Old Morgan/New Morgan

There seems to be a trend in Morgan horse breeding. Many of the show horses that I have seen, and that many people seem to prefer, differ in confirmation than the Morgans of yesteryear. Originally, when I thought of a Morgan horse, I envisioned a shorter, stocky built horse; handsome yet solidly built to withstand the pressures of any type of work. Athletic with lots of stamina, it looked like it could go forever. I still see many of those horses today in the show ring, but more often than not I see a different style of Morgan horse. This type is a taller, finer built animal that is extremely athletic. These horses are beautiful to watch, often times breathtaking, but they don’t look as though they have the “toughness” of their predecessors.

I have heard discussion about this aspect of the Morgan breed. Some feel there needs to be a trend back to the original style, but others like the animation and stunning beauty of the Morgan horses of today. I don’t think this is specific to the Morgan horse breed. I have noticed the changes in trends with Quarter horses too. Many of today’s Quarter horses do not look like the original members of that breed.

There isn’t a wrong or right side to this discussion since it is simply a matter of taste. However, I do find it to be an interesting point to ponder regarding the future of the Morgan horse breed.  I just wondered what others thought.