited, yet wonderfully kind. When breaking him the har- 

 ness he used was so old and weak that nearly every time he started 

 out some part of it gave way, yet the colt never ran away or did any 

 damage. In those days farmers did not think of feeding grain to 

 colts, and Black Hawk never ate a feed of oats so long as Mr. Sea- 

 vey had charge of him. 



"In the fall of 1835 Ezekiel Twombly, with his family and stock, 

 moved from Durham to Greenland, where he died in 1837, after 

 which his property was appraised, and although the colt had been 

 given to Mr. Seavey, it was decided to appraise that also, the value 

 being fixed at sixty dollars, and at this figure he was taken by Mr. 

 Seavey, to whom the estate was indebted for labor. 



"Besides the foals already mentioned from Black Hawk's dam, 

 she produced two others by her son Black Hawk, both of which 

 died. The old mare finally became lame, and, in 1841, Mr. Seavey 

 sold her for the family and lost track of her, so that he cannot tell 

 when or where she died. 



"Black Hawk was a square trotter from the first, and after being 

 fairly broken was never passed on the road while owned by Mr. Seavey. 

 So strong was his inclination to trot that during all the time Mr. 

 Seavey drove him he never made a break, and he never came 

 across a team on the road, during the last year that he had him, 

 that he did not go by. He was one of the prettiest driving horses 

 that ever lived. 



"At one time Mr. Seavey made up his mind to have him gelded, 

 and arranged with a Mr. J. Whitten to perform the operation and 

 keep him until sound. The day was set and the colt was led down 

 to Whitten, who urged so strongly against it that Mr. Seavey changed 

 his mind. It was in the spring of 1838 that Mr. Seavey traded the 

 colt with Mr. A. R. Mathes. The first time Mr. Mathes came to see 

 him he drove a very smart traveling horse. The folks were away 

 from home with the sleigh, and Mr. Seavey was compelled to show 

 him in an old vehicle not suitable for the purpose. After driving 

 past Mr. Mathes a few times, the latter wanted to drive him, to which 

 Mr. S. consented, and they started for Greenland Parade with the colt 

 in the lead. Arriving at the Parade, Mr. M. was inclined to chaff the 

 young man, telling him in a manner that started Mr. Seavey's grit 

 that the colt was no trotter. 



