L A X D AND W A T E R 
December 5, 19 14 
THE general purpose horse — the horse to which 
light work or heavy work is a matter of indiffer- 
ence, which can draw a carriage in the park, 
which can take a heavy load in transport, which 
can haul a gun about on the stricken field, and 
which, moreo\cr, at the end of a long hard day can come 
home with his ears pricked — that is the horse for peace or 
war. And such a horse is the Yorkshire Coach, horse also the 
Cleveland Bay, from whom he is derived by crossing with 
the thoroughbred. 
There is no more perfect harness horse in the world than 
the Yorkshire Coach horse, who generally shows more quality 
than the Cleveland Bay, whilst the latter has the more 
substance. There is, however, not much real difference in 
outline and action, but it must be stated that the best coach 
horses are bred by h.aving recourse every now and again to 
a Cleveland cross which maintains the character and substance. 
The lengthy forehand and well-carried head and neck, 
and the lengthy elegant quarters for which these breeds are 
distinguished, make them admirably fitted for high-class 
harness work. They are, at the same time, stylish and 
stately, and it is indeed a wonder that they should have been 
so much neglected from time to time. No breed of horses 
— save alone the thoroughbred — has bone of such density, 
and the clean flat bone with its well-defined sinew is a great 
characteristic of the Cleveland Bay and Yorkshire Coach horse-. 
The action of these breeds is admirably adapted for getting 
over the ground. There is not any of that wasted effort, 
which though it may be and undoubtedly is showy and 
attractive, yet does not tend to rapid progress. The Cleveland 
and the Coach horse use their shoulders, which is of infinitely 
mare importance than the snap of the knee. It must, 
however, not be supposed that they go with a straight leg — 
nothing can be farther from the fact, though they certainly 
have not much of the knee and curb chain action so many 
people admire. They use their hind legs exceptionally well, 
getting the feet well forward and flexing their hocks well. 
A feature of their action is the excellent way, as a rule, that 
they use their pasterns. The stiffly held straight pastern 
does not prevail. The easy smooth gait is a distinguishing 
feature of their action, and I once heard it well described by 
a man who was looking a famous horse over : "He seems as 
if he was going at the rate of six miles an hour, and he is 
going at the rate of twelve." The ground covered in each 
stride of course accounts for this. 
The weights these breeds can shift are much greater than 
one would suppose possible. I can remember seeing old 
Fidius Dius, a famous Cleveland Bay stallion owned by the 
late Mr. James Lowther, taking about with the greatest ease 
loads of 5 cwts. more than apparently more powerful horses 
were taking. Mr. Lowther was a great admirer of the 
breeds, and had a fine stud at one time, especially of 
Cleveland Bays, he having bought " in a lump" the lateEarl 
Fitzwilliam's stud. 
The quiet, stealing action of which I have spoken, as 
well as their great power in moving heavy weights, make 
the Cleveland Bay and the Yorkshire Coach horse admirably 
adapted for artillery and transport purposes. For these 
purposes perhaps the older breed is better suited, as it is 
■generally, though by no means always, built upon more 
powerful lines. 
With such good quahties and their remarkable adaptability 
— for it is scarcely necessary to point out that a horse that 
can take his share of a gun or a transport cart can take his 
share of a plough— it is curious that. the breeds have not 
come in for steadier recognition, both from the country at 
large and from breeders. They have had their time's of 
prosperity, and when these times came nothing could prosper 
more. They were all money. Then came a change of 
fashion, and they could not be given away. 
The later periods of prcspcrity l.;ivo generally been 
associated with an abnormal foreign demand, and perhaps 
the fact that breeders laid themselves out largely to meet 
the foreign market, and the foreign market only, has had 
something to do with the sudden collapse of a brisk trade 
which has frequently taken place. Many years ago it was 
pointed out to breeders that many a hrrse that made a bad 
stallion would have made a very good gelding, and they 
were advised to secure a good gelding trade. But the warning 
voice was unheeded, and there was some excuse wl.cn \ earling 
colts were easily sold at from seventy to a hundred guineas. 
The Cleveland Bay and the Yorkshire Coach horse are 
now once more coming into favour, and they are coming into 
favour in the right way, with a healthy demand for geldings. 
Cleveland Bays and Yorkshire Coach horses are again seen 
in our parks, the former in coaches and the latter in carriages. 
They were also seen to great advantage in the Royal pro- 
cession at Ascot, and there is a growing demand for high- 
class geldings. 
At the shows, too, they are appearing in more numbers 
and with more quality and character than has been the case 
for some time. During the last four or five years there has 
been satisfactory progress — not very rapid, perhaps, but 
still, progress ; and now we have some very good young 
mares coming on — an important feature in any breed. 
Then His Majesty has got together a small but select 
stud at Hampton Court, and ha'^ entered and shown some of 
his horses at the Royal and the Yorkshire, a circumstance 
which, of course, drew more attention to the breed than 
would otherwise have been the case. And His Majesty was 
a successful exhibitor, taking second prize at the Royal with 
Tantalus, who was beaten there by Mr. Lett's Rillington 
Victor, an older horse ; and first at the Yorkshire with the 
same horse, to whom Kempton II., a stable companion, was 
third. 
Nor has His Majesty's interest in the breed stopped at 
establishing a stud and exhibiting at shows. He has given a 
gold challenge cup for brood mares, which has undoubtedly 
done a great deal to stimulate breeding. This cup is given 
at the Malton, Ryedale and Pickering, Escrick, and Stokesley 
shows in rotation. 
With the excellences of the Cleveland Bay and Yorkshire 
Coach horse brought to the notice of the public in a way that 
it has not been for many years the demand for them should 
be stimulated. Breeders may be encouraged, too, by the 
fact that with a rising market all round, which the growing 
demand for geldings cannot fail to bring about, the Cleveland 
Bay and Yorkshire coach horse can be bred with the minimum 
of expense. The mares are invaluable workers on a farm, 
and the great question in light-horse breeding — " What shall 
I do with the second rater? " — is easily answered. Work 
him on the farm. This, it need scarcely be said, points to 
the decrease of risk and to the consequent increase of net 
profit. 
Messrs. John Bartholomew & Co. have issued an orographical 
map of Central Europe showing the pohtical boundaries. It is 
specially coloured to show contours of altitude. These are given in 
metres, with their equivalents in English feet. Railways and fortified 
towns are also shown, and there are several large scale inset maps. 
The price is 2s. 6d. in case ; mounted on cloth, 4s. ; an<l 7s. 6d. if on 
rollers and varnished. 
" The Rugbv Football Annual " makes its second appearance 
this year, and is obtainable from Messrs. Walker & Co., Heath Road, 
Twickenham, or from Messrs. Hayes, 26 Old Bond Street, London, W., 
price 6d It is edited by the secretary of the Rugby Football Union, 
and it is scarcely necessary to a-dd that what ^Ir. C. ]. B. Marriot 
does not know of English Rugby football is not worth recording 
Bl'RROVGHS, Wellcome & Co. have again issued their " Photo- 
graphic Exposure Record and Diary " for the coming year. This 
bock is a very welcome Christmas gift, and one that is much n)'prc- 
ciated by all those intereste<l in photography, and is ccr(c;inly one of 
the best shilling's worth of its kind. 
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