cleveland bays [hero to zero]

harveysmom

harveysmom

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hi all, can you help me with this, once upon a time cleveland bays where prized by horseman of yesteryear
now they are on the brink of extinction
any thoughts
 
I have never met a Cleveland Bay, but I am told they are one of the gentlemen of the horse world.
Having seen your question Harveysmom, and this website, what is NOT to like about them.
I suppose many people want to breed warmbloods that are related to the current Olympics and other Champion horses. (I have 3 here !!)

http://www.clevelandbay.com/

They look a thoroughly good sort, but I don't know if they have proved themselves in the competitive fields recently. Perhaps someone out there will know.
Thanks,
Teg :)
 
hi, thanks for taking an interest, there where about three clevelands at hoys this year and one part bred is competing at grand prix dressage now with samantha thurman baker
and the natterjack toad is a part bred cleveland bay even if he is grey
probably alot more clevelands out and about doing well but hiding their breeding as it tends to go against them so cleveland bays dont get the credit
at the great yorkshire this year a lady asked if they were irish draughts thats how to hide your identity but then the irish draughts get the credit if you do well
by the way your horses look super
 
The horse I had the most fun on prior to getting my late horse was a part bred Cleveland Bay. He was such a special horse, he came on loan to my neighbour and she let me help out and ride him. His predecessor (a rather flighty cob) taught me to stick on, he taught me that there was more to riding than just sticking on! I cried and cried when he had to go back.

I half have my eye on a cb x tb at the mo (largely due to my old friend) even though I'm NOT meant to be looking!! One thing that struck me about the horse in the ad, she seems to have a strangely small bottom! Could be the angle of the photo, maybe she hasn't "grown into" herself yet or muscled up properly (she's only 5). Or then again maybe it's in my head as I don't really know a huge amount about conformation!

I would certainly seriously consider a cb if one were to come along at the right time.
 
im always glad to hear from cleveland fans they are fun and unflappable, they need all the help they can get, so if you can find room for a cleveland bay in your life i will be at your service and help you find your new friend
the credit crunch is taking its toll on clevelands nobody is breeding as they cant sell them and alot of breeders have decided to retire
their future is looking very grim
i hope they dont go extinct in my lifetime
they are down to 300 mares of breeding age worldwide
you can get one quite cheaply as they are out of fashion
 
Syd was an ex showjumper and he loved it. My neighbour used to take him hunting and he was very strong, they used to tell her he was a man's horse. No one would believe her that a 15 year old girl rode him back home.
 
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Me and Alfie at a show (we got 1st in veteran class)

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Us again.. With rosette... Me looking rather 'special'

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Chilling out in his stable :)
 
Tangled said:
I like the breed too, they have a noble look about them. As Cortez said, they need a job!
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hi, im glad your a fan of the dear old cleveland bay i never thought when i started this post that so many people would be so positive
what i would like to do is get a few more people to get interested in the breed and start getting behind the cleveland bay perhaps even own one as they need all the help they can get. if you look at most of the replies ive got people used to own or ride them i would love them to do so again,if people buy them the breeders can keep the breed going its getting that bad
im doing my bit i have 2 pures and 2 part breds and yes i agree if you dont keep them busy they turn feral, they love their work
thanks for taking the time to let me know your thoughts
 
I'm very sad that they're declining, and I've known some very very good part-bred ones, but must admit that just from my own experience, the MOST stubborn and bloodyminded horses I've ever had to work with in my life were 2 purebred Cleveland bay mares. So, based on that, given the choice between 5 Clevelands or 1 Irish, for free, I would go Irish, every time!
But if I was into driving, or ride and drive, they'd probably be high on my list. It's tricky. WHY have they fallen in popularity so much? Is it really the bloodymindedness? Or something else? Is the Irish horse (their biggest opponent, before continental WBs came on the scene, surely?) more athletic, for example? Can take a joke better? More tolerant? Genuine questions.
 
Lovely gentle breed in my experience. I used to exercise a CB gelding a few years ago, due to an accident he'd lost part of his tongue and was ridden in a hackamore but it was never a probhlem, he was a dream to ride.

