i yo THE MORGAN HORSE 



cent columns of the 'Cultivator'. Whatever may be said of other 

 families, it can be truly said of the Black Hawks that they 

 always improved the quality of the horse wherever they were intro- 

 duced. If any horse has done better service to the stock of the 

 country than Black Hawk, and Ethan Allen, and Daniel Lambert, 

 and Gen. Knox, or if better brood mares than those you have named 

 can be found, I am sure you would be glad of the list. For your 

 presentation of the Black Hawk history and record, every lover of 

 the horse should cordially thank you. Truly yours, 



GEORGE B. LORING". 



Mr. Benjamin Thurston of Lowell, who was for several years 

 the owner of Black Hawk, under whose training he was brought out 

 on the trotting course, and by whom he was sold to Mr. Hill, in 1844, 

 in writing to Mr. Hill, under date of October /th, 1847, thus speaks: 

 "I bought Black Hawk when he was five years old; for six years 

 used him as my family horse, and think him, without exception, the 

 finest horse I ever knew. I have owned many horses for the last 

 twenty-five years, varying from ten to thirty-five at a time, and have 

 also been in the habit of purchasing the best I could find for sale ; 

 but if the choicest qualities of the best horses I ever owned were 

 combined, I do not think they would produce an animal to surpass 

 Black Hawk. In the first place, he is the best roadster I ever drew 

 rein over. I have frequently driven him fifty miles in half a day, 

 and once drove him sixty-three miles in seven hours and fifteen min- 

 utes. He did it with perfect ease, and indeed I never saw him ap- 

 pear fatigued. At the time I owned him, I believe he could have 

 trotted one hundred miles in ten hours, or sixteen miles in one hour, 

 or one mile in two minutes and forty seconds. In the second place, 

 he has the best disposition of any horse I ever knew, and is perfectly 

 safe for any lady to ride or drive. Thirdly, he will draw as kindly 

 as any team horse. His stock is unequalled". 



Black Hawk often participated in trotting contests, usually 

 driven by his owner, Mr. Thurston, and, so far as known, was never 

 beaten. Records of but few of these contests have been preserved. 

 Chester records two, a five-mile race for one thousand dollars, at 

 Boston in 1842, which he won in 16 minutes; and a race at the 

 same place, October 3d, 1843, two-mile heats, best three in five, for 

 four hundred dollars, which Black Hawk won in straight heats ; 

 time, 5 143, 5 148, 5 147. This gives him a record of sixteen minutes at 

 five miles, and 5 143 at two miles. Chester gives him a mile harness 

 record of 2:51^, which, it may be observed, is just half the time of 

 the two-mile record above noted. Mr. Linsley says (Morgan Horses, 



