Zuzan
Well-Known Member
I think if you are after a specific breed than the best option is to buy direct from the breeder as young stock.. this worked for me .. but admittedly not everyone can or is willing to do that ..
Pictures Cleveland Bays - a small Monday evening ramble
- Thread starter Foxaunt
- Start date
I think if you are after a specific breed than the best option is to buy direct from the breeder as young stock.. this worked for me .. but admittedly not everyone can or is willing to do that ..
Tarragon
Well-Known Member
I am small and light enough to be able to ride our Native ponies. I chose to buy Exmoor because I wanted something that was a true native UK breed that I could ride and I wanted something that was registered so that I could show if I wanted to. I loved the primitive pangare markings and their ancient lineage, and I was piqued by the fact that at the time there were more otters than Exmoor ponies in the UK and that there were as few as 50 of them left after the second world war! Dartmoor ponies were too small, Welsh were too common, Dales and Fells were too black and hairy and New Forest were not distinctive enough. My other love are Highland ponies, I love the duns and greys, but they were so expensive!
HuskyFluff
Well-Known Member
I've had my interest piqued by Cleveland Bays because my appaloosa is 1/4 CB - when I started looking into them I thought they were beautiful, and right up my street. So if I get another horse I'll probably be looking for a CB or CB x
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Am I being dumb? I always thought that describing a horse as a 'trotter' was essentially saying that it didn't pace or do any of the other extra gaits.
I have seen a hackney pony that was ridden and it was a real sharp, pocket rocket. What a jump though!
I had a part bred Fell on loan before I had my first anglo-arab. That PBF was the closest I came to 'owning' a British rare breed.
As stated above I had an anglo-arab gelding and he was bought because he was a nice horse, not because of his breed. After him I did go down the ISH route and had a massive life changing injury so when I bought my first horse after the accident I actively looked for another arab/PBA/anglo-arab and ended up with another anglo-arab. I have purebreds too now. Love them.
It was the experience of owning one that was a good match for me that started it. Then going back to what I knew worked when I was getting back into horses. The fact it worked cemented that in my head. It wasn't easy having an unpopular breed at livery, I had a lot of negativity about my mare (it didn't help that she is chestnut which made her an even easier target for them) and also hurtful questions about my choice when I bought my grey arab. It really got to me at one point, but I never doubted the horses themselves.
This 'finding the right breed for you' is something that can only happen that way (by interacting with actual live horses). No article, post or lovely photo can do that.
I have seen a hackney pony that was ridden and it was a real sharp, pocket rocket. What a jump though!
I had a part bred Fell on loan before I had my first anglo-arab. That PBF was the closest I came to 'owning' a British rare breed.
As stated above I had an anglo-arab gelding and he was bought because he was a nice horse, not because of his breed. After him I did go down the ISH route and had a massive life changing injury so when I bought my first horse after the accident I actively looked for another arab/PBA/anglo-arab and ended up with another anglo-arab. I have purebreds too now. Love them.
It was the experience of owning one that was a good match for me that started it. Then going back to what I knew worked when I was getting back into horses. The fact it worked cemented that in my head. It wasn't easy having an unpopular breed at livery, I had a lot of negativity about my mare (it didn't help that she is chestnut which made her an even easier target for them) and also hurtful questions about my choice when I bought my grey arab. It really got to me at one point, but I never doubted the horses themselves.
This 'finding the right breed for you' is something that can only happen that way (by interacting with actual live horses). No article, post or lovely photo can do that.
Jellymoon
Well-Known Member
I think if you want a specific breed that is quite rare in the UK, you probably need to buy a baby one as the older ones that meet all your criteria would be hard to find. Really good ones with excellent breeding get snapped up as foals, often in utero. Not that many people want to do that.
I’m not sure why CB isn’t more popular but they do have a reputation for not being easy. I have no idea whether that is true or not.
The bigger native pony breeds are generally rather heavy and not athletic enough for kids that want to do pony club Eventing (ie. most of them!) Connies are perfect for that job, as are NF, but they don’t seem to be as popular, maybe not bred in the same quantities.
