Morgan horse

It has been suggested that Morab be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since November 2023.

Morgan Horse

A Morgan horse
Country of origin	United States
Traits
Height	14.1 to 15.2 hands (57 to 62 inches, 145 to 157 cm)
Distinguishing features	Compact, muscular but refined build, expressive head, well arched neck.
Breed standards
American Morgan Horse Association
Equus ferus caballus

The Morgan horse is one of the earliest horse breeds developed in the United States.^[1] Tracing back to the foundation sire Figure, later named Justin Morgan after his best-known owner, as well as mares of the now-extinct Narragansett Pacer breed, Morgans served many roles in 19th-century American history, being used as coach horses and for harness racing, as general riding animals, and as cavalry horses during the American Civil War on both sides of the conflict. Morgans have influenced other major American breeds, including the American Quarter Horse, the American Saddlebred, the Tennessee Walking Horse, and the Standardbred.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, they were exported to other countries, including England, where a Morgan stallion influenced the breeding of the Hackney horse. In 1907, the US Department of Agriculture established the US Morgan Horse Farm near Middlebury, Vermont for the purpose of perpetuating and improving the Morgan breed; the farm was later transferred to the University of Vermont. The first breed registry was established in 1909, and since then many organizations in the US, Europe and Oceania have developed.

There were estimated to be over 175,000 Morgan horses worldwide in 2005. However, as of 2019, it is estimated that only 100 foundation Morgans remain in existence due to crossbreeding with the Saddlebred and the Arabian. The latter cross is used to produce Morab horses.^[2]

The Morgan is a compact, refined breed, generally bay, black or chestnut in color, although they come in many colors, including several variations of pinto. Used in both English and Western disciplines, the breed is known for its versatility. The Morgan is the state animal of Vermont; the state horse of Massachusetts; and the state mammal of Rhode Island, the last of which was also the state of origin for the Narragansett Pacer, the Morgan's forerunner. Popular children's authors, including Marguerite Henry and Ellen Feld, have portrayed the breed in their books; Henry's Justin Morgan Had a Horse was later made into a Disney movie.