"TBe ^Morgan Jforse ^Magazine "His neigh is like the bidding of a monarch, and his countenance enforces homage." — KING HENRY V. A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE (Nov., Feb., May, Aug.) Office of Publication SOUTH WOODSTOCK, VERMONT VOL' V NOVEMBER 1945 NO. 1 MORGANS IN JAPAN VERMONT BLACK HAWK (5) In their ruthless and atavistic warfare against civilization the Famous Founder of the Family of Light Road and Japs are using Morgan and part-Morgan horses in their horse Harness Race Horses Known as "Black Hawks" cavalry. It has been a matter of common knowledge for years that the By A. M. HARTUNG Jap army remount stallion service is on a scale of about ten From Horse Lover, August-September 1945 times that of the United States. The more of a "runt" the Jap. A class of horses that became very popular in New England the taller the horse he demands, and as the native horses in the over a hundred years ago was known as the "Black Hawks." land of the rising sun are ponies, in size somewhere between the They were light, stylish roadsters and became the leading trotting Shetland and the Western mustang, importations of larger breed­ harness race horse family of America. No horse was more prized, ing stock are required to breed up their horses. as a trotter to light vehicles, than a genuine Black Hawk, with In 1920 a mysterious and poker-faced Jap, going under the his lofty, restless action, his speed, and his beauty. slightly Hebraic name of Dr. Izza Tanimura, address Post Office The original stallion was known as Vermont Black Hawk, Box No. 1, Tokyo, became, through transfer, the registered after the establishment of the Trotting Register he became known owner of a number of Morgan stallions as well as a few mares. as Black Hawk (5). He was foaled in 1833 near Portsmouth, The animals of which there is a transfer record easily avail­ N. H. At the age of four years he was sold as a roadster for the able are: sum of $150. In 1842 he won a match of a thousand dollars Stallions: Stockwood 7205 by Jerome Morgan 4618, dam trotting five miles over the Cambridge track in sixteen minutes. Lucy MacDonald 04001; Trumpeter 7206 by Troubadour of In the year 1844 Mr. Hill bought him and kept him as a stallion Willowmoor 6459 out of Jewel 03268; Donlyn 5849 by at Bridport, Vt., till the time of his death, in 1856. His skele­ Donald 5224, dam a daughter of Billy Roberts 4550. Mares: ton is preserved in the office of the secretary of the State Board Lucy MacDonald 04001 (dam of Stockwood), Moonda 04008 of Agriculture at the State House in Boston. and her dam, Bessie Baker 0224. Black Hawk (5) was a jet black horse, a trifle under 15 As the Jap government controls all domestic business, these hands, and his weight, when in condition, was not far from horses unquestionably went to Japan for military purposes, the 1,000 pounds. He was a remarkably symmetrical and muscular transaction being completely in line with the Jap procedure, animal, graced with the most beautiful head, neck and limbs, namely, grab a good original, then try to copy it. and when in action, whether in harness or out, of a spirited, Granting that the Japs secured no other than this breeding nervous, and elegant bearing, which could not fail to command stock, it is probable that by now they have many thousands of universal attention and admiration wherever he appeared. He Morgans and part-Morgans in their military service. Most of the was one of the fastest stallions of his day, he won a race at the horses listed above were weanlings, as Dr. "Izzy" had full con­ New York State Fair in 1847, against the Morse Horse in 2:42. fidence in the Morgan breed. The writer has not personally had But his stud duties were heavy and he was raced very little. It the opportunity to observe the effect of the Morgan infusion of is reported he covered 1,772 mares in 13 seasons. blood on the Jap horses, but a friend who was located in Tokyo He possesses the power of transmitting his characteristics to says a very fair horse was produced, larger than the Asiatic pony, his numerous offspring in a degree surpassed by no other horse and able to stand a climate which usually is "poison" to horses in the country. He was the leading sire of his day, and his prog­ of other than the Asiatic breeds. eny were uniformly stylish and trappy gaited, and sold for high Just what the Japs use for saddles we do not know. A promi­ prices, and were in great demand. Elis get combined speed with nent New York dealer in military "junk" states that a number the perfection of form, the intelligence, courage, and