372 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK m. 



with plenty of quality, bone, and substance, is sound, and has good 

 action." 



THE COACH HORSE. The Cleveland Bay is bred in various parts of 

 Durham, Northumberland, and Yorkshire. The last-named county, 

 and especially the North Riding, has been long famed for its superiority 

 in breeding horses of every description. The prevailing breed is that 

 adapted for the saddle or for the coach ; but, in the district of Cleve- 

 land, whence, as well as from their common colour, the breed imme- 

 diately under consideration derives its name, and in the Vale of 

 Pickering, in the East Riding, they are taller and stouter than the 

 others, more powerful, and better adapted for draught. The}' are, 

 accordingly, much used in the North for agricultural purposes, and are 

 there considered quicker in step, more handy, and in all respects 

 more useful than the heavier cart-horse of the South, while they are 

 also believed to consume less food. 



In his work, " The North Countree," Mr. W. Scarth Dixon pro- 

 pounds the theory that the Cleveland Bay is descended from the admix- 

 ture of Eastern blood, during the time of the Roman occupation of 

 Britain, with the native mares ; and the author further states that a 

 legion of the Crespinian horse was stationed at Danum, the modern 

 Doncaster, the members of which were mounted on horses obtained from 

 Carthage. 



The Cleveland Bays (Fig. 79) carry a fine coat, with black mane and 

 tail, and although rather coarse-headed, they have a noble fore-hand, 

 with a well-set shoulder and neck, a deep chest, and round barrel. 

 Measuring from sixteen to seventeen hands in height, they have a 

 stately appearance, and on this account were in much demand as 

 coach-horses while the heavy family carriages of former days were in 

 vogue. Good hunters for heavy weights were also formerly bred from 

 the mares when covered by thoroughbred stallions ; but, since fox- 

 hounds have been trained to run at their present speed, and the 

 barouche has been substituted for the coach, these have been con- 

 demned to the collar, and hunters are now only to be obtained from 

 the second, or even the third, cross with the thoroughbred horse. 



Mr. Lloyd states that the Cleveland should be possessed of good 

 sloping shoulders, a short back, powerful loins, and long quarters. His 

 head is plain rather than otherwise, and on the large side, but it is 

 well carried, and his general appearance denotes activity and strength, 

 combined in a manner not seen in any other breed. His action is not 

 remarkably high, but it is the kind of action for getting over the ground. 

 In colour he is bay, either light or dark, 1 with black legs, clear 

 of hair. Black zebra-like stripes on the arm and above the hock are 

 sometimes seen ; these are known as the black points, and are sup- 

 posed to denote special purity of breeding. White, save a small star, 

 or a few white hairs on the heel, is not admissible, a blaze or white foot 



1 An erroneous idea prevails in some places that only the light golden bay is admissible. 

 No greater mistake can exist, as many of the purest and best bred horses have been dark in 

 colour. Cleveland Bay Stud Book. 



