1.32 VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



formed, the hocks being of good size with plenty of the right sort of bone 

 below them, whilst the tail is set on rather high. His usual height is 

 about 16 hands 2 inches, or a little more or less. 



So far as the action of the Cleveland Bay is concerned, it cannot be 

 successfully contended by his admirers that he possesses any of the fire 

 and dash of his great rival the Hackney. Neither does he show the 

 snap of the knee and peculiar poise of the fore- feet just before they touch 

 the ground; nor of course does the big bay go nearly as high. On the 

 other hand, the Cleveland Bay succeeds in giving a fine show when he 

 is a good one, and he can get over the ground without losing much time, 

 for he has plenty of shoulder and hock action, and cannot be accused of 

 being a slovenly mover, but very much the reverse. In colour the true 

 Cleveland must always be a bay. There are no two opinions about this, 

 though it does not necessarily follow that the bay must always be of 

 any one particular shade. On the contrary, although the lighter shade 

 predominates, many of the finest-looking specimens which have been seen 

 of the breed, animals possessing moreover pedigrees which have been 

 absolutely above suspicion, have been of the darkest shade, and no objec- 

 tion has been raised against any of them, nor ought any to have been. 

 The legs below the knees and hocks should be quite black, and above them, 

 on the forearms and second thighs, some black horizontal stripes, such as 

 those which appear on the zebra, are often to be seen. These, when 

 found, are not objected to, in fact many persons regard them as signs 

 of good breeding; but a white blaze on the forehead, or a white heel, are 

 regarded as signs of impurity of blood, and will at once condemn their 

 ■ possessor to be suspected as a cross-bred. Some authorities would not 

 reject an otherwise good horse for a very small star on the forehead, or a 

 few white hairs on the heel, but a Cleveland Bay is all the better without 

 either. The dark stripe down the back, or " list", is regarded very 

 favourably by many Ijreeders, l)ut is not to be accepted as an infallible 

 proof of pure breeding any more than are the zebra-like stripes on the 

 thighs and c[uarters. A possible explanation of the ajjpearance of these 

 markings has been suggested above, and assuming it is a correct surmise, 

 it speaks volumes for the prepotency of the old Devonshire dun. So far 

 as the general appearance of the Cleveland Bay is concerned, it may be 

 stated that he is a big upstanding, massive, yet active-looking animal, 

 and conveys the impression to those who look him over of being an 

 extremely powerful carriage horse, and therefore well calculated for heavy 

 vehicles; but his "quality" is not conspicuous. 



Finally, the temper of a pure-bred Cleveland Bay is all in his favour, 

 as he is a docile, willing worker, if not ill-treated and put to feats beyond 



