CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 63 



proved to be fatal to the existence of the Cleveland Bay as a 

 distinct breed. Another circumstance which took place about 

 the same time also did much harm. This was nothing more 

 than a change of fashion. It became the rage to drive in 

 curricles big upstanding horses, approaching and sometimes 

 exceeding seventeen hands in height ; and to meet the pre- 

 vailing fashion fine Cleveland mares were mated with leggy, 

 flash - topped thoroughbred horses to a very considerable 

 extent. These causes, coming together at the same time as 

 they did, nearly put an end to the pure bred Cleveland Bay. 



This crossing of the leggy thoroughbred with the Cleveland 

 mares was also, in the opinion of the late Mr. Lumley 

 Hodgson, responsible for another evil ; and he traced the 

 great increase of roaring to this cause. Animals bred this way 

 with their fine "rainbow necks" were, of course, peculiarly 

 liable to this disease, and as many of them were kept as sires, 

 and, moreover, were largely used, it is not improbable that a 

 large proportion of the roaring which is found amongst Coach 

 Horses and Cleveland Bays in the present day may have had 

 its origin in the fashion for over-sized curricle horses which 

 sprung up in the days of the Regency. I have heard it stated 

 that previous to the time when this " crossing " took place, 

 roaring and its concomitant diseases were unknown amongst 

 Cleveland Bays. I give the tradition for what it is worth, and 

 cannot say that I place much credence in it. There is no 

 doubt that many horses which were considered sound a 

 hundred years ago would not pass the stricter examina- 

 tions of the present day successfully, and perhaps this may 

 account for the tradition. 



Referring to the decadence into which the breed had fallen 

 from causes enumerated above, the Farmers' Magazine for 

 1823 says, speaking of the Cleveland Bay: " It was the basis 

 of the old London coach horse, when heavier cattle were used 

 for those conveyances ; and after the fashion became to adopt 

 a lighter horse for carriages, this valuable breed was allowed 

 to become almost extinct, till their excellence for agricultural 



