Morgan Horse History

 

The History of the Morgan Horse

The Morgan horse came into being in the late eighteenth century and grew in popularity throughout the nineteenth century. In the beginning, farmers used them to establish homesteads in Vermont and Northern New England. Before long, people learned that they were fast trotters and could be used for racing. The breed became more established, and Morgan horses travelled with migrants as they moved West.

Several cavalry companies used Morgan horses in the Civil War and other military campaigns during the nineteenth century. Their hardiness was well-suited to military endeavors, and the United States government adopted them as the official military horse in the early twentieth century with the establishment of the United States Government Horse Farm in Weybridge, Vermont and other Remount Stations located across the nation.

Learn more about the history of the Morgan horse by following the links to articles about the breed. Also, please visit - and Like - our Facebook page to see highlights from our collection and links to other Morgan history resources.

Articles on the History of the Morgan Horse

Justin Morgan The Man

The Life and Times of Figure

The Look of Lippitts

The Morgan Horse-Profiles in History: Introduction by Christian J. Heidorf

Memorabilia Articles

The Morgan Horse Magazine devoted the last page of several issues to an item in the museum’s collection, entitled Memorabilia. Below, find a sample of our Memorabilia articles.