Intro
The Cleveland Bay is the oldest British breed of horse, named for the Cleveland area of England. While many of the horses imported to the US during colonization were Spanish, the English brought animals too.
Origins
Originally bred for use as pack horses in the Yorkshire Dales, their blood saw an influx of Barb blood towards the end of the 17th century. The result was a powerful, robust animal, versatile enough to be used under harness as well as for transporting goods.
It is unclear when the breed was brought to the American colonies, but their great characteristics didn’t go unnoticed. Whether their breeding began in British hands and later found their way into the hands of American breeders or if they are more recently imported.
According to the DAD-IS the American strain of Cleveland Bay is critical and as of the last population data in 2017 there were only 3 left.
Features
Average height 16-16.2 hands
Physique
Head is bold and well carried on the neck
Eyes are large and well set
Legs are muscular with large knees and hocks
Body is deep and wide with deeply muscled shoulders
Feet are one of the most important characteristic, they must be blue in color, large and sound
Traditional Colors:
Must be bay
Temperament
Strong character
Intelligent
Hardy with intense stamina
Use
Police horse
Show horse
Driving horse
General riding horse
Helpful Links
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Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America