

v - r ' r * - 



CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. Jl 



readily pass into spots and cloudy marks in the varieties of 

 the domestic cat and several feline species even the cubs of 

 the uniformly coloured lion being spotted with dark marks 

 on a cloudy ground we may suspect that the dappling of the 

 horse, which has been noticed by some authors with surprise, 

 is a modification or vestige of a tendency to become striped. "* 



This would seem effectually to dispose of the statement 

 made in many quarters that a dark or dappled bay is a sign 

 of alien blood, which, coming from men who insist strongly on 

 the " black points " as a sign of exceptional purity of breed, is 

 surely inconsistent. At the same time it must be borne in 

 mind that although the darker coloured horses may be well- 

 bred ones, and trace their descent for many generations through 

 famous horses and mares, the bright bay is much to be 

 preferred, and for many generations the opinion has prevailed 

 that this is the colour par excellence.^ 



In concluding this description of the Cleveland Bay, especial 

 attention should be called to his hardihood of constitution. 

 No pampering is required ; he will do his share of work for 

 many years, and perhaps few breeds of horses are so noted 

 for longevity or are such prolific breeders. If it were neces- 

 sary to describe the Cleveland Bay in a word, it would be 

 done by designating him the general utility horse, a name 

 by which I believe he was at one time known in some parts of 

 the United States. As a matter of fact no work that he can 

 be put to comes wrong to him, except, of course, fast work, 

 for which he is not adapted. In the plough, on light or 

 medium land, he will work the heavier Shire or Clydesdale to 

 a standstill, his superior activity giving him the pull ; and he 

 will always come home with his head and tail up. Even on 



* "Animals and Plants under Domestication," vol. i., p. 56. 



t As bearing on the question of light and dark colours in horses, it may be 

 of interest to mention an instance of change of colour which happened to a 

 horse of my own. He is a hunter, and is now (1894) six years old. In the 

 spring of 1893 he was a red chestnut, approaching to sandy. He is now a dark 

 liver chestnut. W. S. D. 



