Morgan Horse Information

The Morgan horse is the oldest of the breeds developed in North America during Colonial times. Since the breed's development, Morgan horses have been used for riding, racing and as cavalry mounts. Today these horses are registered by the American Morgan Horse Association.

  1. Foundation Sire

    • The Morgan horse breed is different from most horses in that rather than being developed by people who bred certain similar horses, the breed came about from a single sire: the Justin Morgan horse. The stallion was known as Figure, and was born in Massachusetts and later moved to Vermont. The stallion's parentage remains unknown, though it is suspected he came from either thoroughbred, Dutch or Arabian heritage. His genetics were strong, as he was known for siring foals that looked and behaved a great deal like him. Most modern Morgans are traced to three sons of the Justin Morgan horse: Bulrush, Sherman and Woodbury.

    Versatility

    • The Justin Morgan horse was the one who started the breed's renown for versatility, as he was used as a plow horse, logging horse, racehorse and parade horse. Today, the AMHA recognizes horses competing in every discipline, from endurance racing to western to jumping. The horses are also well-known as saddleseat mounts. This versatility developed out of the breed's beginnings, as families at the time of the Justin Morgan horse needed a horse that could be used for plowing, pulling a wagon and riding.

    Appearance

    • The Morgan horse is a light breed, meaning it is not meant to be a tall, heavy draft horse such as the Clydesdale. Instead, the Morgan horse is usually between 14.2 and 15.2 hands high at the top of the shoulder (one hand equals 4 inches). A Morgan horse can be any color, but chestnut, bay and brown are the most common.

    Gaits

    • A Morgan horse is predominantly a three-gaited breed that has a walk, trot and canter. The trot is a two-beat gait, and the canter is a three-beat gait. However, as the Morgan horse has been used to develop horses of other breeds that are gaited (gaits other than the walk, trot or canter), you can find some Morgans with gaits besides the three listed above.

    Influence

    • The Morgan horse has been used in the foundations of many other American breeds, such as Tennessee walking horses, quarter horses, standardbreds and American saddle horses, or American saddlebreds. Morgans have even been used for out-crossing to breeds in other countries, such as the English hackney horse.