CARRIAGE BORSES AND COBS. 187 



sequently there was a wide diffusion of thoroughbred 

 sires. Under these influences, the improved or half- 

 bred Cleveland bays lost their distinctive color in a 

 large degree, chestnuts, iron-grays, roans, and dark 

 browns becoming frequent among them. Still, there 

 are in existence even at the present time many Cleve- 

 land bays of the correct color, with legs black from 

 the knee down, and with that ''list," or strip of black, 

 running from the withers to the root of the tail, which 

 is considered to establish beyond a doubt the purity 

 of their blood. A dark brown coat with a cinnamon 

 muzzle was supposed to indicate a tough and hardy 

 beast, and animals thus marked are seen occasionally 

 nowadays. Blacks were the least common, this color 

 being avoided, as suggestive of a cart horse origin, un- 

 less it could be traced directly to a thoroughbred sire. 

 Particular colors came to be associated with particular 

 districts. Thus, in one neighborhood it would be the 

 ambition of every carriage owner to have a gray Sir 

 AVilliam or a brown Sir Peter, as the case might be ; 

 whereas in another district a black this or a chestnut 

 that would be considered an indispensable inmate of 

 a gentleman's stable. 



The most potent influence in developing the car- 

 riage horse was, however, that mania for fast trav- 

 elling in coaches and post chaises which could be 

 satisfied with nothing less than ten and even twelve 

 miles an hour. Anybody who has actually driven ten 

 or twenty miles at this rate in a light carriage — not 

 simply heard or talked about it, which is a more com- 

 mon occurrence — can imagine what a task it was for 

 four horses to travel at such speed, while hauling a 

 load of four tons or more. Xothing but a strong dash 



