Morgans: The horse that chooses you

Ruth Nicolaus
Feb 21, 2025
Feb 21, 2025

1 of 3

7 --Jett & GRM Strike It Rich Walk Trot.jpg

Jet Welch on GRM Strick it Rich, showing in the Walk-Trot at the 2022 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show.

Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

4 - 535-025-23GN Welch Unlimited Usage schatzberg photography.jpg

Megan Grunden Welch, daughter of Harlan and Tammy Welch, shows English Trail on GRM Miss Black Beam GCH at the 2023 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show.

Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

9 --Rudy & GRM Strike It Rich Leadline 1.jpg

Rudy Welch on GRM Strike It Rich, with Grandma Tammy Grunden leading, shows in the Lead Line at the 2022 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show.

Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Ruth Nicolaus

Morgan horses are known for their love of people.

kAm%96 3C665 :D =@J2=[ E:C6=6DD[ 2E9=6E:4[ :?E6==:86?E 2?5 G6CD2E:=6]k^Am

kAmp== |@C82?D @C:8:?2E6 7C@> 2 D:?8=6 7@F?52E:@? D:C6[ 2 DE2==:@? ?2>65 u:8FC6 H9@ H2D 3@C? :? `fgh :? |2DD249FD6EED] pD H2D 4@>>@? :? E96 52J[ 2D E96 9@CD6 3642>6 >@C6 A@AF=2C[ 96 H2D 8:G6? 9:D @H?6C’D ?2>6[ yFDE:? |@C82?]k^Am

kAm%9C66 @7 9:D D@?D 3642>6 7@F?52E:@? 3=@@5DE@4< 7@C E96 |@C82? 3C665[ 2?5 E96 3C665 92D 366? FD65 6IE6?D:G6=J E9C@F89@FE p>6C:42? 9:DE@CJ]k^Am

2 - 2015 Harlan driving 617-164 grunden.jpg — RG Stuart’s Monarch GCH, a foundation sire of Grunden Ranch Morgans, with Harlan Grunden at the whip.
Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

kAm%96J H6C6 FD65 7@C AF==:?8 4@2496D[ 92C?6DD C24:?8[ 86?6C2= C:5:?8 2?5 =:89E 5C:G:?8 H@C<] |:?6CD :? E96 r2=:7@C?:2 v@=5 #FD9 FD65 E96>[ 2D 5:5 3@E9 E96 &?:@? 2?5 r@?7656C2E6 2C>:6D 5FC:?8 E96 r:G:= (2C]k^Am

kAm|@C82?D 92G6 366? :?DECF>6?E2= :? E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 @E96C 3C665D @7 9@CD6Di E96 |:DD@FC: u@I %C@EE6C[ E96 $E2?52C53C65[ p>6C:42? $255=63C65[ 2?5 E96 %6??6DD66 (2=<:?8 w@CD6[ 2>@?8 @E96CD] tG6? E96 p>6C:42? "F2CE6C w@CD6 92D |@C82?D D42EE6C65 E9C@F89 :ED A65:8C66D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 DE2==:@? %H@ tJ65 y24<[ E96 2==\E:>6 =625:?8 D:C6 @7 p>6C:42? "F2CE6C w@CD6 pDD@42:E:@? 492>A:@?D]k^Am

kAmw2C=2? vCF?56? :D E96 D64@?5 86?6C2E:@? @7 9:D 72>:=J E@ C2:D6 |@C82?D]k^Am

3 Lane & GRM Miss Black Beam showmanship.jpg — GRM Miss Black Beam GCH with Lane Welch showing in showmanship at the 2022 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show.
Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

kAm%96 vCF?56? #2?49[ ?62C rFCE:D[ }63C2D<2[ 8@E :ED 7:CDE |@C82? :? `heh[ H96? w2C=2?’D 525[ w2CG6J[ 3@F89E @?6]k^Am

kAm“(6 EC:65 :E[” w2C=2? C6>6>36CD[ “2?5 H6 H6C6 9@@<65]”k^Am

kAm%96 3C665 :D BF:4< 2?5 28:=6 @? E96:C 766E[ vCF?56? D2:5] %96J 2C6 62DJ E@ EC2:?[ 2EE6?E:G6 2?5 A@H6C7F=] %96J 92G6 2 =2C86 =F?8 42A24:EJ H9:49 8:G6D E96> 8C62E 6?5FC2?46] %96J 42CCJ E96:C 9625 9:896C 2?5 >@C6 A6CA6?5:4F=2C[ 2?5 92G6 2 A@H6C7F= 9:A[ H9:49 8:G6D E96> 2 AC@A6?D:EJ 7@C AF==:?8 =@25D 2?5 C24:?8]k^Am