Our native ponies and horses make fabulous crosses though, which is where their future lies IMHO. Maybe some of the breeders are overly precious about breeding purebreds. Obv, it’s essential to do that otherwise you won’t get the nice crosses. But we need more 15.2/16hh smart allrounders that are safe and athletic.
I’m not sure why CB isn’t more popular but they do have a reputation for not being easy. I have no idea whether that is true or not.
The bigger native pony breeds are generally rather heavy and not athletic enough for kids that want to do pony club Eventing (ie. most of them!) Connies are perfect for that job, as are NF, but they don’t seem to be as popular, maybe not bred in the same quantities.
Our native ponies and horses make fabulous crosses though, which is where their future lies IMHO. Maybe some of the breeders are overly precious about breeding purebreds. Obv, it’s essential to do that otherwise you won’t get the nice crosses. But we need more 15.2/16hh smart allrounders that are safe and athletic.
Zuzan
Well-Known Member
I think this is rooted in the fact CB's are very intelligent and very able to "read" humans ... better than a lot of humans do
they're brains make them very very surefooted / able over tricky ground / fences / obstacles and a rider needs to be able to respect that and to a certain extent let them manage themselves .. obv training is v important.Yes agree but if crosses are made using native mares then the native population will decline.. native and CB and ID mares need to breed pures .. native, CB and ID stallions should be used on outcrosses. The fact the CB (and ID) are so rare is because their crosses with TB's in particular were made using CB and ID mares... for a breed to sustain it's population each mare needs to produce at least two fillies ..
millikins
Well-Known Member
I honestly think the UK is spoilt for choice with our native breeds and I'm including TB's in that. But I think all of them are clever and clever animals can also be the most difficult. Many of today's riders want "easy" they lack the horsemanship required to work with a smart horse/pony and seem unprepared to learn it.
I have always been tempted by CB's, I think they are beautiful and having been educated by several native pony mares I think I'd probably be o.k. But I don't have the set up or facilities for large horses.
I have always been tempted by CB's, I think they are beautiful and having been educated by several native pony mares I think I'd probably be o.k. But I don't have the set up or facilities for large horses.
Maryann
Well-Known Member
I had a CB cross who was a super hunter/allrounder and about 15.2. Love them but don't need anything over 15hh for myself. When I was looking for a horse some years later I did optimistic searches for small CB crosses - funnily enough there weren't many about.
cariad
Well-Known Member
I am reading this thread and feeling very guilty as I have a home bred CB brood mare standing out in the field who I really should put into foal. Worse, she is actually a Premium mare and was shown successfully at County level when she was younger, so even more so. We had her mother till her death at 30 as well. I thought I would put her in foal last year, all geared up to do it, but then the pandemic hit. I am getting a bit late to think of this year, plus still not pandemic free, but could potentially be done. Just dithering, as usual and probably will do until it's too late!
She was broken to ride and had lovely paces; would easily have done dressage. She is about 18, but that would be ok for a CB for not a first foal, though it probably would be her last. She is currently a nanny for youngsters. She is built like a 16.3 tank and you could put 3 people on her to hunt and she wouldn't know they were there. She lives out 24/7, no shoes, no hard feed, no rugs (won't have one on), normal headcollar size, and is as tough as old boots. CB's scrub up lovely with very little effort and she is no exception. She is very affectionate and loves to be bathed and groomed, though she will pretend she can take it or leave it. It's not so much that they're stubborn, it's more I think that with their size, you just cannot force them to do anything, so sometimes they can get away with doing things they want. She was bred at Lincoln University and some years ago, because of the "rivalry" between CB's and ID's, we ran a "CB/ID" Challenge there for fun, with ridden and in hand classes, pure and part breds, proper ride judges and everything. There were two trophies and it genuinely came out honours even, one each breed, may have been pures and part breds, or ridden and in hand, can't remember. All the horses looked magnificent and it was very interesting seeing the two breeds literally side by side.
