By Kathleen Bailey
I have known Kennebec Rugby since his very first breath. Literally.
I worked as a trainer and barn worker at Margaret Gardiner’s Kennebec Morgan Horse Farm, a respected Morgan breeding program known for producing horses that helped shape the breed’s reputation in combined driving. Horses like Kennebec Count and Kennebec Russell competed twice at the USET Pairs Driving World Championships with Larry Poulin in the 1980s, helping to establish Morgans as serious athletes in demanding sport disciplines.
Rugby’s dam, Kennebec Angel, was my heart horse. I worked with her daily and loved her completely. She is still with me now at 28 years old, and she remains one of the most important horses of my life. When Angel foaled Rugby, I was there. He was still in the sac and struggling to breathe. I hesitated for a split second, having been taught not to interfere, and then instinct took over. I ran in and tore the sac open so he could take his first breath. I have video footage of his first steps, his first moments in the world. From the very beginning, he was mine in every way that mattered.
Within his first week, Rugby cemented both his personality and his name. I was kneeling in the pasture when this tiny colt charged over and knocked me flat onto my backside. I laughed and said he was like a rugby player: built like a tank, fearless, and powerful. I had played rugby myself, and with his two white socks, the name fit perfectly. Margaret, who always named the foals, agreed immediately. From that day on, he was “Kennebec Rugby.”
I saved up to purchase him, and I can truly say I started him from the ground up – every step, every lesson, every milestone.
A Morgan Who Loves the Job
It has been incredibly rewarding to see Morgans gaining recognition in the sport horse world. Kennebec Rugby is a true example of what makes the breed so special. Their work ethic, heart, versatility, and desire to please set them apart. Morgans thrive on connection, and they genuinely enjoy having a job.
In 2025, Kennebec Rugby and I finished fifth out of 34 horses in the Third Level Adult Amateur Championship at the Great American/USDF Region 8 Dressage Championships with a score of 67.250%. What made that result stand out was not just the placing, but the timeline behind it.
I returned home from Army basic training on July 31st after not having ridden for roughly eight months. We had only two shows available to earn qualifying scores before the August cutoff. After such a long break, Rugby needed a significant tune-up, and there was no room for error. Despite that, he stepped back into work, handled the pressure of a shortened qualifying window, and delivered when it mattered.
Dressage is not even our primary discipline! Rugby is my upper-level event horse, and we had only stepped away from eventing because I was leaving for Army training.
A “Little Super Morgan” Journey
Rugby’s journey has truly been that of a little super Morgan. My heart has always belonged to eventing, and so has his. I believe strongly in letting horses grow into themselves, so I took his early years slowly. I lightly backed him at three, spent time hacking and trail riding, and then gave him a mental break. At four, I began more structured work. As he approached six, we introduced gymnastics and jumping, and he competed in his first eventing competition at six years old.
From there, he moved up the levels quickly. He excelled as the questions became more complex. His brain loved the challenge, and he finally had the speed and scope to do the job the way he wanted. We competed at Training Level eventing across the East Coast for many years, culminating in a trip to the American Eventing Championships in 2023. That same year, we competed at Modified at a Green Mountain Horse Association show, where he finished second in a massive division filled with Warmbloods.
Dressage has always been the foundation of everything we do. Rugby consistently scored well in the dressage phase, though the journey was not without challenges. Morgans are brilliant, and that intelligence can show up as anticipation. Flying changes were particularly difficult for him early on. He was strong, quick-thinking, and convinced he knew the answer before the question was asked.
Our breakthrough came from thinking outside the box. I introduced him to ranch horse work and reining patterns. A week before a ranch show, I decided to revisit changes, as the pattern required either a simple change or a flying change. Working through the movement in western tack and within a ranch pattern triggered his lightbulb moment. From that point on, he understood the question, and changes are now one of his strengths.
Cross-training created clarity, confidence, and joy. It reinforced my belief that training is often about helping a horse understand a concept in a way that makes sense to their individual brain.
Returning From Basic Training
I left for Army basic training on January 6th and was gone until the very end of July, completing both basic training and job training. Coming back after that long break required patience, humility, and trust. Rugby reminded me that good training stays with a horse. The foundation we built together carried us through the restart, even when time was short and expectations were high.
The odds were not in our favor. It was late in the season. Two qualifying scores were required from two separate shows, and there were only two shows I could get to before the cutoff. Rugby needed a tune-up, and I was eight months out of the saddle.
There were no shortcuts and no excuses. Just showing up and doing the work.
We qualified.
We made it to Regional Championships.
We finished fifth out of 34 horses.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Partner
Rugby represents my first real opportunity to pursue upper-level competition in any discipline. Throughout my career, I worked with young horses and problem horses. That often meant producing them and then watching them move on to their owners or new homes. I rode countless horses, learned from all of them, and became known for understanding Morgans in particular, but I rarely had the chance to keep a horse long enough to see how far we could go together.
Rugby was different. He was my first horse, a clean slate, and one I never had to worry about losing. Not to say there were not ups and downs; there were moments where I jokingly offered him up as a free horse. But what always carried us through was his love for the job, especially jumping. The harder it got, the better he became.
Cross-country was where he truly shined. He locked onto fences, listened intently, and attacked technical combinations with enthusiasm and heart. A professional friend and trainer, Anna Loschiavo, took him Preliminary for me, and watching her pilot my Morgan around that course was one of the most emotional moments of my career. She finished second in a huge division, even beating out her own top Warmbloods, and her praise of him still means everything to me.
A Life Beyond the Ring
Rugby and I have done just about everything together. Skijoring, reining, ranch horse competitions, open shows, sidesaddle, trips to Acadia and the beach, Morgan events, and over twelve years participating at Equine Affaire in a wide range of clinics spanning dressage, eventing, and ranch work.
This is where his fan club truly grew. People saw a Morgan giving his whole heart, holding his own against traditional sport horse breeds, and loving every second of it.
The most special thing about Rugby is his heart. I always say he is like a brown Labrador with a Border Collie brain. He invades personal space, thinks constantly, and loves life deeply. He has helped me connect with people, because sharing him has always been easy and joyful.
Why Morgans Matter
Morgans are not just first horses – they can be forever horses. While most of us are not aiming for the Olympics, we still deserve partners who are capable, sane, athletic, and generous. Morgans can do anything. If they reach a limit in one discipline, they are more than happy to excel in another. They are hardy, intelligent, versatile, and willing, and they will give you everything they have.
Morgans do not belong in a box. They need purpose, understanding, and joy in their work. You do not tell a Morgan what to do. They are often smarter than we are.
But if you are willing to think differently and become a true partner, they will do anything for you.
Kennebec Rugby has done that for me every step of the way.