endurance of years ago a large shipment of surplus McClellan's proved too sufficient to make them complete models of their type of light big for the Japs and had to be returned. harness and saddle horses, and so uniform were his get that God pity these unfortunate equine Americans, for the sadistic wherever seen—in harness, under saddle, or on the parade ground Jap has the dubious distinction of being the worst horseman —under whatever circumstances the descendants of Black Hawk in the world; their cavalry posts resembling a garbage dump, appeared, the eye accustomed to observe the characteristics of the with the half starved and poorly cared for horses tied in the horse could not fail to detect the relationship. broiling sun when shade was easily available, their poor bodies As evidence of their qualities, as well as the celebrity they covered with untreated and fly-covered sores. Let us hope, with had obtained in that period in all parts of the country, it may the indominable spirit still left in their pitiful carcasses, they will be stated that at the Fair at St. Louis in 1859, five out of six of the best stallions exhibited in the roadster class were Black administer to the sons of heaven many good kicks where they Hawks; and the prize of one thousand dollars that year, and will do the most good.—From Western Horseman, July-August of fifteen hundred dollars at the Fair there in 1860, were awarded 1945. for the best stallions in that class to sons of Vermont Black Hawk. At various fairs in New England—those held at Spring­ that there was any striking resemblance to Sherman, who was field, at Boston, and elsewhere—the Black Hawks were largely accustomed to mark his colts very strongly, as most Morgans represented, and carried off many prizes. More than 100 horses did. Black Hawk was a remarkably clean-limbed horse and of this stock were entered at the Springfield, Mass., Horse Show had none of the long tufts of hair on his legs as Sherman had. in 1860, and nearly half of all successful competitors were Black It is a curious fact that of all the stallions got by Black Hawk Hawks. His sons were scattered all over New England, and of which the pedigrees are given in Linsley's "Morgan Horses," judging from fairs of other states in other parts of the country only three fell below a thousand pounds in weight, and scarcely they exerted a wide influence on horse stock all over the United one fell below 15 hands in height. Stockbridge Chief, foaled in States. 1843, was 16 hands, and weighed 1,200 pounds;—he became His most noted son was Ethan Allen (43) 2:25)4, the noted as a broodmare sire, siring the dams of Gloster 2:17,— World's Champion Trotting Stallion, record 2:25\'A made when Black Diamond 2:191^ , Egalite 2:20J^. He was also grandsire he was 18 years of age, in 1860. In 1867, hitched with a run­ of third dam of the former champion trotter Uhlan 1:58. ning mate, he trotted a mile in 2:15, his best record at that hitch. Selim, foaled in 1844, weighed 1,100 pounds, and was I5y2 This performance was a match race in which he defeated the hands high; Sherman Black Hawk was foaled in 1848, was greater Dexter 2:\7]4 Ethen Allen's stud fee went as high as 15J4 hands, and weighed 1,075 pounds; President, foaled 1848, $500. He was a very vigorous horse, at twenty-five years of age was 16 hands high, and weighed!,050 pounds; Champion Black he covered thirty-seven mares and got thirty-two foals. Hawk was foaled in 1849, was 15 hands, and weighed 1,050 In regard to the origin of the famous sire Black Hawk (5), pounds; Black Hawk Jr., foaled in 1849, was 15 hands, and his breeding is given in the Morgan Register (Linsleys) or "Mor­ weighed 1,050 pounds; Black Hawk Chief, foaled 1849, weighed gan Horses," as sired by Sherman Morgan, he by Justin Mor­ 1,034 pounds, and was 15J/? hands high; Rising Sun, foaled 3 gan—founder of the Morgans. Black Hawk's dam was a black in 1850, was 15 /4 hands, weighed 1,100 pounds; Plato, foaled mare raised in New Brunswick, half Thoroughbred (Wildair), in 1851, was 16 hands, and weighed 1,100 pounds; Addison, a very fast trotter, and in every respect a superior animal. foaled 1851, was 16 hands, and weighed 1,175 pounds; Black Justin Morgan, and the family of which he was the progeni­ Hawk Napoleon, foaled 1852, weighed 1,100 pounds and was tor, were long denied a place as a recognized factor in the pro­ 16 hands; Black Hawk Prince, foaled in 1851, weighed 1,150 duction of the highest type of the modern American light-harness pounds, was 16 hands high; Wildair, foaled in 1850, was 15% performer.