The Ancient Morgan Archive

Learn to see the horse.

Essays and evidence from the people who bred, measured, studied, and lived with the original Morgan.

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8Essays
9Study plates
Free to read · preserved by the registry
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Eight ways into the breed.


All articles are provided for reading and educational purposes only and may not be reproduced. The archive holds many more (inbreeding and outcrossing, disposition, action, judging, the Lippitt stallions, early Morgan descriptions, the Government Morgan Horse Farm), available on request from the registrar.

Study plates

Learn to see it.


Comparison plates from the Lyle F. Horton Memorial Ancient Morgan Archive. The lesson in all of them: the Morgan is long and low (short legs, long underline, short back) and round wherever other breeds are flat.

Plate comparing the modern show-type Morgan silhouette with the true Morgan type
Modern show type vs. true type
Plate demonstrating roundness and squareness on an engraving of Hale's Green Mountain Morgan
Roundness & squareness
Long and low stallions comparison plate, first of three
Long & low stallions · I
Long and low stallions comparison plate, second of three
Long & low stallions · II
Long and low stallions comparison plate, third of three
Long & low stallions · III
Long bodied and low mares comparison plate, first of three
Long & low mares · I
Long bodied and low mares comparison plate, second of three
Long & low mares · II
Long bodied and low mares comparison plate, third of three
Long & low mares · III
Plate pairing an engraving of Black Hawk 20 with a painting of Justin Morgan 1
Black Hawk 20 & Justin Morgan 1
From the record — a tribute

River Riders Rich, 1998–2024.

Some horses argue the breed’s case better than any article. Richey was sold through a stock auction as a colt, found again in Amish harness in Ohio, and brought home by Bruce and Diane Orser. At the 2003 Lippitt Country Show he won the Standard class over two former winners, drawing crowds to his stall all weekend and standing for every one of them like a gentleman. His veterinarians and farriers called him their favorite stallion. In sixteen years at the Orsers’ farm there was never a single incident of any sort of bad behavior.

“A more willing, kinder horse never stood upon this earth. He was perfect. We loved him — and as we have learned, so it is with his new owners.”

Bruce & Diane OrserWinloc Farm
The Lippitt stallion River Riders Rich standing on a dirt lane, dark bay with a heavy mane
River Riders Rich(Winloc Major Gifford × Motif Hill Mismotif)
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