Justin Morgan Had a Horse

Diver52 · Sat Feb 26, 2022 1:30 am

Just watched a PBS show on American breeds. I remember reading the above book, but have questions for experts--the show said that the original Morgan horse (named Figure) was so prepotent that not only did he only sire bays (easily understood) but that all his foals shared his phenotype which made it possible to establish a breed. Could it really have worked that way?

BaroqueAgain1 · Sat Feb 26, 2022 2:46 am

That's the story I always heard when I was a horse-crazy, read-everything-about-horses kid.

Mylute · Sat Feb 26, 2022 8:44 am

Pretty sure I own this book somewhere

Pirateena · Sat Mar 12, 2022 7:57 pm

Diver52 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 26, 2022 1:30 am Just watched a PBS show on American breeds. I remember reading the above book, but have questions for experts--the show said that the original Morgan horse (named Figure) was so prepotent that not only did he only sire bays (easily understood) but that all his foals shared his phenotype which made it possible to establish a breed. Could it really have worked that way?

If you want to see it in action in recent times, google the Arabian Khemosabi++++//, and his babies. Now he didn't bring the Arabian breed into existence, but he's an obvious example of 'putting his stamp on his foals' - when you can look at a horse and tell who sired him/her. Also people would have started bringing mares to Figure that would compliment him, and used inbreeding to fix the type (people call it 'line breeding' so it doesn't look so bad).

Its how any domestic breed is bred into existence, including dogs and cats.

--Pi

Mylute · Sat Mar 12, 2022 9:14 pm

While on the topic...I see several breeds will have +++++ in their name or even actual numbers, like 435. Why is this?

I know in the JC you sometimes see II.

Diver52 · Sun Mar 13, 2022 12:41 pm

Thanks, Pirateena--that makes more sense than the way the show made it sound as if the foals were all "Mini-Me's!" And when you mentioned Khemosabi, I had a flash of a blaze-faced bay with an impossibly long and elegant neck--but it's been decades since I followed Arabians!

CoronadosQuest · Sun Mar 13, 2022 1:12 pm

Mylute wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 9:14 pm While on the topic...I see several breeds will have +++++ in their name or even actual numbers, like 435. Why is this?

I know in the JC you sometimes see II.

In Arabians the + or a / is earned when a horse receives a IAHA Merit Award. Khemosabi had the Legion of Masters (++++). You receive points when you place in shows sort of like in the AKC. Basically, the more symbols after the name, the better they were in the ring. They can earn them in halter and/or performance classes.

https://www.arabianhorses.org/competiti ... nt-awards/

example of horses and their Lifetime Horse Achievement Award Points (with symbol)

https://www.arabianhorses.org/export/co ... points.pdf

But yes, when I think of Khemosabi, I think of bays with stripes/blazes and socks. When I think of Padrons Psyche I think of flashy chestnuts