What's a Lippitt?
A preservation family within the Morgan breed, defined by ancestry, history, and continued breeder stewardship.
What Makes a Morgan a Lippitt?
A Lippitt Morgan is a Morgan horse whose pedigree traces entirely to a specific group of foundation horses identified by early Lippitt preservation breeders. These horses represent a concentrated family within the Morgan breed, valued for their close connection to older Vermont Morgan bloodlines, traditional Morgan type, versatility, disposition, and usefulness.
Lippitts are not a separate breed. They are a distinct preservation family within the Morgan breed, carried forward by breeders who value the old bloodlines and the traits associated with them.
Why the Lippitt Morgan Matters
The Lippitt Morgan matters because it represents one of the most concentrated living links to old-style Morgan breeding. In a small population, every breeding decision has long-term effects. Each foal is not only an individual horse, but also part of the future breeding base.
Breeding Lippitts is not only about preserving the past. It is about producing sound, useful, trainable Morgans that can continue to contribute to the population for generations to come.
Why Breed Lippitts?
People choose to breed Lippitts for several important reasons:
-
To preserve rare bloodlines
-
Many Lippitt bloodlines are limited, and some are carried by only a small number of living horses.
-
-
To maintain traditional Morgan traits
-
Lippitts are valued for Morgan type, stamina, intelligence, willingness, substance, and versatility.
-
-
To support genetic continuity
-
A preservation population needs living, breeding horses from multiple sire lines and mare families.
-
-
To keep the horses useful
-
Preservation works best when horses are not only pedigreed, but also sound, trainable, and capable of doing real work.
-
-
To give future breeders choices
-
Each thoughtful breeding can help keep options open for the next generation.
-
The Foundation Horses
The Lippitt foundation stock is traditionally described as 25 foundation horses: 8 stallions and 17 mares. LMBA’s current public description says the foundation stock was selected using three criteria: they had to be registered Morgans, have a close connection to Peters’ Ethan Allen 2nd 406, and have produced at least one direct line of descent present in the Lippitt population.
Foundation Stallions
Croydon Prince 5325
Rob Roy 4483
Donald 5224
Bob B. 5282
Welcome 5702
Sir Ethan Allen 6537
Select 7266
Bilirubin 7462
Foundation Mares
Bonnie Jean 0343
Polly Rogers 02109
Lucille 01547
Rose of Sutton 02232
Bridget 02852
Emily 03026
Evelyn 06841
Hippolyta 03222
Nancy 03553
Trilby 02532
Susie 03786
Lippitt Trixie X04695
Croydon Mary 02900
Jenny Woodbury 03258
Lippitt Sallie 04565
Lucinne 04542
Hannah 03196
Preservation Is More Than a Pedigree
A pedigree can show whether a horse traces to the foundation stock, but preservation also depends on the living population. Breeders must consider fertility, soundness, temperament, usefulness, mare families, sire lines, COI, relationship patterns, and which horses are actually contributing to the next generation.
Lippitt preservation is strongest when breeders look at both the individual horse and the whole population.
The Role of Lippitt Lineage Preservation
Lippitt Lineage Preservation exists to help breeders see more of that larger picture. Through pedigree tools, population snapshots, breeder resources, and cooperative planning, LLP supports informed breeding decisions that help carry the Lippitt Morgan forward.
The goal is not to tell breeders what to do. The goal is to make useful information easier to access, understand, and apply.
How You Can Help Preserve the Lippitt Morgan
Preservation is not only about history. It is about the choices made now, by the people who own, breed, train, promote, and appreciate these horses.
New owners and breeders are an important part of the Lippitt Morgan’s future. Some people help by breeding thoughtfully. Others help by owning, training, driving, riding, showing, registering, promoting, or simply introducing new people to the breed.
For those interested in breeding, preservation begins with learning: understanding pedigrees, choosing mares and stallions carefully, registering foals, keeping accurate records, and thinking about how each cross may affect future options.
Every thoughtful owner matters. Every registered foal matters. Every well-placed Lippitt helps keep this rare Morgan family visible, useful, and valued for the generations still to come.