Morgan Horses and the Canadian Connection
How Le Cheval Canadien Played a Role in Early Morgan History
The origins of Figure, for that was his real name, are shrouded in mystery. What is certain is that, in 1795, a Vermont singing master named Justin Morgan acquired the 2-year-old bay colt.
Figure’s ancestry was never recorded. Decades after his death, he was described as a son of a Thoroughbred named True Briton. Others believed he was descended from Dutch horses or Arabians. However, Figure did not look like any of these breeds although Mr. Morgan always called him a Dutch horse. The bay colt with thick mane and tail stood 14 hands and had fairly heavy bone, immense strength and good speed at the trot and gallop.
Some people believe Figure was a Canadian Horse or descended from that breed. Certainly Figure looked and performed like a “petit cheval Canadien”. His owner lived in Vermont, just across the border from Quebec, and would have known about the little French Canadian Horse because of the constant trade in horses and goods between Quebec and Nova Scotia and New England.
Canadians evolved from top quality Barbs, Turks, Dutch (Friesian), Spanish and Arab horses sent to Quebec from the Royal stables of King Louis IV of France in the 1600s. Some of these breeds were used to create the Thoroughbred in England several decades later. But in Quebec, the Canadian turned out quite different from the lanky Thoroughbred: dark, short and rugged, with incredible endurance and strength. These horses also were fast pacers and trotters and were in demand in eastern Canada and New England.
The Origins of Justin Morgan
Author Robert West Howard stated in his book, The Horse in America, “The consistent compactness of the Morgan breed, plus the black legs, mane and tail points, the valiance and the adaptability to stagecoach, wagon, sulky or saddle all suggest the heritage of Figure as a chance hybridization of Canadian horses and Narragansett Pacers with, perhaps, some Chickasaw and British cavalry horse infusion.”
However, Figure’s incredible prepotence as a sire suggests he was unlikely to have descended from so many different breeds. If he descended from a line of Canadian Horses (which included Dutch horses in their lineage) that looked just like him, that would partly explain Figure’s remarkable ability to replicate himself.
Narragansett Pacers were usually sorrel and invariably described as thin-legged and homely. They did not trot and seldom galloped, preferring to amble or pace. The handsome, fast-running Figure with the good trot was nothing like them.
Whatever his ancestry, Figure soon became famous in New England for his speed, strength, stamina and good temperament, and was in demand as a sire. But it was not until after his death that it became apparent that he had consistently passed on his looks and abilities to his sons and grandsons. Only then did Figure became known as Justin Morgan after his owner.
Canadians Help Found a Morgan Horse Dynasty
Since Canadian Horses and the original Justin Morgan were virtually identical in every way, breeding Figure and his sons to Canadian mares was a logical way to further strengthen the already dominant characteristics of Justin Morgan the horse. The pure Narragansett was extinct by 1800, but mares of this breeding also were bred to Figure and his sons to intensify the pacing ability inherited from the Canadians. Canadians of this time also may have had a dose of Narragansett added for the same reason. Incidentally, one Justin Morgan son, The Hawkins Horse (foaled ca. 1806) was sent to Quebec, and was bred to local Canadian mares before being taken to northern Canada and disappearing from the record.
The pedigrees of mares were not noted in those early days. Word of mouth was often the only information provided about a mare’s background, and as a result there are different versions of any one horse's pedigree. The following is based on a variety of sources (see below).
The Jennison Horse was a Morgan born in 1840 that went on to found the Morrill line, which became incorporated into the Standardbred. He was by Randolph Morgan and out of a Canadian mare. Randolph Morgan was by Bulrush and out of a Canadian mare. Bulrush was by Justin Morgan and out of a Canadian mare. Thus the Jennison Horse was actually 7/8th Canadian.
Billy Root was sired by Justin Morgan's son, Sherman. His dam was a fine road horse with great endurance. She was said to be by Justin Morgan out of a Canadian mare. Black Hawk, also by Sherman, was out of a black mare born in Nova Scotia. She was said to be of English or Thoroughbred blood, but her black colour, endurance, trotting ability and her place of birth suggest she was much more likely to have been a Canadian. Both Billy Root and Black Hawk are found in modern Morgan, Standardbred and Saddlebred pedigrees.
Thus Canada’s Little Iron Horse played a key role in helping the remarkable Justin Morgan found a dynasty that continues to this day.
Sources
Beattie, Gladys Mackey. The Canadian Horse - A Pictorial History. Originally published by Gladys Mackey Beattie, North Hatley QC, 1981. Reprinted by Linda Brown, Hinton Alberta, 1999.
Beattie, Gladys Mackey. “The Canadian Horse is Our Very Own”, Canadian Geographic, October/November 1982.
Cassidy, Patty. “The Saga of the Narragansett Pacers”, in Rhode Island Home, Living and Design magazine, January 2007.
dePetrilio, Donna. “The Narragansett Pacer”. Odom’s Mountain Horse Ranch web site.
Dutson, Judith. Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America. Storey Publishing,North Adams, MA, 2005.
Farshler, Earl R. The American Saddle Horse. The Standard Printing Company, Louisville, Kentucky, 1934.
Forbes, Esther. Paul Revere and the World He Lived In. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 1999.
Fraser, Andrew F. Founding Horses. Creative Publishers. St. Johns, Newfoundland, 1991.
Houlton, LaVonne. “The Mysterious Narragansett Pacer” (in three parts). The Western Horseman magazine, February, March and April, 1971.
Howard, Robert West. The Horse in America. Follett Publishing Company, Chicago, 1965.
Mellin, Jeanne. The Morgan Horse. Stephen Green Press, Brattleboro, Vermont, 1961.
Note: the photo link is only for the historic Morgan photos.
Similarities: a 1940s Canadian & 1990s Morgan.
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Look-alike cousins: Canadian and Morgan horses.
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