Katelyn Franklin's, Horsy Land

When I was in first grade in India, I won a book on horses for standing First in class. That book in 1967 (if I am not mistaken) introduced me to all kinds of horses, including the Pintos, Piebalds, Shetland ponies, Morgans, the Clydesdales, the Arabians, the Palominos, the Lippizanners, and other splendid breeds.

This post incidentally is to celebrate the site Horsy Land which is maintained by Katelyn Franklin of Brooklyn. It introduces one to horse training and various breeds while elucidating succinctly what is special about a given horse.

As a child I was impressed with the picture of the Morgan in my book, but also because of my mother's cousin, was named Morgan! Few of us were aware of where names came from and how they were assigned. For instance, my mother picked my name Venantius from the Salesian calender. So from reading about the Morgan horse provided this information under What Makes a Morgan Horse so Special?
 

photo: Horsy Land, Kathelyb Franklin 

The Morgan horse has been known as the first family of American horses. The early development of the breed took place in the New England states... 

And that too after almost 51 years. Of course, there was no good reason to look it up, as with so many things encountered in childhood; and besides, we did not have an encyclopedia at home. And further:

Legend has it that, one evening during the Revolutionary War, Colonel De Lancey, commander of a Tory mounted regiment, rode up to an inn at King’s Bridge and after hitching his famous stallion, True Briton, to the rail, went into the inn for some liquid refreshments, as was his custom. While the Colonel was celebrating with liquor and song, the Yankees stole his horse, later selling the animal to a farmer near Hartford, Connecticut. The whimsical story goes on to say that True Briton later sired the fuzzy-haired colt that was to be christened after his second owner, Justin Morgan.

I plan on visiting the Horsy Land site and am looking forward to the possibility of drawing horses when I get/have the opportunity to do so.