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The horned and “Muley” pattern Morgan saddles were originated by Josiah B. Gathright of Kentucky. During the Civil War, Gathright was a Lieutenant in the 8th Kentucky Cavalry under the famous Confederate Raider Gen. John Hunt Morgan. In early 1864 Gathright found himself assigned as quartermaster captain in charge of a detail of mechanics assigned to make saddles at Decatur, Alabama. Here, he learned the saddle trade. After the war, Gathright returned to his native Louisville, Kentucky where he opened a saddle manufacturing firm (later “Harbison & Gathright”), that grew to be the South’s largest by the turn of the century.
More than just a saddler, Gathright was a brilliant businessman and successful inventor. He patented a wide array of useful items in the post war years including the typewriter “tab” key, a bicycle, a fire escape, a sidesaddle, girth strap mechanism and a gig saddle. However, as a reincarnation of the pre-war Hope and universal “muley” saddles, Gathright’s Morgan saddles could not be patented. Regardless, by the early 1870’s the firm’s most well-known and popular selling items were the variable “Morgan” saddles he had named in honor of the iconic Southern hero.
Equipped with or, without a horn, Morgan saddles were simple, sturdy, inexpensive and easy to make. The basic Morgan saddle tree was rawhided covered, had short bars and low cantles identical to the Hope but completed either with a varying style of horn or, with a rounded “muley” pommel-top. Gathright’s popular Morgan saddle variations and the opportune launching of the Harbison & Gathright catalog in 1875, coinciding with the timing of the post-war economic boom set the standard for both Morgan patterns. From the 1870’s to about 1920 the Morgan was among America’s top selling saddles and sold by most commercial saddleries in a wide variety of decorative trim and embellishments.
THE HORNED MORGAN SADDLE:
Commercial catalog Morgan’s offered several variations of trees with slightly differing pommels but normally a compact horn neck and a large flat horn. Other consistencies in the Morgan were low cantles and short bars with mortise holes cut for passing the stirrup straps. It was these critical elements that often made the basic Morgan virtually identical to early Hope saddles.
In general, most commercial era horned Morgan’s were single rigged and were otherwise typically differentiated from the post-war era’s Texas saddles by attaching the stirrup straps through the mortise holes in the bars and, by their abbreviated, round, or often circular skirts. Whereas Texas saddles usually passed their stirrup straps over and through the tree bars, had large square skirting and usually higher cantles. While this was the standard for Morgan saddles, variations occurred and were increasingly frequent after 1890. Morgan horns varied in size (often three inches or more) and were occasionally angled sometimes giving it an appearance akin to the Charro saddle then popular in Mexico. Their decorative finishes varied widely too. From skeleton rigged to fancifully tooled, ornamented and fully dressed.
Early “horned” Morgan c. 1870’s 1880’s. Harbison & Gathright did not mark their products but this saddle exhibits some of the characteristics of their early horned Morgan’s including the heightened pommel, large horn cap, low cantle and, round skirts and jockey’s. John Ashworth Collection.
By the 1890’s, the differences in the horned Morgan and the Texas saddle patterns began to blur. Over the next three decades the horned Morgan still retained its identity but were often made similar to Texas saddles with double rigging and with higher, narrower horns. By the 1920’s both the Morgan and Texas configurations were fading in popularity eventually melding into the “stock” saddle. 1
THE MULEY MORGAN:
The first recognizable American Muley was probably the “McBride” saddle from Tennessee patented in 1836. Although it was not identified as a muley its description strongly illustrates the basic muley pattern. On the other hand, while erstwhile Muleys of unclear origins are known to have been shipped north and west out of New Orleans prior to the Civil War, except for the McBride, no other distinct civilian pattern muley saddle is identifiable before the Gathright “Muley”. Nevertheless, Harbison & Gathright’s “Muley Morgan” was in reality, simply an un-horned Morgan tree finished with a somewhat varying round or knobby pommel top.
Simple but typical catalog Morgan Muley. 1860’s to 1890’s. Vince Malone Collection.
The choice of the slang word “muley” itself presents an interesting question. Where and how did this moniker originate? Both American and British dictionaries attribute the word to the Gaelic (Irish) term “Maol” or “Moiley” (or Welsh as “Moel”)- meaning bald and usually used to describe cattle without horns. Later, some Americans assigned the origins of the name to the mule’s characteristically blunt face. In summary, any or all of these explanations are equally suitable and correct.
Slight pommel variations abounded but throughout their era, the basic Morgan Muley tree remained the same as the horned Morgan. Often, the catalog illustrations offered the same exact saddle with or without the horn giving the customer the additional choice of black, fair or red (cherry) leather and either open or hooded stirrups. Some makers did not carry Morgan Muley’s at all. Rather, they sold other muley saddles that were similar in appearance such as the “Mosby” saddle (see) or muley’s by different makers with names such as the “Batesville”, “Ferguson” or “Nevada”.
Even Kilgores were occasionally constructed with knobby pommels and finished like Muley’s. Still more muleys were made by small independent saddle shops such as the Richardson Saddle in Oneoka, Tennessee. This often makes it difficult to identify the Muley saddle. In fact, sometimes the only real difference can be found in name only.
The Morgan Muley appears to have lost favor beginning about 1900. Fewer were being offered and popular saddle sales seems to have migrated either to the many stylish spring seat saddle variations or, horned Morgans, Texas and stock saddles that tended to dominate the catalog offerings.
The Morgan and Morgan Muley saddles were designed for sales to the predominantly Southern rural and utility trade. Still, variable style and quality were widely available to suit the taste of the customer. Although offered by most large saddle makers around the country they were decidedly more popular in the South and east. In general, the large catalog firms produced a better-made product than the mail order Montgomery Ward or Sears Roebuck offerings. Regardless, both Morgan patterns were normally the lowest priced saddles to be found in any saddle catalog.
The Morgan saddle has earned its rightful place in American saddle history alongside the Hope, California, Spanish and Texas saddles. Yet, despite achieving its own iconic stature the basic Morgan still largely remained the same simple saddle tree Josiah Gathright had made for Confederate troopers during the Civil War.
THE MOSBY SADDLE:
Appearing in catalogs beginning about the 1880’s very little is known about the origins of this pattern except that it was almost certainly named after Confederate partisan ranger, Col. John S. Mosby. The Mosby is easily confused with the Morgan Muley however; it had its own unique tree design with an indented pommel that always had strong similarities to the Muley but also a special kinship to its cousin the Whitman. Normal distinctive features of the Mosby were leather covered seats, rounded skirts, heavy Texas style wood stirrups, its trademark decorative quarter strap rigging and usually a single rounded leather hand loops at the near side pommel (for reins, halter leads). A very popular and inexpensive saddle, the Mosby was commonly offered by the larger catalog companies from the 1880’s to early 20th century including mail-order giants Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward. Other similar saddles were offered by both of the mail order giants made under the names Ferguson and Batesville in an effort to appeal to saddle buyers beyond the Southern market.
