CHAPTEE XIII. 



CLEVELAND BAY. 



Origin and especial merits — As now bred — Demand in this country — French 

 coach horses — The government stud of France — Wonderful knee 

 action — Color. 



IN conformation and general appearance these horses show a 

 wonderful similarity, and this fact, added to their large 

 size, great style, and fine dispositions, made them at an early- 

 day the carriage or park horse of the English aristocracy. 

 The larger and heavier ones were selected to pull the old- 

 fashioned English coaches across the country at the time when 

 railways were unknown. 



The fertile district of Cleveland, from whence 'this breed 

 takes its name, became famous for their production, and for 

 years they were bred with the greatest care and discretion. 

 Later on, when coaching became a thing of the past, this breed 

 was neglected. The mares were bred to thoroughbred horses 

 to produce saddle horses, hunters, and cavalry mounts. They 

 gave greater size and more bone than the thoroughbred pos- 

 sessed, while their fine proportions and style made them easily 

 matched for carriage horses. Originally, it is said, the Cleve- 

 land Bay was a large and rather coarse horse compared to that 

 breed of the present day, as remodeled and reconstructed by 

 the mingling of thoroughbred blood. 



The original Cleveland Bays were frequently seventeen 

 hands high and usually weighed from 1,500 to 1,700 pounds. 

 These large horses were fined down by judicious crossings, the 

 thoroughbred being used largely for the purpose, until in form 

 and general appearance they were models of elegant propor- 

 tion and symmetry. 



The demand which has sprung up in this country within 



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