Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Justin Morgan Had a Horse
    Justin Morgan Had a Horse
    Justin Morgan Had a Horse
    Ebook174 pages2 hours

    Justin Morgan Had a Horse

    By Marguerite Henry and Wesley Dennis

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to audiobook
    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Joel Goss knows that Little Bub is a special colt, even though he’s a runt. And when schoolteacher Justin Morgan asks Joel to break the colt in, Joel is thrilled! Soon word about Little Bub has spread throughout the entire Northeast—this spirited colt can pull heavier loads than a pair of oxen. And run faster than thoroughbreds!

    This is the story of the little runt who became the father of the world-famous breed of American horses—the Morgan.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAladdin
    Release dateDec 11, 2012
    ISBN9781442488014
    Author

    Marguerite Henry

    Marguerite Henry (1902–1997) was the beloved author of such classic horse stories as King of the Wind, Misty of Chincoteague, and Stormy, Misty’s Foal, and her work has won several Newbery Awards and Honors. 

    Read more from Marguerite Henry

    Related to Justin Morgan Had a Horse

    Related ebooks

    Children's Lifestyles For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Golden Spike

      Sep 1, 2019

      Golden Spike
      9 min read

    • Article

      Different

      Mar 1, 2019

      Different
      7 min read

    • Article

      The PROMISE

      Aug 18, 2021

      The PROMISE
      9 min read

    • Article

      Three Bucks and Change

      Dec 2, 2023

      Three Bucks and Change
      8 min read

    • Article

      Left FIELD

      Mar 30, 2022

      Left FIELD
      6 min read

    • Article

      School Zoo

      Aug 3, 2023

      School Zoo
      7 min read

    • Article

      Yesterday

      Nov 2, 2020

      Out of more than 160 entries, Writer’s Digest editors and readers chose this winner, submitted by Micki Morency of Hudson, Fla. Six feet. How can anything grow from being buried so deep into the earth? And how can I get my heart back? These thoughts

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Song Of Songs

      Mar 8, 2022

      The Song Of Songs
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Watermelon Stand

      May 31, 2022

      The Watermelon Stand
      4 min read

    • Article

      Ram I am

      Sep 4, 2023

      My knee is bung. The receptionist at the medical centre asked about the nature of my injury. I said I had been knocked down by my pet ram lamb. She expressed no surprise. In the country, accident by animal is a daily occurrence. I, however, was incre

      2 min read

    • Article

      When We Were Meat

      Aug 5, 2021

      When We Were Meat
      1 min read

    • Article

      The July War

      Sep 8, 2020

      In summer, our neighborhood quiets in phases. The quieting begins in May. Schools give their older kids, the seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds, a month off to prepare for the baccalaureate exams. Following a ritual as old as our parents, the students

      21 min read

    • Article

      THE BOY WHO KEPT Bees

      Oct 6, 2021

      All you could hear was rain, rain, rain. Rain drumming on the slate roof, streaming down the kitchen window, saturating the meadows and the dark woods beyond. Jess waited until her dad had turned away to check his phone, then dropped her half-eaten s

      8 min read

    • Article

      Exotic Bird In The Paddock

      Oct 16, 2023

      Miles the sheep farmer was coming to Lush Places to fix our leaking water troughs. He sent a text message to say he was here. I hopped over the stile, in my stylish, mud-smeared, sheepbitten paddock shorts and saw him at the far end of our pear orcha

      2 min read

    • Article

      Roadside Dispatches

      Apr 27, 2020

      Roadside Dispatches
      6 min read

    • Article

      WAKE Up!

      Aug 3, 2022

      WAKE Up!
      3 min read

    • Article

      Water Under The Bridge

      Nov 10, 2022

      The sound of water coursing over rocks filled my ears. The creek banks reached out with lush green vegetation as if to grab and hold me, and the warm June air was sweet with the smell of honeysuckle. The creek was small. Four good jumps and I could g

      26 min read

    • Article

      Pooch Over Board

      Nov 17, 2022

      Pooch Over Board
      5 min read

    • Article

      Chuckles

      Sep 17, 2021

      ■ “I’m sorry” and “I apologise” mean the same thing . . . except when you’re at a funeral. ■ I intend to live forever . . . or die trying. ■ We never knew he was a drunk . . . until he showed up to work sober. ■ A clear conscience is usually the sign

