THE YORKSHIRE COACH HORSE. 255 



East Ridings of Yorkshire. Formerly, he was used for 

 coaching and agriculture, at both of which he was an equally- 

 great success. In ancient days, the roads were so bad and 

 the vehicles were so heavy, that strength rather than speed 

 was sought for in coaching. At farm work, the Cleveland 

 has always distinguished himself by his great activity. With 

 improvements in roads and carriages, breeders of Clevelands 

 have successfully tried to obtain more speed. The Cleveland 

 of to-day is essentially a clean-legged coach horse or light 

 vanner, with blood-like head, full, well-arched neck, sloping 

 though rather thick shoulders (suitable for a collar), and well 

 set-on tail. His good carriage of head, neck and tail makes 

 him a showy harness horse. He has a tendency to be light 

 in the loins, which fact, along with his comparatively heavy 

 fore hand, unfits him, as a rule, for saddle work. The 

 mare stands about 16 hands, the stallion 16. i to 16.2. 

 The only recognised colour is bay. The action, at a trot, 

 resembles that of a thoroughbred, and is free from ''the 

 snap of the knee'' of the hackney. At this pace, the 

 Cleveland bends his hocks well, and brings his hind legs 

 under him with great freedom. Tradition points to a 

 Barb cross with Yorkshire cart mares as the foundation of 

 this breed. 



The Yorkshire Coach Horse (Figs. 340 and 341). — 

 The increase of speed rendered necessary by improved 

 communications, showed the advisability of an infusion of 

 Eastern, and subsequently of thoroughbred blood, into the 

 Cleveland, with the result of the formation of the Yorkshire 

 Coach Horse, which may now be regarded as a distinct type. 

 For detailed information on this subject, I may refer my 

 readers to Vol. I. of The Yorkshire Coach Horse Stud Book, 

 which tells us, as instances of the speed and endurance 

 of these anitflals, that ** Dreadnaught, by Old Clothier, won a 

 trotting match for ^100, carrying 16 stone 16 miles within 

 the hour; and that Peirson's Plato trotted 18 miles within the 

 hour, carrying 18 stone." 



