The Cleveland Bay is a majestic animal that has been used for centuries in a variety of ways.
This versatile breed is known for its strength, intelligence, and good temperament.
If you are interested in learning more about the Cleveland Bay horse, read on!
You will find everything you need to know about this fascinating breed right here.
Cleveland Bay Breed Info
Here are some of the key things you need to know about the Cleveland Bay horse:
| Height (size) | 16.0 – 17.0 hands high |
| Colors | They are always bay with no white markings except an occasional star on the forehead |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Common Uses | Driving, show jumping, fox hunting, general riding, harness horse for ceremony or competition, for creating and improving other breeds (particularly warmbloods) |
Cleveland Bay Horse Facts & Information (Breed Profile)
Cleveland Bay is named after the Cleveland region in North East England where it originates.
It is without a doubt the oldest breed of horse in Britain, having been established in form for considerably longer than the Society’s founding date implies.
Their color and their connection to the Cleveland region of North Yorkshire eventually led to the creation of the name Cleveland bay.
During the Middle Ages, a breed of bay horses with clean legs developed in the English county of Yorkshire.
These horses served primarily as pack and pillion mounts.
They were always there for the people, but no one knew where they came from.
They were originally called “Chapman horses” because they were used to transport products sold by “Chapmen” (Traveling Salesmen).
It was not until the time of Queen Elizabeth the First that coaches were first introduced, and the Cleveland Bay was well adapted to pull the first heavy vehicles.
By this time, residents of Yorkshire were regularly relying on the Cleveland Bay to do everything from pull carts and plow fields to carry them on hunting trips and to and from church on Sundays.
As the infrastructure of the roads developed, there was a growing demand for faster travel times, which led to the introduction of Thoroughbred blood.
By the 1880s, the Cleveland breed was in serious difficulty and on the brink of extinction as a result of the development of the railroads and the subsequent decline in the popularity of the horse.
During this time, Cleveland Bay horses were also used to improve other breeds.
Many European Warmblood horses have Cleveland Bay in their lineage, especially the Oldenburg, which used many of Cleveland Bay stallions in the 1860s.
Along with the Oldenburg, Hanoverian, Holstein, Yorkshire Coach Horse, and Vladimir Heavy Draft breeds all descended from the Cleveland Bay horse.
The Cleveland Bay Horse Society (CBHS) was established in 1884 by a group of horse lovers with the goal of preserving and promoting the Cleveland Bay Horse breed; the CBHS continues to fulfill this mission to this day.
At this time, the breed underwent a rebirth, especially in the United States, and thousands of horses with Cleveland bay blood were shipped to the United States over the following several decades.
For many years, the gloomy days of the 1880s were forgotten, and the breed prospered.
Coaching became popular once again, this time as a hobby rather than a necessity, and the breed thrived.
However, the Coaching period didn’t last long, and the decline in demand in the United States might be attributed in part to punitive taxes.
By the early 1900s, the breed was once again in decline.
The breed’s extinction was hastened by the fact that many of these horses had been able to successfully adapt to the function of artillery horses in the First World War.
After World War II ended in 1945, the breed’s numbers were drastically diminished.
At the beginning of the 1960s, there were only a few adult stallions left in England, and there were not many more mares available to use in the effort to restore the breed.
However, Queen Elizabeth II acquired Mulgrave Supreme, a stallion who went on to produce 36 purebred stallions, thereby saving the breed from extinction.
If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating breed, keep reading!
Alternative Names
n/a
Temperament/Personality
Docile and intelligent
Physical Characteristics
The Cleveland Bay horse exudes dignity and power, and it is incredibly versatile.
It has well-muscled hindquarters, sloping shoulders, and dense bones.
The feet are sound and durable.
Colors
They are always bay with no white markings except an occasional star on the forehead
Height (size)
16.0 – 17.0 hands high
Stallions
n/a
Mares
n/a
Weight
1,200 – 1,500 lbs (545 – 680 kg)
Blood Type
Warm
Common Uses
Driving, show jumping, fox hunting, general riding, harness horse for ceremony or competition, for creating and improving other breeds (particularly warmbloods)
Health
n/a
Popular Traits
England’s oldest breed of horse
Feeding/Diet
n/a
Country of Origin
England
Ancestors
Old english horses, Barb, Andalusian, Chapman, Thoroughbred, Arabian