Morgan Horse Club

Between the Irons - Anecdotes of my Life with Horses

It's also not a biography in that the story is certainly not over yet, with Sampson continuing to breed horses and train riders from her ranch in Canada.

From early beginnings when a Morgan horse caught her eye, Sampson has journeyed far and wide and bred champion horses from her farm, Trillium Morgan Horses, in Ontario.

In this book, Sampson relates many of her experiences with horses, including long trips on the road, the excitement of new arrivals, and the process of choosing a new breeding stallion. And while there are many "ups" with horses, there are also downs, which Sampson relates in a chatty, easy-reading manner as she reflects on horses and her journey through life so far.

"I doubt it is a coincidence that a horse of Morgan heritage that strolled by my house on late afternoons when I was a young girl would have the same name as my Morgan foundation mare. Nor could it be a coincidence that I would establish a horse farm in the same area where my first horse, Magnificent, was foaled and purchased when I was just an awkward teed trying to adjust to life in southern Ontario. Call it fate or good karma. Whatever you believe, it was meant to be."

About the author:

Catherine Sampson has enjoyed a life-long commitment to horses spanning more than 40 years. She is a published poet and writer whose articles have appeared in many national and international equine magazines such as Horse Sport and Equus to name a few. She is also a respected trainer and breeder of champion Morgan horses as well as a popular clinician in demand.

Over the decades, her Foundation Training Program has produced countless pleasure horses of every breed and dozens of championship Morgan show horses. She and her husband, Robert, own and operate the Trillium Equine Complex and its parent, the Trillium Morgan Horse Farm in Orono, Ontario Canada.

For over 30 years, Catherine has created and has hosted a variety of educational programs that have greatly benefited the public. Education of the horse owner has always been a main focus at the farm, something which Catherine has been passionate about for the well-being of the horse.

Striking The Superb Figure Of The Morgan Horse | Horse Training

Justin Morgan was a teacher, composer, businessman, and horseman who acquired a small rough-coated bay colt of relatively unknown lineage who was born in 1789 and named him Figure. He was a rather unremarkable horse that nobody wanted because he was too small, yet he became the foundation of an entire breed of horses recognized for quality and dependability.

The ancestry of the colt name Figure who founded the Morgan breed is unknown, but is thought to be of Dutch, Thoroughbred, or Arabian breeding. History’s best guess is that his sire was True Briton, who was respected for his excellence and who sired quality horses. His unnamed dam was described as being of the “Wild-air breed” with her sire being a son of Church’s Wildair by Wildair (Delancey’s) out of a mare named Wildair.

There is quite an in-depth history and many stories about this particular little horse, including a Disney movie in 1972 “Justin Morgan Had a Horse” that was based on a book of the same name. Figure’s ability to out walk, out trot, outrun, and out pull other horses was legendary. For example, it is said that he pulled a log that no draft horse could budge, and that he outran the most winning racehorse central Vermont had ever known. From these anecdotes came the Morgan Horse owners’ claim that “this horse can do anything”, and apparently the breed does. Whatever equine discipline you can think of, the Morgan Horse will be found to be a part of it and likely excelling in it. Even when harness racing was popular in the1800′s, the world’s fastest trotting stallion was Ethan Allen 50, Justin Morgan’s great-grandson.

After Justin Morgan’s death, Figure was passed on to new owners and in the tradition of the times, he became known by his former owner’s name, Justin Morgan. He spent his life working on farms, hauling freight, and as a parade mount at militia trainings. Over a period of 30 years, the little horse remained sound in limb, stamina and sight, throughout a lifetime of two ordinary horses. He also had showy, ground-covering gaits with speed to spare at any one of them and was an extremely gentle horse around children.

Justin Morgan’s most valuable asset was the prepotency of his genes. No matter what type of mare he was bred to, draft or light racing horse, his offspring inherited his image, his abilities and his distinguishing characteristics. And not only his offspring inherited the traits, but the prepotency also went through several generations. Today, every registered Morgan Horse traces back to Justin Morgan through his most famous sons Woodbury, Bulrush, and Sherman. Sadly, the little Justin Morgan died in 1821 from an untreated kick received from another horse, so his true longevity was never realized.

Program, National Morgan Horse Show, 1948

The complete Morgan horse

The Horse

The Official Horse Breeds Standards Guide, The Complete Guide to the Standards of All North American Equine Breed Associations

The Vermonter