      4 min read

    • Article

      Horses In The Snow Inspired By A True Story

      Jan 1, 2022

      BEN RACED OUT of school. Two weeks of holidays! Christmas was almost here. He jumped over piles of snow on the road and slid down a toboggan run in the park. When he got home, he went into the barn to check on his pony, Scout. He slipped him a sugar

      6 min read

    • Article

      Puppy Love

      Mar 19, 2021

      Puppy Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      Puppy Love, It’s Not

      Jul 18, 2018

      Puppy Love, It’s Not
      3 min read

    • Article

      Excerpts From The Works Of The 2024 Whiting Award Winners

      Apr 10, 2024

      The 2024 Whiting Award winners were announced Wednesday night. Below are excerpts from their work.

      19 min read

    • Article

      The Goat With A GSOH

      Jun 30, 2021

      The Goat With A GSOH
      4 min read

    • Article

      Lol

      Jul 14, 2021

      Lol
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Justin Morgan Had a Horse

    4/5

    212 ratings9 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      This book is AMAZING!!!!!!! I completely love it! Margeurite Henry is an amazing writer!? I give this book five ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
    • 5/5
      A very powerful and well written story...I was more hooked than the children I was reading it to.
    • 5/5
      I live in Vermont, my name is Morgan, and I really like horses. So yeah, one of my favorite children s books.
    • 3/5
      This fictionalized account of the first Morgan horse is a bit old fashioned but it's still a decent enough tale. None of the characters are very deeply developed. Even the protagonist, Joel Goss, isn't a full personality. Towards the end, the story sidelines for 40 or 50 pages to tell about the War of 1812, including some bits about military tactics. This whole section is irrelevant to the story of the horse, so it feels out of place and unnecessary. And I must complain about the last sentence of the book. Probably in 1954, when originally published, the closing line seemed brilliantly patriotic, but today it just seems self righteously trite and contrived.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed the book and the boys loved it.
    • 3/5
      I'm not a horse person and not particularly fond of horse books. Therefore, I have little to compare this one too as a "horse" book. It was a pleasant and easy read, based on the real story of the sire of the Morgan Horse Breed. As such, it would appeal to young child interested in horses and early American History. For myself, it wasn't the best Newbery book I read, but it was decent.
    • 5/5
      ”Well, the farmer didn’t want to be beholden to anyone; so he gave the singing master a fine big colt named Ebenezer. And for good measure he threw in a mite of a colt called Little Bub. And that Little Bub…” Joel paused, smiling awkwardly. “He be the one who took on the schoolmaster’s name, Justin Morgan.”This is a darling children’s book about the horse line called the Morgan Horse. The book starts in the late 1700s, telling the story of the earliest traceable horse in the line. When a schoolmaster takes a student with him on a trip to the Green Mountains to visit Farmer Beane in Springfield to get some money which was owed him, the story of the Morgan horse is born. Instead of his money, Justin Morgan receives two colts – Ebenezer and Little Bub. Joel Goss, the student who comes along for the adventure, loves Little Bub from the very beginning. The beauty of the book is the love story between boy and horse throughout the years. There is quite an interesting list of books consulted listed in the back, along with descendants of the book’s subjects. The illustrations by Wesley Dennis were a beautiful addition to the story.
    • 5/5
      Love this story. I've read it a dozen times easily - it takes me maybe an hour - but in that time, there's a lot of richness. Simple language expressing some very strong emotions and bonding between the boy and the horse, and between the boy and his various friends. I don't know how accurate the history is - I suspect the general outline is correct (a schoolmaster was given a colt in payment of a debt, the colt turned out to be both a good worker and a fast runner, possibly the part about carrying President Monroe for a few minutes); the details, especially Joel's feelings for and care of the colt may be invented. Not sure about the part where a "dark-eyed stranger" paid a lot of money for the horse and, apparently, then sold him to a bad master, or a series of bad masters. That seems awfully convenient, story-wise - and awfully similar to King of the Wind, also by Marguerite Henry. But true or not, it's a great story, and one that rewards rereading.
    • 5/5
      A childhood favorite re-visited.Is the story as good as I remember? – YesWhat ages would I recommend it too? – All ages. Children will enjoy the single storyline; while adults enjoy an easy afternoon read (especially while waiting on a bus, show, doctor, or other appointments).Length? – Reasonable for an afternoon.Characters? – Memorable, and few enough that you won’t forget who is who.Setting? – Real world, even includes President James Monroe.Written approximately? – 1954.Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Yes! By the end Joel is an adult, yet he still seems to be written about as a kid with no family relationships. Did he marry? Did he speak to either of his parents again? Is this to keep characters down? What really happened to this very real character? What happens to the horse after his return. How long did the horse live?Any issues the author (or more recent publisher) should cover? – Yes. At one point Joel attempts to buy his horse back with $5.00. How much would that $5.00 be today? What about the $25.00 he does eventually buy the horse back for, how much is that worth today? (I can just imagine a kid reading this and asking their parent to go buy them a horse for $5.00.)

