Unable to sell him, Morgan leased him to a local farmer. The small horse proved his merit on the farm, outworking every other horse in the area and demonstrating incredible strength and endurance. Word began to spread about the horse's fantastic abilities, and he was sold a number of times.
Figure was used for plowing, hauling timber, clearing woodland, pulling carts, riding, and racing in harness and under saddle --- he was apparently never beaten. One story tells that Figure's owner won a bet when, after working in the fields all day, the horse managed to pull a tree that no other horse had been able to budge. Figure did it with just two short breathers, and with three men sitting on the tree. Figure was a very compact horse with a fine head and arched neck, a short, strong back and rounded muscular quarters. He had a long, flowing mane and tail and was very attractive, but most compelling was the way his progeny universally reflected their father's appearence and character. After Justin Morgan died, Figure became known as Justin Morgan horse, later shortened to Morgan.
That elegant and gifted horse Justin Morgan gave rise to the Morgan is undisputed, but of great debate is Justin Morgan's own heritage. It is speculated that he was sired by the horse True Briton, an early Thoroughbred type with Arabian and Barb links, by a mare of Wildair breeding. However, with the exception of its high quality, the Morgan bears little in common with either the Thoroughbred or the Arabian. Others suggest that Justin Morgan must have had Fresian and/or Welsh cob blood, which would seem more plausible in light of those breeds' appearence, conformation, pulling power, stamina, and tractable temperament. Leading U.S. breed authority Bonnie Hendricks has suggested that the Morgan may owe much of its heritage to the little known Canadian horse, which itself was influenced by Andalusian, Fresian, and French stock. Candadian horses were widespread in New England at the time, and there are striking similarities in the two breeds' appearences.
Many of Justin Morgan's progeny gained great fame for their pulling and working abilities, and the horses were bred and used for transportation, freight, and agriculture. They were used as cavalry remounts and for pulling artillery during the Civil War, and they also became extremely popular for harness racing. Two famous Morgans were Black Hawk and his son Ethan Allen, who were influential in the development of the American Standardbred and the Saddlebred. Morgans also contributed to the Tennessee Walker
However, their popularity waned as larger, taller horses became fashionable, and Morgans were bred to larger, non-Morgan types, leading to a loss of original type. In the 1890's, new breeding programs were established to regain the qualities of the original breed, and in 1894 the first volume of the studbook was published.
Love Thy Hors Magazine 39