[exvet]

Morgans are the best breed. You know I've stated in the past that I'm the black sheep of the family, should be no surprise. I have stud bills from one of my ancestors who bred 4 mares twice to each of two of Justin Morgan's foundation sons. I have pictures of my grandfather on their morgans. My family has been in morgans since quite literally the 1700s. In fact if you go to the first president of the Morgan Horse Club, guess who is the president? Yes, I am a Darling (name not attribute) and find it rather ironic that there is a stallion named, John A Darling after the forefather whose line I belong to. If I wasn't so enamored with the Welsh Cobs, Morgan (though I am smitten with a good Arabian too) would be my breed of choice but then that would force me to actually converse and be agreeable with the family. I have pictures of lots of our families' horses through the years (dating back several generations/centuries). They were/are the absolute best using horses. Our best draft pull team was our Morgan pair, not the Belgian pair but my grandfather would roll over in the grave if I made that too public because he made more money with the Belgian team. I think they are the best kept American secret. They helped win the Civil War and don't receive nearly any credit for it.

[Tif_Ann]

Love my boy! He did come from a Morgan herd rescue - 41 from the son of Dr. Orton of the Ortawn prefix He's a huge boy - 15.2 as a three year old and growing! Here he is:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3546815...n/photostream/

and

http://youtu.be/qAMXul45Wc4

and I LOVE this one, 2 years old, a sign of the beauty he will become:

http://youtu.be/2sjDXhNTPjI

[didgery]

Also at the barn... This little Morgan, Cato, is 31!!!

ADORABLE!!

[PalominoMorgan]

It does take "talent" to stave a Morgan. Same challenge as a Shetland or any other breed that gets fat on air. Super sad to see any horse in a sad state, let alone a breed so hardy. Makes you think just how long the abuse must have been going on.

[quietann]

Cato again. Please excuse the messy barn aisle! Yes, his feet need a lot of work... he was not well cared for at his previous barn and has only been at the one where I board for 6 days. Everyone is in love with him and he's soaking up the attention.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-c.../catoagain.jpg

[tabula rashah]

Here's my "starving" Morgan girl Willowcroft Melody
She actually was a rescue.

[clanter]

Here's my "starving" Morgan girl Willowcroft Melody
She actually was a rescue.

Where you able to obtain her registration papers? She is a very striking mare

[tabula rashah]

Where you able to obtain her registration papers? She is a very striking mare

Thank you- Yes, I do have her papers. She is by DJJJ's Ebony Gold out of Merlin Lady Mariah

[clanter]

she looks like her dad...DJJJ Ebony Gold is one of just nine Morgans that has been awarded the Sport Horse Award

"This award represents a life time achievement, and is awarded to Morgan Horses that earn medallions in five of the seven divisions."

http://taylormadestables.com/Ebony.htm

Five of the following seven:

Competitive Trail Rides & Drives, Open Shows, Endurance Trail Rides, Dressage, Eventing, Working Western. Carriage Pleasure Driving and Combined Driving Events

http://www.morganhorse.com/competiti...n_competition/

[up-at-5]

Here's my old geezer, 25ish in age. Clearly not starving, although he does live live in the "fat" paddock where I can limit his caloric intake. Hope the link works.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
Pilgrim spent the first 6 or so years of his life tied to a long rope attached to a hay wagon, in the middle of a field. As a stallion! There were others, and every so often one would break their rope and attack those still tied. Pilly has the scars, the rope burns to prove it. I saw him in the field, bought him, gelded him and have owned him ever since. He is a hoot, although now retired, he and I had one heck of a lot of fun over the years.

[Kate66]

The thread of titled Morgan horses starving to death just bothers me as any horse can starve to death because of mistreatment.

I'm not getting why the title of the thread bothered you?

[jetsmom]

Well, I thought after reading the title of this thread, that the horses in the other thread were investigated and found NOT to have been starved. Made me think the original report was in error.

[clanter]

I'm not getting why the title of the thread bothered you?

Any negative news can affect the long term success of the breed and that is just an unjust effect.

Specifically the owners of the bred become associated with the crime. In this day and age of sensationalized news reporting there is little thought regarding just who they are painting as guilty.

All many people who have read the reports will ever remember will be Morgans are starved to death; which can happen to any breed.

The American Morgan Horse as a breed is considered one of the lesser breeds with about four thousand annual new registrations. I believe there are more American Quarter Horses registered each year than the total number of registered Morgans.

[Justa Bob]

Requesting ideas for the PA Morgans in need:
The Harrisburg HS emailed a simple note to me that they very much appreciated COTH re-posting the Craiglist ad requesting emergency help (on a separate thread).

Posting here because the original thread is now off-topic from actual assistance to the horses in need.

(Posting here with great trepidation - 1) do not want to create a negative public image as clanter has noted can happen and 2) do not want to high jack this very fun discussion.)

Question:
Does anyone in the Morgan community know if their members have been able to assist the "Hershey Rescue Horses?" Before involving the greater COTH community - checking in with those closest usually brings the most assistance. If additional COTH help were requested - it's probably best done by those parties closest to the situation who have the facts. From a long distance, one feels helpless other than sending a donation.

Again - apologies for diverging from the topic. Thank you for any ideas and news.

[quietann]

The American Morgan Horse as a breed is considered one of the lesser breeds with about four thousand annual new registrations. I believe there are more American Quarter Horses registered each year than the total number of registered Morgans.

Um, that 4000 was at the peak. New registrations have fallen to 1500 or less per year... product of breeders getting older and not a lot of younger breeders coming up the ranks, plus an only sometimes deserved reputation for being "hot" because of how they are presented in the breed ring. (But people here yelled at me when I suggested that Morgans were becoming a rare breed.)

The registry currently says there are 107,000 Morgans living, but not a lot of owners notify the AMHA when a Morgan dies... someone I know, who seems to has the "inner scoop", says there are more likely around 70,000