244 



The Book of the Horse. 



monarchs. The cream-coloured horses, not having been exercised as usual, or else imbued 

 with Hanoverian prejudices, were above themselves on that important day. " As the 

 carnage containing the King and his Master of the Horse was passing the guard of honour 

 the ensign in charge of the colours lowered them to the sovereign according to the established 

 formula. The usually impassive ' cream-colours ' took umbrage at this act of homage, swerved 

 and broke into an undignified trot. Mr. Roberts, the coachman, whose mind and body were 

 alike thrown off their balance by the unwonted hurry of the morning, and by the insubordination 

 of his steeds, proceeded, in utter forgetfulness of the royal presence, loudly to anathematise the 

 guard of honour generally, and the standard-bearer in particular. Before the procession had 

 reached the Horse Guards the opprobrious epithets had winged their flight to the officials 



ROYAL HANOVERIAN COACH-HORSE. 



within the building. The consequence was that Mr. Roberts, who had played so important a 

 part in the morning pageant, was compelled to make a public apology to the offended guard 

 of honour before it was marched off to its private parade."* 



The Cleveland bay superseded the German coach-horse when the highways, improved 

 for mail-coach use, increased the pace of travellers, whether with their own or with post-horses. 

 Yorkshire horses, as far as can be ascertained, have always been large. The Cleveland was 

 probably the result of a cross between the large native horse referred to by Gervase Markham 

 and the blood-horses that early took root in that horse-loving country. According to pictures, 

 the old Cleveland bay was very much like the coarser specimens of the Yorkshire coach-horse 

 stallion, of which a few specimens still travel the northern counties ; but according to the latest 

 authorities, the real Cleveland bay, partly by repeated crosses of blood-horses, and partly 

 by the large exportation of mares between the years 1830 and i860, has been almost improved 

 out of existence, and is only now rarely to be found except in Her Majesty's stables. 



Rccullcctioii!, of till.' Sixlh K.ul uf .-Mbeiiiarle." 