He was obsessed with gardens and flowers, not to eat, just to look at. He'd stop and stare at any well stocked colourful garden and sort of sigh with happiness, I'm convinced he was a keen gardener in a former life.
 
KSR said:
These are mine :)

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hello there, your clevelands are very hansome, do you breed or show yours
are you going to the AGM on saturday
if you dont show them maybe think about having a go next year.
hope to see you there come round to our horsebox the kettle is always on
 
kerilli said:
I'm very sad that they're declining, and I've known some very very good part-bred ones, but must admit that just from my own experience, the MOST stubborn and bloodyminded horses I've ever had to work with in my life were 2 purebred Cleveland bay mares. So, based on that, given the choice between 5 Clevelands or 1 Irish, for free, I would go Irish, every time!
But if I was into driving, or ride and drive, they'd probably be high on my list. It's tricky. WHY have they fallen in popularity so much? Is it really the bloodymindedness? Or something else? Is the Irish horse (their biggest opponent, before continental WBs came on the scene, surely?) more athletic, for example? Can take a joke better? More tolerant? Genuine questions.
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thanks for your comments, sorry that you had a bad time with your cleveland mares , mares are tricky things whatever the breed
we have part bred mare shes 21 next year i wish i could turn back the clock and have the time over again,we also have 2 pure geldings jim was broken earlier this year the people who broke him have never had dealings with clevelands, they loved him they are now fighting over who is going to ride the next one we send over
jim is my third pure gelding,sunday was the first i had to sell him a dealer in somerset bought him and ditched his passport to hide him being cb i suppose so someone has a cleveland and doesnt no it, he was a real character i loved him so much if i found him i would love to buy him back, then there was brigg ,mr cool, i bought him as a weanling never had a chance to find out what he would have been like to ride he broke his neck in the field as a 3yold. so third time lucky and jim is a smasher, he has a heart of gold
 
gala said:
Lovely gentle breed in my experience. I used to exercise a CB gelding a few years ago, due to an accident he'd lost part of his tongue and was ridden in a hackamore but it was never a probhlem, he was a dream to ride.

He was obsessed with gardens and flowers, not to eat, just to look at. He'd stop and stare at any well stocked colourful garden and sort of sigh with happiness, I'm convinced he was a keen gardener in a former life.
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they all have great characters ive got a photo of sunday drinking coke from the can they really are as intelligent as us probably more intelligent. first rule of cleveland bay mutual respect
you are probably right about yours being a keen gardener
 
My first experience was my part bred mare, she was my child hood best friend, I had her for 11 happy years and after I lost her I decided to do my bit for the breed. I now have one pure mare whom bred a pure colt last year and I sold him, she produced a lovely part bred colt for me this year - he is going to take me to the Olympics :P I took a part bred mare on last year and have since bought her and we've hunted, one day evented, show jumped and ended our season this year with a clear and 7th place at Gleneagles hunter trials. I can't see my ever having anything other than Clevelands in the future, they are a wonderful versatile breed that have unfortunately suffered from bad press and going "out of fashion".
 
middlebank said:
My first experience was my part bred mare, she was my child hood best friend, I had her for 11 happy years and after I lost her I decided to do my bit for the breed. I now have one pure mare whom bred a pure colt last year and I sold him, she produced a lovely part bred colt for me this year - he is going to take me to the Olympics :P I took a part bred mare on last year and have since bought her and we've hunted, one day evented, show jumped and ended our season this year with a clear and 7th place at Gleneagles hunter trials. I can't see my ever having anything other than Clevelands in the future, they are a wonderful versatile breed that have unfortunately suffered from bad press and going "out of fashion".
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thanks for sharing this, only cleveland people know what special horses they are,they have to be your friend not your slave. the more work they do the better they like it, not a lot of privately owned horses get enough work these days 5 minutes up the road isnt work thats not even a warm up, that could be the problem they are made for hard work and modern riders spend more time getting ready to ride than actually riding, then they have a fresh horse and not the expertise to deal with it. they are little monkeys without work
 
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