'Last working farm': East Gwillimbury breeder Morton Stables soaks up success as development looms

Darlene Morton was named Canadian Breeder of the Year in 2019

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 4, 2022
Simon Martin

Just past Green Lane on Leslie Street in Sharon seems like an unlikely spot for one of the top horse breeders in Canada. But for more than 50 years, Darlene and Russel Morton have been churning out award-winning Welsh ponies at Morton Stables. Darlene was named Canadian breeder of the year by Equestrian Canada in 2019.

The couple has rented their farm next to Sharon Public School for the past 38 years and are uncertain about how many years they have left before it is developed.

“We won’t move it. It depends on when they actually take the place and say we are moving forward with development,” Russel said.

Russel, 80, said he is done working, but Darlene, 10 years his younger, wants to breed horses as long as she can. “This is my business. I developed this from nothing,” she said. “You can ask anybody in the United States and Canada about Morton ponies and they will know right away.”

Darlene’s love of horses came naturally. “When I was two or three, I can remember my dad taking me to his father's place and in the garage he had two Clydesdales,” she said. “And I remember crying and crying when my dad took me off the Clyde because I wanted to stay there with them.”

As luck would have it, the couple met at the 1969 Royal Winter Fair. “I was wandering around and met her through the stables and with the horses and it just went from there,” Russel said.

“They talked me into dating him,” Darlene piped in. “They said he had lots of money and they were liars.”

In the beginning, Darlene’s breeding program involved Welsh ponies, with stock being imported from the United Kingdom. Darlene started importing British riding ponies to cross breed with Welsh mares to create a modern sport pony.

Morton’s British Riding Pony, Rosedal Top Cat, was named the North American Sport Pony Registry’s first foundation sire.

Walking around the property, it’s easy to see Darlene’s love for her horses. When asked what she likes so much about them, she instantly quips, “What do you like about your child?”

Darlene wanders over to the farm’s top stallion of Welsh origin Stockham Commander M, who is 27 years old. “This one has lived a good life,” Darlene said. “Might take him to the old age home with me.”

The Mortons have scaled down the operation to make it more manageable and say they have it down to a science. One of the unique aspects about the farm is that horses share a fence with the yard at Sharon Public School. Darlene still remembers driving the tractor around to get hay one day and her grandson was in the schoolyard watching with his friends. “He says, ‘my nana has a tractor’.”

There was also one year when they got a phone call from the school pointing out that a foal might be on the way. “So we walked out and, sure enough, there she was down pretty close to the fence with a baby slipping out,” she said. With her attention fully on the mare and its baby, Darlene didn’t realize she had quite the audience. “I looked up and there were all the kids watching quietly,” she said.

Darlene said she doesn’t think a lot of people realize what happens at the farm. “A lot of kids that went to Sharon school, we see them as adults and they say, ‘Oh my God, I remember seeing your ponies’,” she said.

The Mortons’ home is an old heritage home circa the 19th century. They hope it stays on the site even if the farm is developed.

“There is a lot of history here,” Morton said. “We are the last working farm.”