kAm}@E @?=J 2C6 E96J 62DJ E@ C:56[ E96:C 5:DA@D:E:@?D 2C6 E@A\?@E49[ vCF?56? D2:5] (96? 96 2?5 9:D H:76 %2>>J 8@ E@ 9@CD6 D9@HD H:E9 E96:C |@C82?D[ E96:C 8C2?5<:5D[ H9@ C2?86 :? 286 7C@> b E@ `b[ @7E6? EC2G6= 2=@?8] %96 <:5D 42? D@>6E:>6D 36 7@F?5 :? E96 7C6D9 D2H5FDE D92G:?8D[ :? E96 9@CD6D’ A6?D[ A=2J:?8 H:E9 E@J EC24E@CD] $@>6E:>6D E9@D6 EC24E@CD 2C6 CF? FA 2?5 5@H? E96 |@C82?D’ =68D[ 2?5 E96 9@CD6D 2C6 ?6G6C 3@E96C65]k^Am

kAm“(6’G6 366? <?@H? E@ 8@ :?E@ E96 D9@H C:?8 WH:E9 2 9@CD6X E92E 92D EC24E@C EC24<D 8@:?8 FA E96 =68[” vCF?56? 49F4<=65]k^Am

kAmw6 2?5 %2>>J’D 49:=5C6?[ :?4=F5:?8 52F89E6C |682? 2?5 D@? w2?46[ D9@H |@C82?D] vCF?56? 9:>D6=7 92D D9@H? 7@C da 4@?D64FE:G6 J62CD] p 3C@<6? A6=G:D 7@FCE66? J62CD 28@ >@G65 9:> 7C@> C:5:?8 E@ 42CC:286 5C:G:?8[ “H9:49 :D >J =:76[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

5 -- 666-045-23GN Welch Unlimited Usage schatzberg photography.jpg — Lane Welch shows Youth Ranch Trail on GRM Miss Black Beam GCH at the 2023 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show.
Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

People are also reading…

‘Tough to compete with feedlot for cost of gain’
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Finding her niche on family farm: Newman Grove farm wife builds pork business
Morrell, Stockyards made a mark on Sioux Falls history
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Mitchell Tech students present research at Commodity Classic
‘Micro-dairy’ adds diversity to family business
Faith and trust: Small rural church members have faith in future of their congregation
Family closes generation gap
Scherbenske Angus Ranch 50th Annual Production Sale
Evenson Angus 46th Annual Production Sale
Rebounding from stray voltage, farmer recharges
Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus
Wildfires: Yearning to help, prompted to plan

kAmw6 92D H@? EH@ H@C=5 E:E=6D :? 42CC:286 5C:G:?8] x? EC2:= 4=2DD[ 52F89E6C |682? H@? 7@FC H@C=5 E:E=6D 2?5 7:G6 C6D6CG6 H@C=5 E:E=6D]k^Am

kAmq642FD6 @7 E96 2?:>2=’D DE2>:?2[ 6?5FC2?46 2?5 =2C86 =F?8 42A24:EJ[ E96J 42? A2CE:4:A2E6 :? `a E@ `d 4=2DD6D 2 52J[ F?=:<6 @E96C D9@H 9@CD6D[ H9:49 @7E6? 5@?’E 4@>A6E6 :? >@C6 E92? @?6 @C EH@]k^Am

kAm%96 vCF?56?D 92G6 ?62C=J `__ 9625 @7 |@C82?D 2?5 D6== 3C665:?8 DE@4<[ 3@E9 >2C6D 2?5 DE2==:@?D]k^Am

kAmpD H6== 2D 36:?8 2 A@H6C7F= 2?:>2= E@ AF== =@25D[ E96 |@C82? :D DEJ=:D9[ H9:49 >2<6D E96> 2AA62= E@ E96 p>:D9[ H9@ >2<6 FA >2?J @7 vCF?56?’D 4FDE@>6CD]k^Am

kAm%96 p>:D9 “2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C DEJ=6 2?5 DA665[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

