l62 



MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING OF HORSES 



that the breed owes its origin to the use of Thorough- 

 breds on English cart-horse mares, though this theory is 

 denied by the Cleveland Bay authorities who wish to 

 show a pure ancestry. 



Notwithstanding this objection, it is probable that a 

 gradual use of horses of lighter breeding on heavy mares 

 of the larger English breeds has finally resulted in the 

 formation of the Cleveland coach horse. This is supported 



by the statement 

 that of the three 

 sires, Dark, Bar- 

 ley Harvest and 

 Hole Hill Horse, 

 which had most 

 to do in estab- 

 lishing the 

 Cleveland Bay, 

 Dark traces in 

 direct line to 

 Darley Arabian. 

 It is probable, 

 however, that 

 the old Cleve- 

 land Bay, the 

 horse that was so popular in early days, had very lit- 

 tle, if any. Thoroughbred blood in him considering the 

 amount that has been used later. 



The decline of the Cleveland Bay coach horse. — At the 

 opening of the nineteenth century the Cleveland Bay was 

 in great demand for heavy coach work, particularly 

 matched teams for the London market. This stimulated 

 breeding, which was carried on with system and success 

 during the first quarter of the century. Following this 

 came economic changes which influenced the type of 

 horse demanded. Chief of these economic changes were 

 the increased activity in agriculture and the development 

 of the coal industry, which created a very strong demand 



Fig. 91. — Cleveland Bay Stallion "Beodloin Fred" 