I am puzzled that in this day and age, when there is so much about bigger riders, the CB is not looked at more. They are proper elegant weight carriers (and I use the word elegant advisedly) and though not likely to be world beaters at any one thing, can and will probaby do pretty much anything competently. As someone said in the thread, in reality, most leisure riders will not do very high level stuff, so the CB seems a good all rounder. The TB/CB crosses can be very good looking and useful horses. If you get and keep up proper lessons and training, I don't see why they would be any more difficult than any other random horse. You get difficult anywhere, whatever breed or type.
I also have a rising 2 Fell colt and I did have what someone referred to as a bog standard coloured cob who I bought off Facebook unseen (didn't see the Fell, either) for £300 at 14 months. He turned out a complete gem and is now with my old instructor doing a proper job as a riding school pony. He developed EMS because he is such a good do-er and he needed more exercise than I could give him. He also likes being busy and in the thick of it with people. I am also minding my friend's little Welshie/Arab-y 3 year old lad, who is small, but as pretty as they come and really looks like he should be on wheels!
So I've got/had quite a mixture.
She was broken to ride and had lovely paces; would easily have done dressage. She is about 18, but that would be ok for a CB for not a first foal, though it probably would be her last. She is currently a nanny for youngsters. She is built like a 16.3 tank and you could put 3 people on her to hunt and she wouldn't know they were there. She lives out 24/7, no shoes, no hard feed, no rugs (won't have one on), normal headcollar size, and is as tough as old boots. CB's scrub up lovely with very little effort and she is no exception. She is very affectionate and loves to be bathed and groomed, though she will pretend she can take it or leave it. It's not so much that they're stubborn, it's more I think that with their size, you just cannot force them to do anything, so sometimes they can get away with doing things they want. She was bred at Lincoln University and some years ago, because of the "rivalry" between CB's and ID's, we ran a "CB/ID" Challenge there for fun, with ridden and in hand classes, pure and part breds, proper ride judges and everything. There were two trophies and it genuinely came out honours even, one each breed, may have been pures and part breds, or ridden and in hand, can't remember. All the horses looked magnificent and it was very interesting seeing the two breeds literally side by side.
I am puzzled that in this day and age, when there is so much about bigger riders, the CB is not looked at more. They are proper elegant weight carriers (and I use the word elegant advisedly) and though not likely to be world beaters at any one thing, can and will probaby do pretty much anything competently. As someone said in the thread, in reality, most leisure riders will not do very high level stuff, so the CB seems a good all rounder. The TB/CB crosses can be very good looking and useful horses. If you get and keep up proper lessons and training, I don't see why they would be any more difficult than any other random horse. You get difficult anywhere, whatever breed or type.
I also have a rising 2 Fell colt and I did have what someone referred to as a bog standard coloured cob who I bought off Facebook unseen (didn't see the Fell, either) for £300 at 14 months. He turned out a complete gem and is now with my old instructor doing a proper job as a riding school pony. He developed EMS because he is such a good do-er and he needed more exercise than I could give him. He also likes being busy and in the thick of it with people. I am also minding my friend's little Welshie/Arab-y 3 year old lad, who is small, but as pretty as they come and really looks like he should be on wheels!
So I've got/had quite a mixture.
Cloball
Well-Known Member
Do you think with the soundness issues that a lot of people have natives and Arabs would be more popular being known for their toughness? I'm hankering after a roan dales which HHOer breeds will need to get more confident at young stock wrangling first.
Christmascinnamoncookie
Fais pas chier!
You are bad people, I’ve jus5 had a look at the CB society page and the first horse to come up is pretty much my ideal, a minimally coloured 17hh lump (I mean that in a complimentary way, I like big horses) really lovely. http://www.clevelandbay.com/for-sale/details/partbred_gelding_for_sale
I’ve heard this and the only one I knew was a stubborn mare, although the owner may have had a lot to do with that.
