Morgan Info - Standard of Perfection for Morgan Horses

Abdomen- Portion of the body between the chest and the pelvis

Stifle- The Morgan's stifle should be placed well forward and low in the flank area

Thigh- Viewed from the rear, the croup would be well-rounded, thighs and gaskins well muscled

Throatlatch- The Morgan's throatlatch is slightly deeper than other breeds and should be refined sufficiently to allow proper flexion at the poll and normal respiration.

Withers- The Morgan's withers should be well defined and extend into the back in proportion to the angulation of the shoulder.

Arm- The extreme angulation of the shoulder results in the arm being a little more vertical than in other breeds, placing the front legs slightly farther forward on the body.

Back- The Morgan's body should be compact with a short, straight back.

Barrel - The middle of the body, between the forehand and the rear end.

Buttock - The Morgan should have well-rounded buttocks.

Cannon - The Morgan's legs should be straight and sound with short cannons, flat bone, and an appearance of overall substance with refinement. The rear cannons should be perpendicular to the ground when points of hock and buttocks are in the same vertical lines.

Cheek- The jowl on the side of the horse's head.

Chest- Viewed from the front, the Morgan's chest should be well developed. The front legs should be perpendicular to the ground and closely attached to the body.

Chestnut- The horny growth on the inside of the horse's legs- above the knees and below the hocks.

Chin Groove-The groove behind the lips where the curb chain rests.

Coronet- A sensitive band, similar to the quick in a human nail, around the top of the wall of the hoof.

Crest- The top line of the Morgan's neck should be considerably longer than the bottom. The stallion should have more crest than the mare or gelding.

Croup- The Morgan has a long and well muscled croup, with its tail attached high, carried gracefully and straight. It is relatively level rounding into a well-muscled thigh. At maturity, the croup should not be higher than the withers.

Dock - The solid portion of the tail.

Elbow - he joint between the upper & lower forearm.

Ergot - The horny growth at the back of the fetlock joint "the spurs of a horses hoof."

Face- Morgans have a straight or slightly dished short face; large prominent eyes; firm, fine lips; large nostrils; and well-rounded jowls.

Fetlock - The area or joint of the lower leg above the pastern and below the cannon.

Flank - The Morgan has a deep flank. The under line of the Morgan should be long, and the body deep through the heart girth and flanks.

Forearm- The Morgan's forearm should be relatively long in proportion to the cannon.

Forehead- A Morgan's head should be expressive with a broad forehead.

Gaskin - The Morgan's gaskin should be relatively long in relation to the cannon and well muscled.

Girth- The place of the girth, marked by a depression in the underline just in back of the front legs.

Heel - The Morgan's feet should be in proportion to the size of the horse, round, open at the heel, with a concave sole and hoof of sense structure

Hock - The joint bending backward in the hindleg of a horse but corresponding to a human ankle

Hoof - The Morgan's feet should be in proportion to the size of the horse, round, open at the heel, with a concave sole and hoof of dense structure.

Knee- A joint between the forearm and the cannon bone.

Line of Shoulder- The angle at which a horses shoulder slopes- directly affects the horses movement and stride.

Lower Lip- The Morgan has firm, fine lips.

Loin- The Morgan has broad loins.

Muzzle- The lower end of the nose, which includes the nostrils, lips and chin.

Neck- The Morgan's neck should come out on top of an extremely well-angulated shoulder with depth from top of the withers to point of shoulder. It should be relatively fine in relation to sex. It should be slightly arched and should blend with the withers and back. The top line of the neck should be considerably longer than the bottom line.

Nostril- The Morgan has large nostrils.

Pastern- The Morgan's pasterns should have sufficient length and angulation to provide a light, springy step.

Point of Hock-The center portion of the hock.

Point of Shoulder- The extreme angulation of the shoulder results in the arm being a little more vertical than in other breeds, placing the front legs slightly farther forward on the body.

Poll- Viewed from the side, the top line of the Morgan represents a gentle curve from the poll to the back, giving the impression of the neck sitting on top of the withers rather than in front of them.