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BREEDING MORGAN HORSES AT THE U. S. 
MORGAN HORSE FARM 
H. H. Reese, Animal Husbandman, Animal Husbandry Division, Bureau of 
Animal Industry 
CONTENTS = 
Page Page 
HMoundation-of the: breeds. = 2-5 =2-+2-==-.----- 1 | Distribution of breedi1g stock________- aaa 11 
Marlyeprogenitors seis. Soe 1 | Endurance of the breed_____- sinh i Non cpm 12 
Diffusion of Morgan blood_____________-___- Py | Varany libaoalome Ware ores oe Re 16 
Movement to conserve best blood___________ 3 | Demand for Morgan horses_-_-_-_----_=_._-_- 16 
Origin of U. S. Morgan Horse Farm____-_-_- SE USeSHIOn NIOEGANeNONSCS as see = ee ne 17 
Breeding stock purchased_-__--------_--- 4 Morgans as saddle horses_______________- 18 
Noted ancestors of U. S. Morgan horses- -- -- A~ EvAspracticalebneedas—et ak ee eee te ee 19 
Morgan Horse Farm prize winners- --------- 9 
FOUNDATION OF THE BREED 
HE Morgan breed of horses was established by a single stallion 
whose potency was so great that he left many descendants 
that looked and acted like him even after his blood had been much 
diluted. This stallion was Justin Morgan. During his early life he 
was the property of a school-teacher by that name, who lived near 
Randolph, Vt. Justin Morgan was foaled about 1793 and died in 
1821. 
According to the meager records available, Justin Morgan was a 
small but powerful and quick horse, standing considerably under 15 
hands. It is said that he could outwalk, outrun, or outpull any of 
the horses in his section of the country. Very little is definitely 
known of his ancestry. One investigator collected evidence showing 
that he was sired by the thoroughbred stallion True Briton, also called 
Beautiful Bay, a horse that traced in direct male line to the Byerly 
Turk, and had many other traces of Arabian blood. Another inves- 
tigator contends that he was sired by a Dutch horse, which in turn 
came from Arabian stock. Which of these theories is correct is not 
important to-day. The presence of only five lumbar vertebre in 
many Morgans (discussed later) supports both theories of Arabian 
foundation. 
EARLY PROGENITORS 
Practically all the present-day Morgans trace to three of Justin 
Morgan’s sons, namely, Sherman Morgan 5,! Woodbury Morgan 7, 
and Bulrush Morgan 6. Sherman Morgan became especially known 
through his son, Black Hawk 20. The Billy Root 9 strain, as well 
as other good families, also comes from him. Woodbury Morgan is 
best known through Green Mountain Morgan 42, or, as he was called, 
Hale’s Green Mountain Morgan. This stallion won the highest 
premiums at the State fairs of Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky in 

1 Numbers appearing after names of horses are their registration numbers in the American Morgan 
__ _ Horse Register. 

1 
