What is a Morgan?
A registered Morgan is the result of breeding two registered Morgan horses. All Morgans today trace to the stallion Justin Morgan, foaled in 1789, who was originally known by the name “Figure.” The registry for Morgans was founded in 1909. Prior to that time, Morgans identified by Colonel Joseph Battell as descendants of Justin Morgan were considered Morgan horses.
The Morgan breed was founded on bloodlines. Originally, all horses registered had to trace in the sire line to Justin Morgan, and it was also mandatory that they did not have the tendency to pace. They also had to have at least a certain minimum percentage of Justin Morgan blood. Although the horses registered were not inspected for “type”, there was always a particular type, a resemblance to the descriptions of Justin Morgan and his immediate descendants, the first Morgans, that resembled each other in type. Every breed has type, whether it is a dog breed, hog, chicken or cow. In the Morgan breed, those horses that have the most of the original old Morgan lines virtually always have the most “type”. The original type was a muscular, baroque look that has a certain look of Arabian about it as well, in the high head and neck carriage, compactness, flowing top line and high carried tail, since the Morgan came from Arabian and Barb bloodlines imported into England in Medieval and Colonial
