Happy Friday! Here is your Friday Flashback, a piece about Lippitt Dusky Kate by Anne Hablitzel, (from LCN Volume XXII #2, pages 20-21.) Lippitt Dusky Kate – a Model Mare By Anne Hablitzel – published in TLC Newsletter March/April 1995 Lippitt Dusky Kate was considered to be one of the most outstanding mares in the Morgan breed. There may have been others equally as beautiful, but for me she will always stand out. This photograph has always been a favorite. It was taken while she was still at the Green Mountain Stock Farm and performing duties as a broodmare for Mr. Knight. I like it because the most noticeable features of Morgan type are clearly presented; but it also shows the refinement and beauty for which this mare was famous. And it’s this overall excellence that makes Dusky Kate so appealing. She was sired by Lippitt Ethan Ash and out of Lippitt Kate Moro. Her sire and dam traced through both sides of their pedigrees to Ethan Allen 2d #406, our Lippitt cornerstone stallion. Photographs show that he possessed excellent type and quality, and Dusky Kate inherited these traits and passed them on. She also illustrates something Marilyn Childs has pointed out in the past – the successful crossing of the Ashbrook and the Moro bloodlines. Dusky Kate was a good mare because the blood immediately behind her was good. Compare Lippitt Dusky Kate with the following excerpts from the judging standard (found in the front of our membership directory) and you will see why she was so highly praised. “The Morgan is a small, compact horse. The Morgan should have a head broad between the eyes, straight or slightly dished when seen from the side and large expressive eyes, short ears widely set on a short, broad skull, but with fineness throughout and a large flaring nostril. A well crested neck of medium length appears to come out of the top of the long, well laid back shoulder and blends smoothly through the withers into a well-sprung, deep body. The back is short and smoothly joined to the hindquarters with a short, broad, heavily muscled loin. The croup should be long, wide and slightly sloping in appearance. Being heavily muscled and well rounded, it will balance the front quarters. The legs are characterized by long forearms, thigh and gaskin, and short cannons, with joints large and clean. They are viewed as straight from the side and front and are carried straight in motion. Pasterns of medium length should correspond to the shoulder angle, and the feet are small, round and of dense quality. Balance of substance and quality indicated in compactness of form, and a strength of limbs and body suggest the ability to withstand hard use and stress. I especially like the phrase “balance of substance and quality.” The Morgan should not be coarse or heavy-boned or it loses its prettiness, and good looks are just as important a characteristic. Nor should it be so refined that it cannot withstand a lifetime of use. This is why Lippitts who win in-hand might want to also perform in a variety of disciplines to prove their toughness and athletic ability. Striking this balance, I suppose, is the challenge for breeders whose goal is true Morgan type. The word “smoothly” is used repeatedly to describe how the different parts of the body blend together. They are connected by lines made up of gentle curves, not sharp angles. A line drawn from Dusky’s poll to the base of her tail curves gently, especially from her back up over the hip. In Pers Crowell’s book, Cavalcade of American Horses (1951), he gives the following description of the typical Morgan: “In viewing the ideal type, we are impressed most by its stocky appearance, almost the extreme opposite of the rangier Thoroughbred. The head is rather short and broad, with heavy jaw, and exceedingly short ears set well apart. The eyes and nostrils are prominent, and the bones of the head are well modeled, giving an appearance of alert intelligence. The neck is relatively shorter than that of most other breeds, and we become aware of its decided crest and heavy muscles. It is deep from the withers to the breast at its point of attachment to the shoulders. The throat latch is not as slender as in the Thoroughbred or American Saddle Horse. The neck rises up, giving a lofty carriage to the head. The shoulders are powerful, with a considerable degree of slope. Naturally, the withers do not appear as boney and prominently defined as in some rangier breeders. The back is short and broad, owing to the well-sprung ribs which round out into the deep, broad chest and body. The coupling of the hindquarters and the body at the point of the loins is short and strong. Moreover, there is no indication of a drawn-in or “waspish” waist at the flanks. These points are important when considering the Morgan’s superior weight-carrying ability and easy-keeping quality. We note that the croup, or top line, of the muscular hips is not as sloping as in the Quarter horse; nor is it as level as in the typical American Saddler. The outline of the croup is rounding. The thighs and gaskins as well developed muscularly to harmonize with the rest of the powerful body. As we survey the Morgan’s legs, we are particularly attracted by their long dimension from elbow to knee in front and from stifle to hock behind, and their extremely short dimensions in the cannons, or lower leg bones. Here again we note another typical characteristic of the Morgan breed. The hair on the fetlocks shows considerably more “feather” than in other light breeds. The pasterns are not long, neither are they upright, which would give us a jarring ride. In temperament, the Morgan is docile and at the same time spirited, with an apparent abundance of nervous energy. He will serve willingly but will not tolerate unnecessary abuse. A good Morgan possesses “never-say-die” perseverance and will never quit on any job.” Lyle and Winifred Horton visited the Green Mountain Stock Farm often. They admired many horses but favored the stock by Lippitt Ethan Ash, so naturally they would give special attention to one of his daughters. Mrs. Horton remembers Dusky Kate well. According to her, Dusky was not more than 14.2 hands and had a good chest, straight legs, and a pleasant disposition. No doubt, you would cite your own favorite mare, and I certainly admire many others – Agiatis, Lippitt Duplicate, Lippitt Beth Alert, and Lippitt Victoria Amanda to name a few. There are other Morgan characteristics that are just as important, such as willingness, soundness, and spirit – qualities that can only be learned by spending time with, and using, a horse day in and day out. Still, it is helpful to have as a visual reminder a mare who had it all. Finally, while it is true that we have no Lippitt descendants coming down to us with the blood of Dusky Kate, we do have the same blood that was behind her in our current Lippitt population. The world of Lippitt Morgans would be well served if we bred this blood wisely. So with Lippitt Dusky Kate, and others like her, to inspire us to breed model mares, I hope we all reach that goal.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 11:06:49 +0000