Morgan Horse English Pleasure - Carousel Charity Horse Show

Morgan horses are one of few truly American horse breeds. They are gorgeous horses that hold their heads and tails high similar to Arabian horses. But Morgan horses are a bit stockier with powerful muscles. They are quite a sight to see in here in Class 66 at the 2023 Carousel Charity Horse Show in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Today's Morgan horses are all descended from a foundation stallion back in the late 1700's that was owned by a man named Justin Morgan. His little colt, named Figure, was on the small side but quickly became known as the horse who could out run, out trot, and out pull better than his bigger contemporary horses.
Over time the Morgan horse breed has generally become bigger than their ancestor, Figure, but they are still known as a versatile horse that looks amazing!
#morganhorse #horseshow #horses

[@valerierobinson8872]

I prefer the old style Morgan horse.

[@MagnificentHorses]

That sounds like a lot of people agree with you in that regard.

[@blackberrythorns]

the original, the canadian horse, is still alive. kzbin.info/www/bejne/emHGkHyAYpmhldk

[@DavidFayHeSSoFaY]

They are judging the rider on their horsemanship and ability to control the horse while maintaining perfect posture, rein handling and ability to work both the curb and snaffle bridal reins. Legg placement is key along with the placement of the riders heel in the stirrup iron. The Rider should make their performance appear effortless. Cues should be given to the horse almost secretly... A private conversation between horse and rider. Qualifying equitation classes usually end with each rider giving an individual pattern performance. Each rider performs the pattern. Patterns consist of a variation of circles. Half circles, gate changes and lead changes. Take it from me it's not easy. I spent my summers in equitation training. Hours upon hours. David Fay

[@MagnificentHorses]

Great explanation and I'm glad you were able to do that in your younger day!

[@DoubleDogDare54]

They couldn't make up their minds if they wanted an Arab or a Saddlebred so they turned Morgans into a patchwork of two other breeds but kept the name the same....yeah - that works. 🤔

[@MagnificentHorses]

I still really like Morgans today in addition to the Arabians in saddlebreds. All three of them are great breeds.

[@DoubleDogDare54]

@@MagnificentHorses Except what you see today is not what the Morgan originally was and is meant to be. Anymore than the "Big Lick" TWH are what Walking Horses were meant to be. Or "modern" Shetlands are compared to true Shetlands, and on down the line. Or ASB for that matter as well. It is the DIFFERENCES between breeds that make them "breeds", not the similarities.

[@MagnificentHorses]

@@DoubleDogDare54 like I said a minute ago in a reply to one of your other comments, I would rather have seen it remain more pure, too. But that doesn't mean that I don't still like the Morgan breed.

[@blackberrythorns]

@@DoubleDogDare54 "Except what you see today is not what the Morgan originally was and is meant to be." the original is still fine in it's homeland. kzbin.info/www/bejne/goauqairptFngqM

[@KristineLynn]

These " Morgans" are about as far away from a real Morgan as possible. Real Morgans descended to Justin Morgan are called Lippitt Morgans. THESE Morgans are infused with Saddlebred, Hackney and whatever else they can mix in 😒.

[@deborahs2593]

I was just thinking the same thing. They've bred them so much with other breeds there aren't many true Morgans left.

[@MagnificentHorses]

That's too bad. And I have not seen Morgan's for a long time, and I have to admit I was surprised at how they looked in this show.

[@DoubleDogDare54]

Arabs. You missed Arabs.

[@MagnificentHorses]

@@DoubleDogDare54 I think they had Arabs covered by saying "whatever else they can mix in."😂

[@blackberrythorns]

@@deborahs2593 there are still the original - the canadian horse, le cheval canadien. The Legend of the Canadian Horse: Genetic Diversity and Breed Origin - Oxford Academic "The legend of the Canadian horse is a fascinating chapter of North American history. It is the story of North America’s first equine breed that was the foundation bloodstock to many American breeds like the American Saddlebred, Standardbred, (possibly) Appaloosa, Northern Plains Mustang, and the Morgan. The Canadian traces its ancestry to horses sent from Louis XIV’s royal stables to the colony of New France in the mid-17th century (Jones 1947). In spite of the colony’s harsh climate and the absence of forage, shelter and pasture, the foundation herd of less than a 100 animals flourished to 30 000 by 1784 (Gendron 1993). The Canadian earned the nickname, “the little iron horse,” for its storied feats of strength and endurance, regularly outclassing more muscular and heavy boned horses (Langelier 1920). The Canadian studbook was established in 1889 and is the oldest active horse breed registry in North America (Gendron 2010). In 1998 and 2002, respectively, Quebec and Canada officially recognized the Canadian as a heritage breed and the national horse for its intrinsic role in forming the 2 nations. Today the breed languishes in relative obscurity on the brink of extinction with a confirmed population of 2456 pure Canadian horses and is classified as threatened by The Livestock Conservancy." meet "figure" - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6LEnWVnntSNfbc

[@mariefriedmann3203]

I love the Canadian Morgan’s… now I can understand why!

[@MagnificentHorses]

Very cool! So I take it you're from Canada, eh?

[@blackberrythorns]

@@MagnificentHorses it has nothing to do with nationality, it has to do with facts. le cheval canadien was around for more than 100 years before the 'morgan'.

[@MagnificentHorses]

@@blackberrythorns right, I didn't mean it had anything to do other than with facts. It's just that I figured someone making that comment would be doing so out of national pride and wanting to set the record straight about the Morgan breed's roots being in Canada.