I’ve heard this and the only one I knew was a stubborn mare, although the owner may have had a lot to do with that.
cariad
Well-Known Member
The quote from DabDab says that CB's are not very distinctive looking. I would disagree with that. It is true they only come in the one colour (well, it saves making a decision), but you can normaly tell a CB a mile away, mainly due to the huge ears which even part breds inherit and the very obvious CB head. I admit they don't look much in a feral state half way through winter,with their Andalusian manes down to their knees, but get them bathed, shining (and their coats will shine up like anything) and plaited and they will turn heads anywhere. You can get smaller and lighter ones. There is the usual debate over whether the breed should go smallerand lighter so as to be more saleable or whether it should continue to be bred true to type or even the great big "lumps" of 17hh plus that you can get and which some people do like. The original Chapman horses/CB's were probably only about 15.2, I believe. I suspect the truth is that you need to do both. I know of one CB x Arab at least who was still competing at 32. I was wondering, if I don't get my Fell colt cut soon (which I will) just how tough a Fell/CB cross would be!
Spotherisk
Well-Known Member
My coloured cob has Knaresborough Rebel as his paternal grand sire. I can’t see any similarities, sadly!
Equi
Well-Known Member
I’ve always thought a cb would be right up my alley but I doubt I’ll ever get one. I’m just so tired of grey horses I wish people would stop breeding grey horses for at least 10 years.
atropa
Well-Known Member
I'd just like to say that I have 2 sport horses and a Highland, and it's certainly NOT the Highland I trust to nanny non riders and 4 year old kids on
As to the OP's question, I've always loved CBs but I have never come across one for sale in real life. When I go out to buy, breed is probably one of the last things I consider if the horse is otherwise suitable.
Jayzee
Well-Known Member
Your guys are gorgeous! I'd possibly be interested in one, but they are not easy to come by. I love their bay-ness!
I would love to have a native but sadly at 5'10 I'm a little limited on what would carry me. I'd love a Connie xTB about 16.2 to event but they are as rare a hens teeth
I would love to have a native but sadly at 5'10 I'm a little limited on what would carry me. I'd love a Connie xTB about 16.2 to event but they are as rare a hens teeth
Leam_Carrie
Well-Known Member
I have a CB x ISH, she’s fab. I didn’t really know the breed when I bought her. She ticked the boxes for what I wanted. Would definitely have another. 
Millie-Rose
Well-Known Member
I had a Hackney for 24 years until I sadly lost her last week I wouldn't have set out to get one but she was the most awesome horse ever. She wasn't a trotter like you are thinking in fact preferred to canter, didn't have the extreme high stepping action (more like a Welsh D) and was incredibly comfortable to ride. We did all pc stuff and in later years endurance as she had endless stamina. Was never lame and was still in proper work until her final short illness aged almost 30 ? I have a sensible TB X eventer and have just bred a foal from her to be my next comp horse but am looking out for a Hackney as just can't imagine not having one around. There is a new secretary of the society and she is trying to raise their profile as a riding horse or we're going to loose them.
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Millie-Rose
Well-Known Member
This is certainly true of the Hackneys I've met including my own, incredibly hot and sensitive but the sort that would do anything for you once you have them on side.
millikins
Well-Known Member
It is such a shame, "hot and sensitive" has proved no disincentive to people paying thousands to import Iberians whilst our poor Hackney is on the critical list.
Wizpop
Well-Known Member
It’s really lovely to know that there are some nice Cleveland Bays out there with them being a rare breed.
unfortunately, I knew one who was, stubborn, rude and would walk over/ through anyone and anything ( he was about 17.2 so a but hard to stop him!). Not much better under saddle. Also owned one who would throw herself on the floor in the school if she couldn’t get you off- she had quite a repertoire of evasions ( had been checked out for soreness etc). Eventually managed to knock my very experienced instructor unconscious. So,I would never buy one again.
unfortunately, I knew one who was, stubborn, rude and would walk over/ through anyone and anything ( he was about 17.2 so a but hard to stop him!). Not much better under saddle. Also owned one who would throw herself on the floor in the school if she couldn’t get you off- she had quite a repertoire of evasions ( had been checked out for soreness etc). Eventually managed to knock my very experienced instructor unconscious. So,I would never buy one again.