The two breeds of horses I've always admired are the
Morgan (a genetic breed) and the Pinto (a color breed), both of which I chose for my two main characters, Laura and Grey Wolf, to ride in my first book, Trail To Destiny.
I found out the Morgan was one of the earliest horse breeds
developed in the United States and after reading that the United States
Equestrian Federation stated, "a Morgan is distinctive for its stamina and
vigor, personality and eagerness, and has a reputation for intelligence,
courage and a good disposition, I knew he was the perfect choice for my
heroine, Laura, to ride on her journey west. I named him Sonny after a
beautiful horse I'd enjoyed riding on scenic trails in the Smokey Mountains.
All Morgans trace back to a single foundation sire, a stallion
named Figure, who was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts in 1789. At
age three, he was given to a man named Justin Morgan as a debt payment.
As was the practice of the day, Figure became known by his owner's name, the
Justin Morgan horse. This colt was the founding sire of the Morgan breed.
After Justin Morgan's death, Figure moved on to other owners and
spent a life working on farms, hauling freight, and as a parade mount at militia
trainings. He spent his life working and died in 1821 from an untreated
kick received from another horse. His three most famous sons - Sherman,
Bulrush and Woodbury - carried on his legacy to future generations of Morgan
horses. They come in a variety of colors
although they are most commonly bay, black and chestnut.
These beautiful steeds were used as cavalry mounts by both
sides in the American Civil War. They were in much demand due to their
endurance, weight carrying ability, strong short back, excellent feet and legs,
and a calm and cheerful temperament with an abundance of natural style that
appealed to the Cavalry officers.
Many tributes to these hard-ridden heroes are displayed in
paintings, as public statuary, as well as some rare mounted hides and heads
staged in proud museums. Famous Morgan, Rienzi (also known as Winchester)
was ridden by General Philip Sheridan to rally his Union troops and was
preserved and is at the Smithsonian museum.
General Philip Sheridan Memorial Civil War
Bronze Statue
Depicts Sheridan riding his horse, Rienzi
Washington, D.C.
Little Sorrel was a Morgan ridden by Confederate General
Stonewall Jackson in his Civil War campaigns. After Little Sorrel's death
in 1886, his hide was mounted at the Virginia Military Institute Museum, where
it's still a popular attraction. The taxidermist took the bones as partial
payment and gave them to the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, something that
never sat right with Southerners. The VMI Museum got the bones back , cremated
and interred them in 1997, on the parade grounds, at the feet of a statue of
General Jackson. "It's the right thing to do," said the
curator.
Today, Little Sorrel stands near the raincoat that Stonewall Jackson
was wearing when he was mortally wounded. The coat is displayed so that
visitors can see the bullet hole.
"Sighting the Enemy," equestrian
statue by Edward Clark Potter of
General George Custer at Gettysburg, located
in Monroe, Michigan.
Since Custer was not killed in this battle,
his horse is depicted with
all four feet on the ground.
While Morgan enthusiasts have stated that the horse Comanche, a
survivor of the Custer regiment after the Battle of the Little Big Horn, was
either a Morgan or a Mustang/Morgan mix, records of the U.S. Army and other
early sources argue that claim, stating more likely he was of "Mustang
lineage" with possibly "Spanish" blood. Many also believed
Custer rode Comanche, but in fact, Captain Myers Keogh owned and rode the bay
horse into battle.
Although Comanche was touted as the sole horse to survive the
famous battle, many horses survived and were taken by the Indians. But
the Indians had no use for a horse that couldn't dodge a bullet. Two days
after the Custer defeat, a burial party investigating the site found the
severely wounded horse and transported him by steamer to Fort Lincoln, 950
miles away, where he spent the next year recuperating. Comanche remained with
the 7th Cavalry, never again to be ridden and under orders excusing him from
all duties. Most of the time he freely roamed the Post and flower gardens. Only
at formal regimental functions was he led, draped in black , stirrups and boots
reversed, at the head of the Regiment.
Comanche, aging but still in good health, continued to receive
full honors as a symbol of the tragedy at Little Bighorn. Finally, on November
7, 1891, about 29 years old, Comanche died of colic. The horse is
currently on display in a humidity controlled glass case at the University of
Kansas Museum of Natural History in Lawrence, Kansas.
Comanche taxidermy
I hope you enjoyed reading about the Morgan Horse, including
many of the breed's faithful steeds and in addition, the truth about the famous
horse, Comanche.
I'll end with a horse quote by Chris LeDoux...
"Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your
eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky and live like you ain't afraid to die,
don't be scared, just enjoy the ride."
Sources: https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Morganhorse
https://www.roadsideamerica.com
https://morganhorse.com
Cheri, an interesting post. Our daughter had horses and I fed them when she was ill, but never personally owned one. They are beautiful animals. I like to ride but will leave saddling, cleaning the stall, picking the hooves, and currying the horse to others.
ReplyDeleteThey are such beautiful animals and such a pleasure to ride ... viewing scenic trails seems even more enjoyable on the back of a horse. But I do concur with your leaving the upkeep of the horses to others! LOL
DeleteExcellent post and full of great information. Doris
ReplyDeleteThanks, Doris, I appreciate you taking the time to stop by.
Delete