ORIGIN AND HISTORY 449 



this means also the Cleveland became stained to some extent 

 by the introduction of foreign blood. Within recent years 

 much greater attention has been paid to the preservation 

 and improvement of the breed. The Stud Book the first 

 volume of which was published in 1884 has proved a 

 distinct source of interest, and a means by which the best 

 qualities of the original breed may yet be brought promi- 

 nently forward. There is a tendency due, it is said, to in- 

 breeding, but no doubt also to the Thoroughbred cross to a 

 lighter condition of bone than that natural to the old 

 Cleveland horse. 



The Farmer's Magazine for 1826 says: ''Probably the 

 best horse for working the lighter class of soils is the Cleve- 

 land Bay, an original breed of the country, ' neither blood nor 

 black,' that is, a distinct race from the English Blood-horse, 

 and equally distinct from the Black or Cart breed of the 

 country. It was the basis of the breed of the old London 

 coach-horsfe, when heavy cattle were used for these convey- 

 ances ; and, after it became the fashion to adopt a lighter 

 horse for carriages, this valuable breed was allowed almost to 

 become extinct, till their excellence for agricultural purposes 

 was noticed by some practical farmers in the North of 

 England, who for several years have been exerting them- 

 selves to revive the breed." 



Vol. i. of the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal gives 

 the dimensions of a Cleveland stallion introduced by J. B. 

 Lloyd into Gloucestershire about 1827, to cross with the local 

 breed of cart-horses, in order to gain more activity with 

 little or no diminution of strength, as follows : " When ' Old 

 Cleveland ' was at his full size, in good condition but not full 

 of flesh, he measured 16 hands ij inches high, 9f inches 

 round the pastern, 10 inches round below the knee, 21 inches 

 round the arm, 15! inches round the knee, and 6 feet 10 

 inches round the girth. His legs were as clean as a race- 

 horse." 



These quotations tend to confirm the view that at one 

 time the Cleveland was a heavier horse than he is now. 



Hayes traces the origin of the Cleveland Bay to a cross 

 between Yorkshire cart mares, the direct descendants of the 

 old Great Horse of the country, and a Barb which introduced 

 the bay colour and the dark dorsal stripe characteristic of 



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