THE BRITISH HORSE 25 



of the finer with that of the larger horses of the country, 

 to combine action with strength, yet many have sought a 

 further infusion of blood nearer to the race-horse. They 

 are accordingly crossed by hunters or thoroughbred horses, 

 and thus another variety of coach-horse is produced, of 

 lighter form and higher breeding ; and many of the 

 superior Cleveland curricle and four-in-hand horses are 

 now nearly thoroughbred. The bay colour is in the most 

 general estimation, but the grey are not infrequently 

 used. 



Such is unquestionably the " Cleveland " horse of our 

 day ; from a thoroughbred of moderate stature, and a 

 Cleveland mare three-quarters blood, we obtain a horse fit 

 for the small pair-horse brougham, the curricle-phaeton, 

 or the four-in-hand. 



A pleasant and mort popular writer, who adopts the 

 nora de plume of " Harry Hieover," thus agreeably 

 contrasts the modern and antique carriage-horse : — 



" The great alteration in the form and breeding of the 

 carriage-horse has partly arisen from the alteration of the 

 vehicle he draws, but still more from the improvement in 

 the paving of the streets and the state of the roads round 

 the metropolis. The heavy, old-fashioned machine that 

 was built to suit the pavement over which the royal Hal 

 and his fat friend were jolted to Eastcheap, became no 

 longer necessary when, if a hole was found in a street, the 

 paviors were set instantly to work ; and when the two 

 miles and a half from St. Paul's to Hyde Park Corner, 

 barring stoppages, became a work of fifteen minutes 

 instead of a long mortal hour, the heavy old coach- horse 

 found the pace so unpleasant — indeed, impossible to him — 

 that it became necessary to infuse some quicker-flowing 

 blood into his veins ; yet perhaps this necessary change, 

 though it improved speed, would have made the more high- 

 bred animal refuse to fetch a heavy load out of a slough or 

 hole that let the vehicle in axle-deep. Each was fitted for 

 a different purpose, and each had its distinct merit. 



Doubtless the old coach-horse was a little better bred 

 than the light cart-horse ; and I should think it more than 

 probable that Lincolnshire and Suffolk mainly contributed 

 to the early supply of coach-horses, for in those days the 

 Yorkshire horse was the hunter, and would have been 

 thought too light for harness-work. When roads got 



