…and on the eighth day God created the horse in perfect image, to romp, graze, gallop, play, and make manure wherever it darn well pleases, in divine grace.
The Cleveland Bay Horse originated in 17th century England. It is named for its brown-bay coloring and for the Cleveland District of Yorkshire, and is the oldest established horse breed in England. (1)
The foundation animals were cultivated in the Middle Ages for labor and transporting goods as pack animals.
At this time, they were called “Chapman Horses,” from the medieval travelling merchants of the day, known as “Chapmen.” (2)
The local bloodlines of the Chapman Horses were bay in color, and had tremendous pulling power.
There was no feathering of hair on their cannons or fetlocks, so this made them desirable for use in wet conditions and the clay soils of the Yorkshire area. (3)
Unlike many heavy draft breeds that have feathers that can remain constantly wet, and then develop problems such as “Grease Heel,” a chronic, painful, open sore in the fetlock area of the leg/foot, the Cleveland Bay did not have this problem.
The Chapman pack animals were crossed with Spanish Barb horses and Andalusians in the 16th century.
After the English Civil War, Spanish horses on the outlying estates of English noblemen were taken by Oliver Cromwell’s men, who then stood them at stud with horses belonging to the local gentry and the Chapmen merchants’ horses. This added a second infusion of Spanish Andalusian blood. (4)
In the late 17th century, even more Spanish Barb blood was added a second time by Cleveland Bay breeders who bought horses directly from soldiers in Tangiers, or from the Muslim Moors themselves.
Later, in the 18th century, (1700’s) Thoroughbred and Arabian blood was introduced, thus creating a breed known as the “Yorkshire Coach Horse,” a much faster coach animal. (5)
This rendered the original Cleveland Bay Horse obsolete and almost at the point of extinction.
The Cleveland Bay Horse Society was formed in 1883, with the first stud book formed in 1884.
The breed standards stipulate that all animals must be bay-brown in color, from dark bay, to ordinary bay, to light bay. The light bay has more reddish tones. (6)
Any white markings, except for small stars on the forehead, are not permissible into the stud book and render the animal non-registered.
The uniformity of color is desirable, so as to create perfect driving teams for 2, 4, or 6 horse hitches.
In 1962, the number of animals was minuscule and Queen Elizabeth II purchased one of four remaining stallions. (7)
Known as the stallion “Musgrave Supreme,” she put him out to stud. Numbers increased slightly in the latter half of the 20th century, but the breed is still considered “endangered.” (8)
The Cleveland Bay Horse is all-British and is considered a Warmblood, coming in at 16HH to 16.2HH. (9)
Having a nice temperament, it prefers cool environments in which to dwell, and is used in riding and harness driving. The Cleveland Bay Horses are also used in royal processions for ceremonial coaches, and thanks to Queen Elizabeth II, they are enjoying a revival.
They make an excellent competition horse for fox hunting and jumping, or cross country.
The heads on the Cleveland Bays are large, with a nice, thick neck and strong, muscular shoulders. The back is straight with powerful hind quarters, and the legs are rather short, all things considered, as per the overall scope of the animal. (10)
I’d have one, or even two, if given the chance; I think they are extremely attractive, with a drafty appearance in fine, elegant lines.
Leaving you to ponder the grand pomp and circumstance of the fabulous Brits and their royalty, pulled by a coach-and-six of fine, home-grown Cleveland Bay Horses, to the immortal words of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, “Happy Trails to You.”
1,3,5,7-10: “A Pocket Guide to Horses & Ponies,” by Corinne Clark, Parragon Books, Bath, UK
2,4,6: Internet/Wikipedia