    Book preview

    Justin Morgan Had a Horse - Marguerite Henry

    1. Joel Meets Little Bub

    THE LITTLE reddish-brown colt stopped nibbling grass. He lifted his head high and sniffed the noonday wind. His nostrils fluttering, he sniffed again. Long, quivering sniffs. A man and a boy were coming up the road. They must have journeyed a long way, for their man-smell was almost blotted by dust.

    Now the colt whinnied sharply. Instantly a bigger colt, scratching at a green-head fly, alerted. He alerted so suddenly it seemed as if his name had been called out. He trotted over to the little colt, touching noses with him. Then his ears pricked as he caught the sound of booted feet walking slowly, and of bare feet running. Now he, too, knew that strangers were coming up the road.

    Wearily, wearily the man’s steps dragged. As he reached the fence, he rested his arms on the top rail and his whole body seemed to go limp. The boy leaned against the fence too, but not from weariness. His was an urgent desire to get close to the colts. The boy’s blue linsey-woolsey shirt was faded and torn, and his breeches, held up by a strip of cowhide, were gray with dust. His stubbly hair was straw-colored, like a cut-over field of wheat. Everything about him looked dry and parched. Everything except his eyes. They peered over the fence with a lively look, and his tongue wet his dry lips.

    You! he said with a quick catch of his breath, as the littler colt came over and gazed curious-eyed at him. I could gentle you, I could.

    The man sighed. We’re here at last, Joel. We can put our bundles down and rest a spell before we see if Farmer Beane’s at home.

    The boy had not heard. He just stood on tiptoe, holding his bundle and gaping at the colts as if he had never seen their like before. That little one . . .  he whispered.

    Just then a door slammed shut, and from the house beyond the meadow a farmer in his working clothes started down a footpath toward them. How-de-do! he called out as he came closer. Two rods from them, he shaded his eyes and stared intently.

    With a whistle of surprise he stopped in his tracks. Great Jumping Jehoshaphat! he shouted. If it ain’t Justin Morgan, schoolmaster and singing teacher! Why, I’m as pleasured to see you as a dog with two tails. He set down a bucket he was carrying and shook hands across the fence. Who’s the fledgling you got with you? he asked, pointing a thumb toward the boy.

    This lad is Joel Goss, one of my scholars. I board with his parents, the schoolmaster explained. And when I mentioned that I’d be going off on a junket till school starts, I could see he wanted to traipse along. Joel, he said, putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder, I’d like you to meet Farmer Beane, an old neighbor of mine.

    Reluctantly Joel turned from the colts to face the farmer. He had never been introduced before. It made him blush to the roots of his sunburnt hair.

    Cat got your tongue, boy? the farmer said, not unkindly. Or be you smitten on the colts? And without waiting for an answer, he popped more questions. Where in tarnation you two come from? You hain’t come all the ways from Randolph, Vermont, to Springfield, Massachusetts, be you?

    Justin Morgan nodded.

    Sakes alive! You must be all tuckered out. Why, even as the crow flies, it’s over a hundred mile down here. You didn’t walk the hull way, I hope.

    The schoolmaster took off his hat and ran his fingers through graying hair. Yes, Abner; that is, most all the way, except when Lem Tubbs and his team of oxen gave us a short haul into Chicopee.

    Well, gosh all fishhooks, let’s not stand here a-gabbin’. Come in, come in! The woman’ll give us hot cakes and tea. I’ll bet Joel here could do with some vittles. He’s skinny as a fiddle string. Come in, and by and by we can chat.

    All during the conversation the colts had been inching closer and closer to Farmer Beane. Now they were nipping at his sleeves and snuffing his pockets.