[@blackberrythorns]

@@MagnificentHorses at that time canada was a part of new france like louisiana was. kanata was a first nations word around quebec city, it means something like community. the french understood it as canada and it was on their maps long before the french - british situation had been sorted out (through war). to this day the montreal canadiens hockey team has the colours of the french flag, the C for canadiens and inside the H for les habitants (the inhabitants), on their license plates it says - i remember - in french. once the british conquered the french it was hardly in their interest to promote french culture, even though they admired the french horses. when the american colonies rebelled they took both british and french culture, along with spanish and carribean, and all the parts they liked suddenly became 'american', from baseball to apple pie. the americans knowingly wrote out the foundations for the sake of american mythology, as though it just spontaneously happened because USA#1.

[@MagnificentHorses]

@@blackberrythorns that's some very interesting history! And I didn't know any of that about the Canadiens hockey team.

[@arielporte4149]

Wow DARK black...as opposed to LIGHT black..,. COOL !!! 😅

[@MagnificentHorses]

😂Fifty shades of black, right?😂

[@sarahmarks7082]

I chose the black bay 🐴🖤 and the rider with the purple 💜 jacket too 😁 Such a beautiful horse! I wasn't sure though until the judge called the winners; thought the bay 🤎 in second place could also win

[@MagnificentHorses]

That's interesting that you liked that other one. I'll take another look at that. I am very partial to the jet black horses but I will look again to see what I think if I take that out of the equation.

[@jenniferpopovich2950]

Wonder how they were trained. Some weights on hooves are cruel, and kept from public.

[@MagnificentHorses]

Those shoes don't look like they weigh all that much. I have seen other horses at other shows where I would not say that's the case. But these appear to be pretty reasonable.

[@MR-ly4xt]

Great video. What stunning horses. I think the winner was definitely the best, his action was star quality. I love his colour too. Is this class judged more on the rider, the horse or both? 🐎

[@MagnificentHorses]

Thanks and I'm glad you liked the video! This class is judged more on the horse but the rider has a fair amount to do with how good that horse looks.

[@flashgordon6510]

The black horse with the rider with the pretty purple jacket looks like my old horse, who was black and a son of Chasley Superman. Loved him so much.

[@MagnificentHorses]

That sounds awesome! Glad you had such a fine horse.❤️

[@rezotydnic]

I'm wondering where the plastic bags are on end of whips.

[@MagnificentHorses]

I'm not sure what you mean. There were no plastic bags on ends of whips.

[@rezotydnic]

@MagnificentHorses might not have been there at that time but I've been to Morgan shows where people on sidelines have them to 'hype' up the horses so they step higher, faster, etc. As this was a pleasure class, it may have been done.

[@leegrass6954]

I really hate what happened to the Morgan horse.

[@blackberrythorns]

oh well, it was the canadian horse from the start. begin with a lie, end with a lie.

[@MagnificentHorses]

Sounds like you're not the only one who feels that way.

[@suzanneyoung8011]

I have to agree with most everyone in the comments that the Morgan horses shown here do not resemble the original Morgan horse at all, or even those bred fifty years ago. They look more like what the American Saddlebred horse has come to look like. I despise that long, wispy, thin tail that drags on the ground. I've never understood why the owners of these breeds think that looks good. To me it takes away from the overall conformation and look of the horse. I also think that the Quarter Horses that are shown with thick long, fake tails in the Western Pleasure and other classes don't look good at all, but at least those do not trail on the ground like some of these do. That extremely long, fake tail in the QH world is so distracting when I see them. In my opinion, it takes away from the natural beauty and movement of the horse, as my eye is drawn to it because the fake tail hair keeps moving and catching inside of their hind legs as they walk or jog, and it is so unnatural looking.

[@MagnificentHorses]

Thanks and I agree with all of that!

[@dojo1249]

nice horses. if you hadn't said they were Morgans I thought I would be looking at another breed. all the breeds use for this type of riding all look like saddlebreds/walker wannabes and that shouldn't be.

[@MagnificentHorses]

Yes, I was surprised at how much they looked like saddlebreds, too.

[@blackberrythorns]

lol, repeating the justin morgan american myth. "figure" was a canadian horse - le cheval canadien, the oldest horse breed in north america. there have been two separate genetic studies that have confirmed the morgan is most closely related to the canadian.

[@MagnificentHorses]

That's very interesting! I have not heard that before. I assume you're from Canada, right?

[@blackberrythorns]

@@MagnificentHorses i'm from canada, if i wasn't i wouldn't know as it's been buried. people always 'knew' but the morgan myth was too strong, now genetics have revealed the undeniable reality. the canadian is derived from medieval war horses before they became the modern draught breeds. so many were sent to the united states during the us civil war it nearly wiped out the breed. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipbUiqOdZdenj7s

[@blackberrythorns]

@@MagnificentHorses this study was done at texas a&m. The Legend of the Canadian Horse: Genetic Diversity and Breed Origin - Oxford Academic "Furthermore, the presence of the French-Canadian genetic materials in Morgan horses was indicated by specific characteristics such as the excellent legs and feet, heavy crimpy mane and tail (Herbert et al. 1871). Interestingly, it was mentioned in The National Live-stock Journal in 1881 that H. Bexon, a Vermonter, has said: “there is a terrible fear the Morgan horse would be found to have some French blood in him” (Jones 1947)." kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqnNqGmGmNh7b5Y

[@MagnificentHorses]

@@blackberrythorns that would explain Figure's ability to pull heavy loads!

[@blackberrythorns]

@@MagnificentHorses sure, it explains everything as the description of 'figure' is a canadian horse. there were likely many 'figures' and mares too though, the myth of one stallion being entirely responsible is a bit outlandish when there's a country right above vermont full of them.