All About the Morgan Horse

Morgan Horse Youth Programs

Best of all, the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) has lots of exciting youth programs that you can get involved in. Their Youth Council consists of dedicated and enthusiastic members between the ages of 12 and 21 who strive to promote the Morgan horse and encourage youth involvement.

The AMHA Merit Program has recently been expanded to include a preliminary level called “the Figure level,” and you can earn a free youth membership in the AMHA upon completion of this level.

Have friends who love Morgans too? Check out the AMHA Teams Program, where you and your friends can earn and accumulate points for many different tasks. Along the way, you’ll learn teamwork, good sportsmanship, and become even more familiar with the Morgan horse.

Morgans are becoming popular in western sports and ranch work. Photo by Howard Schatzberg

Additionally, in the new AMHA Youth Patch Project, youth participants can collect patches (like badges) for their youth jacket by participating in various programs. There are patches for Youth Council, Youth Teams, and more.

But that’s not all—the AMHA also offers scholarships, medal classes for excellence in equitation, and a Youth of the Year contest. And while not specifically limited to youth participants, the My Morgan & Me program provides rewards for hours logged and time spent with or in promotion of Morgan horses. Awards are given at milestones ranging from 75 hours all the way up to 10,000 hours, so if you like setting goals and spending time with horses, this program might be a perfect fit.

Morgans come in an array of solid colors, including buckskin and palomino. English riders love them for their trainability in dressage. Photo by Janelle Schroeder/courtesy AMHA

Looking forward to having fun with a Morgan horse? There’s lots to love about this historic breed, and the AMHA youth program is waiting for you to share in all the excitement!

Did You Know?

◆ Marguerite Henry’s classic book, Justin Morgan Had a Horse, was made into a Disney movie in 1972. It’s available for streaming on Disney Plus.

◆ The Morgan is so special that two states have claimed it for special designation: It’s the state horse of Massachusetts and the state animal of Vermont.

◆ The average height for Morgans is 14.1 to 15.2 hands.

◆ The American Morgan Horse Association (formerly The Morgan Horse Club) was established in 1909.

◆ There are approximately 90,000 registered Morgans in the United States today.