CLEVELAND BAY

This rare and beautiful breed does it all, from driving to dressage and endurance.

- SAMANTHA JOHNSON

If you're familiar with James Herriot's animal stories or the TV series All Creatures Great and Small, you're already acquainted with beautiful Yorkshire county in England. It's this region-and specifically a Yorkshire district named Cleveland-that produced England's oldest horse breed: the Cleveland Bay.

PURELY STUNNING

If you love history, you'll love the Cleveland Bay. Its rich and extensive history that stretches back over centuries. The breed was developed using local pack horses called Chapman horses, and those Chapman horses were then crossed with Barb horses during the 17th century. These set the type for what is now the Cleveland Bay.

The Cleveland Bay Horse Society in England was established in 1884, and the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America (CBHSNA) was formed a year later. The breed's lines have stayed pure (free of other breeds) since the 1800s, and Cleveland Bays are now known for their impressive consistency in breed type.

As you might expect from a breed that has roots in driving, some of the Cleveland Bay's most notable characteristics include athleticism, stamina, hardiness, trainability, and a good disposition. The breed is also known for having very strong feet.

And as you might expect from their name, Cleveland Bays are always bay in color.