6 --670-070-23GN Welch Unlimited Usage schatzberg photography.jpg — Megan Grunden Welch showing Ranch Trail on GRM Miss Black Beam GCH at the 2023 Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show.
Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

kAmpD 96 AFE :E[ |@C82?D “42? 36 @FE CF??:?8 2 >2?FC6 DAC6256C 5FC:?8 E96 H66<[ 2?5 E96J 4=62? FA E96 9@CD6D[ 9@@< FA E96 72>:=J 3F88J E@ 8@ E@ 49FC49 @? $F?52J[ 2?5 A2DD @E96C 3C665D @? E96 H2J] %96 @E96C 3C665D >:89E 36 72DE 7@C 2 H9:=6[ 3FE E96J A@@A @FE 2?5 E96 |@C82? A2DD6D E96> 3J]”k^Am

kAm$:?46 a___[ vCF?56? 92D D@=5 |@C82?D E@ >@C6 E92? b_ DE2E6D 2?5 D9:AA65 @?6 E@ E96 }6E96C=2?5D]k^Am

kAmvCF?56? :D 2 3@2C5 >6>36C 7@C E96 p>6C:42? |@C82? w@CD6 pDD@4:2E:@?]k^Am

kAmx? `h_f[ E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 6DE23=:D965 E96 &]$] |@C82? w@CD6 u2C> :? '6C>@?E[ E@ AC@5F46 |@C82?D] x? `hd`[ E96 72C> H2D EC2?D76CC65 7C@> &$sp E@ E96 '6C>@?E p8C:4F=EFC2= r@==686[ ?@H E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 '6C>@?E] %96 72C> :D DE:== :? 6I:DE6?46 E@52J]k^Am

kAmw2C=2? 2?5 %2>>J 4@?E:?F6 2 EC25:E:@? DE2CE65 3J w2C=2?’D 525] (96? 6249 8C2?549:=5 EFC?D g[ E96J 2C6 8:G6? 2 |@C82? 9@CD6 7@C 2 3:CE952J AC6D6?E]k^Am

kAm“%92E H2J E96J 42? H@C< H:E9 :E 2?5 E2<6 :E E9C@F89 c\w[ @C :7 E96J H2?E[ E96J 42? D6== :E] %92E’D E96:C 49@:46[” vCF56? D2:5]k^Am

1 059-024-23GN Welch Unlimited Usage schatzberg photography.jpg — Lane Welch with his granddad Harlan Welch and GRM Strike It Rich. Lane won the 2023 Grand National Champion in Carriage Youth Driving at the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show.
Photo courtesy Schatzberg Photography

kAm~7 E96:C 7@FC 8C2?5<:5D[ E9C66 92G6 EFC?65 g[ 2?5 2== E9C66 92G6 <6AE E96:C 9@CD6 E@ D9@H] %96 7@FCE9 8C2?549:=5[ 2 3@J H9@ :D b[ 42? @7E6? 36 7@F?5 :? E96 A6? 2>@?8DE `h 9625 @7 4@=ED[ vCF?56? D2:5[ “A=2J:?8 H:E9 E96>[ 9F88:?8 E96>[ 2?5 E96J’C6 2== ?FKK=:?8 9:>]”k^Am

kAmvCF?56? =@G6D E96 3C665 96’D 8C@H? FA H:E9[ <?@H? 2?5 C2:D65]k^Am

kAm“%96J’C6 2 A6@A=6 9@CD6[” 96 D2:5] “%96J 2C6 72DE =62C?6CD[ E96J 2C6 G6CJ D>2CE[ E96J 92G6 E96 DE2>:?2 2?5 E96 962CE] %96J’C6 G6CJ <:?5]”k^Am

kAm%96 p>6C:42? |@C82? w@CD6 pDD@4:2E:@? :D =@42E65 :? {6I:?8E@?[ z6?EF4<Jj 2AAC@I:>2E6=J h_[___ =:G:?8 |@C82?D 2C6 C68:DE6C65 H:E9 E96 2DD@4:2E:@?] |@C6 :?7@ 42? 36 7@F?5 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^|@C82?w@CD6]4@>Qm|@C82?w@CD6]4@>k^2mk^Am

This article is the first in a monthly feature on horse breeds. Freelance writer Ruth Nicolaus loves (nearly) everything about the Great Plains, but mostly its people. She lives in eastern Nebraska. Reach her at editorial@midwestmessenger.com.