The Marvelous Morgan! We are celebrating these horses as our April Breed of the Month on YourDressage!
Did you know that dressage riders who choose a member of this versatile breed as their mount are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) is a participating organization?
In this story, a rider from Region 2 shares how she went against her own wishes for a steady, experienced partner and fell in love with a spunky four-year-old Morgan gelding, with whom she happens to share a birthday!
By Katie Bratschi
My name is Katie, and I am your typical adult amateur with fruitful dreams of someday collecting my USDF Bronze and Silver Rider Medals. To make this more challenging for myself, I am a six-foot-tall rider obsessed with ponies and small horses. You won’t find me in the ring with an 18-hand warmblood, but rather on a compact little workhorse!
Along the way of riding multiple horses and breeds, I have found a home with Morgans. They are compact and athletic, willing and smart, hardy, and overflowing with personality. My very first horse was a lovely Morgan named Roger (Hawkwood High Command), who rooted my passion for both the breed and dressage. He quickly proved that non-traditional breeds could do just as well as warmbloods.
After losing Roger, I took the hiatus from horses that so many people do. There was no way I could find a horse that I cherished as much as him. Replacing a heart horse seemed impossible. This sentiment was short-lived, as I underestimated how strong the “horse bug” truly is, and I found myself bringing home an Off-Track Thoroughbred (OTTB) named Boyd. Boyd was everything a Morgan isn’t, and that was not an accident. I figured that finding a horse who didn’t remind me of Roger would be perfect for my healing process. Boyd was wonderful in helping me regain my footing in the horse world, but he came with an abundance of chronic health issues that he could not overcome.
As I began, once again, shopping for a horse, I found myself missing the characteristics of Morgans that I loved so much. So, I decided to look for a middle-aged, confidence-building Morgan, who had “been there, done that,” so I could attempt to get back into the show pen after nine years away.
Well, the universe has a way of not listening to your plans, and I found myself repeatedly returning to an ad for a recently gelded, four-year-old, western working bred Morgan named RG Chief Red Cloud, who had only recently been started under saddle.
Chief was slightly out of my budget, and over five hours away, but his soft eye and lovely movement kept bringing me back. He was a dark bay with no white – just like Roger. I peeked at his registration papers, wanting to know if he had any shared lineage, and was shocked to find that we shared the same birthday (May 4th)! Seems like a sign, right?
I kept behaving myself, though, and continued to look for the horse that would fit my original criteria. Then, one morning, I logged online to see that his price had dropped – right into the top of my budget… ding, ding, ding! I reached out to schedule a trial ride within minutes. Moments after seeing him in person, I was smitten, and after our ride, I was the proud new owner of Chief.
Chief has the best work ethic I have ever seen. He truly loves to work, and thrives on routine. He is a fair and kind teacher, while keeping me honest. His goofball personality always keeps me laughing, even when he may be in the middle of teaching me patience during trailer loading… He has lots of unique quirks, like refusing to eat apples but loving Dunkin Donuts (I get that, buddy), loving to have his ears and booty scratched, and always pooping immediately before we go into the show ring (love this one).
Chief is almost 100% foundation bred, with a large influence from working western lineage. I can’t imagine that his breeder or original owner ever imagined him becoming a dressage horse – they likely saw him in the sorting pen or reining world. Still, he’s proven to be very adaptable and willing to step into new roles. It’s been an exciting challenge to shift his training mindset into the more disciplined and defined world of dressage, and western dressage has been a fun way to bridge the two. We debuted in the dressage ring that summer at Introductory Level and had a blast. My long break from showing came with lots of rider anxiety, but Chief took care of me every time.
Last summer, we moved up to Training Level, which he also took with ease, and began to dabble in First Level. He has a lazy nature, but, man, can he jump-start his motor for those lengthenings! This year, I am excited to continue improving our First Level movements, and dabble in western dressage. The idea of having four additional tests per level for a smart horse who likes to anticipate is extremely appealing! I also love promoting this amazing breed, and have found lots of the Morgan community to be present in the western dressage space.
If you’re considering a Morgan for your next dancing partner, I’d encourage you to give them a try. No matter what you are looking for, there is a Morgan out there who can do it thanks to their incredible versatility, hardiness, and intelligence. If you are open to developing a partnership based on mutual respect and hard work, a Morgan is the perfect fit, and I promise you won’t regret it!
I really love this story and wish this team continued success!