The Grave of Morgan

These days, horses are not often ridden into battle, though many militaries still use them for parades, competitions, and other ceremonial purposes. But though these animals are well-bred and well-cared for, they aren’t always the most charismatic creatures, as evidenced by a Swedish horse named Morgan.

Morgan was a Swedish Warmblood who was born in 1992. He was ridden in jumping competitions, ending with good scores in several shows. Eventually, he retired from his sports career and became a school horse at the royal stables.

But Morgan did not seem to like his new job as a lesson horse. He quickly became known as one of the meanest horses in the stable. The ornery steed had a habit of kicking and biting anyone who came near him. He was forced to wear a muzzle after he once bit a woman with such force that skin came off. Cadets who worked in the stable feared him, not because he was an especially difficult horse to ride, but because handling him was such a daunting endeavor.

Morgan died in 2008 after sustaining an injury he could not recover from. In his memory, a stone was placed in the K1 animal cemetery. Its fading epitaph reads, “Morgan, Loved - Feared, 1992 - 2008,” a short description that sums up his life rather accurately.