    These tarnal critters love to be the hull show, chuckled the farmer, reaching into his pockets. If I don’t bring ’em their maple sugar, the day just don’t seem right to them. Nor to me, neither.

    Justin Morgan steadied himself against the fence. Abner, he said, before Joel and I sit down to your table, it seems I should tell you why I’ve come. He paused, nervously drumming the top rail for courage. After a while he looked up and his glance went beyond the meadow and the rolling hills. I’ve come, he swallowed hard, because I’ve a need for the money you owed me when I moved away to Vermont.

    There was a moment of silence. It was so still that the colts munching their sugar seemed to be very noisy about it. Joel thought of the bright red apple he had eaten last night. He wished now that he had saved it for them.

    It was a long time before the farmer could answer. Then he said, You’ve come a terrible long way, Justin, and ’tis hard for me to disappoint you. But me and the woman have had nothin’ but trouble. He began counting off his troubles on his fingers: Last year, my cows got in the cornfield and et theirselves sick and died; year afore that, the corn was too burned to harvest; year afore that, our house caught afire. I just hain’t got the money.

    Master Morgan’s shoulders slumped until his homespun coat looked big and loose, as if it had been made for someone else. I’d set great store on getting the money, he said. I’ve got doctor bills to pay and . . .  He took a breath. For years I’ve been hankering to buy a harpsichord for my singing class.

    There! The words were out. He spanked the dust from his hat, then put it back on his head and forced a little smile. Don’t be taking it so hard, Abner. I reckon my pitch pipe can do me to the end of my days. His voice dropped. And maybe that won’t be long; I feel my years too much.

    The farmer pursed his lips in thought. Justin, he said, I ain’t a man to be beholden to anyone. Would you take a colt instead of cash?

    Joel wheeled around to see if Mister Beane was in earnest.

    Now this big feller, this Ebenezer, the farmer was saying as he pointed to the bigger colt, he’s a buster! He’ll be a go-ahead horse sure as shootin’. If you looked all up and down the Connecticut Valley, I bet you couldn’t find a sensibler animal. He glanced at the schoolmaster’s set face and spoke more persuasively. Besides, he’s halter broke! He’d be the very horse to ride to school.

    Justin Morgan shook his head. No, Abner, I’m but a stone’s throw from school, and a colt would just mean another mouth to feed.

    Why, bless my breeches, the farmer laughed hollowly, if you ain’t a-goin’ to use him, you could sell him long afore you run up a feed bill. Already the river folk got their eye on him. He’ll fetch a pocketful of money. Mebbe twice as much as I owed you!

    The schoolmaster studied his dust-covered boots as if he did not want to look at Ebenezer.

    By Jove, the farmer added, I’ll even give you a premium. I’ll throw in Little Bub for good measure.

    Joel tugged at the schoolmaster’s coattails. Please, sir! His eyes begged. I could . . . 

     ’Course, he ain’t the colt Ebenezer is, Mister Beane went on. "He’s just a mite of a thing. But there’s something about those two! They stay together snug as two teaspoons. Scarcely ever do you see one alone. The farmer spoke more hurriedly now, as if the rain of words might convince where reasons failed. Eb’s kind of like a mother to Bub. Why, I’ve seen Bub nip Ebenezer on the flank, and that big colt knew ’twas just in fun! He’d turn right around and nuzzle the little one. If’n you didn’t know, you’d actually think the colt was his’n!"

    Master Morgan laughed a dry laugh, like wind rustling through a cornfield. "I don’t need two horses any more than I need water in my hat! They would be two more mouths to feed."

    Joel broke in timidly. I reckon I could feed and gentle Little Bub? he pleaded.

    The schoolmaster’s eyes smiled down at the boy, ignoring the question. In the hills of Vermont, he said kindly, farmers want big, strong oxen. Not undersized cobs like Bub.

    The smaller colt stood so close to the fence now that Joel reached out and touched the tremulous nose. It felt like plush.

    Ee-magine that! clucked the farmer. "The little nipper didn’t even snort. Your Joel’s got a way with him, he has. Wouldn’t wonder if he could gentle the critter."

    He turned to Ebenezer now and picked up his feet, first one and then another. Look-a-here, Justin, see how mannerly this feller is! As a schoolmaster, you know good dispositions from bad. Next he pressed Ebenezer’s muscles, and then lifted his upper lip to

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1