Clarion

Clarion of Quietude, May 1980—Aug 2012

Ch. Stallion (Criterion x Dolly Ashmore)

At the end of May 1983, we finally were moved to our new place in Sage. Just a week later, Clarion shipped out from his breeders’ in West Virginia. He has been here ever since, except for a short time leased out up north and I visited him several times up there before he came back home.

And then, it was time to say goodbye to him. Just so quick, his quiet, dignified presence was gone.

            Clarion had 29 progeny, 27 Morgans, 1 Morab and 1 out of a grade QH. His get have done some dressage, carriage driving, hunting in the mountains, reining, showing, but mostly are excellent trail riding companions from Vermont to Montana to Colorado to Arizona and here in California.           

There was an interesting aspect to his pedigree. On the standard pedigree form of 4 generations, every one of the 16 horses on that last line were registered in Registry Volume 5 or earlier. Volume 5 covered up through the year 1927. For a horse born in 1980, he got back to the old Morgans very quickly. Except for his full siblings I never saw another pedigree that did that during his breeding year. His first foal came in 1985 and the last one was in 2005.

He passed on to his get his good mind and good sense along with his excellent hindquarters, correct legs, and his three very correct gaits. He had a fast walk, a tremendous Morgan road trot with power, and a very correct canter coming with power from the rear.

            Clarion, although a worrier, was very sensible. When he was young, he got himself into trouble with fences twice and both times he just waited for a human to come along and help him out. He was a quiet horse, but had a bit of humor to him sometimes. He was always willing and a gentleman. 

            On the trail, he was alert and eager. He liked getting out and going places. He had a bit of speed and sometimes Dave would ride Clarion’s son Zebulon with Clarion and I. We had a place where we could let them run and it would be a race with each stallion wanting to be faster then the other. Then both would come down on command and walk calmly the rest of the way. I only rode one time with some friends on their horses, not Morgans. It was slow and finally there was a nice place for a good trot. I asked if it was OK if we went ahead and they agreed. We all started off trotting but then I let Clarion out into his road trot. The other two faded into the distance, although I think I heard some galloping back there at one point.

     Now he is gone. He was with me nearly half my life. I am missing his quiet dignity and his gentlemanly demeanor. I miss his funny little actions. I miss him.

            He was a grand horse and a piece of my heart & soul went with him.

Here is another photo of him--

http://oldmorgans.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html