Who was Figure?
Figure was the founder of the Morgan breed, and later in life became known as “Justin Morgan’s horse” and then “the Justin Morgan horse.” Foaled in 1789, his exact parentage is unknown but is widely believed to have been by the thoroughbred stallion True Briton out of a mare said to be of Wildair breeding, who traced back to the Arabian and Barb roots of the Thoroughbred breed. Standing just over 14 hands tall, Justin Morgan (Figure) was a powerful, very sound stallion who had the unique ability to pass his characteristics on to his offspring no matter what type of mare he was bred to. His genes were so dominant that they still determine the appearance of Morgans today. Despite a hard life spent working fields and pulling stagecoaches through the steep hills and mountains of Vermont, Justin Morgan lived to the age 32. He died following a kick he received in the pasture that was untreated and led to infection.
