Editing Cleveland Bay (section)

{{short description|Breed of horse that originated in England}}
{{about|a breed of horse|the body of water in Australia|Cleveland Bay (Queensland)}}
{{featured article}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}

{{Infobox horse breed
| name               = Cleveland Bay
| image              = File:The standard cyclopedia of modern agriculture and rural economy, by the most distinguished authorities and specialists under the editorship of Professor R. Patrick Wright (1908) (14784693422).jpg
| image_caption      = Cleveland Bay, 1908
| image2             = File:Roof Seat Break Véierspänner.jpg
| image_caption2     = Cleveland Bays in harness
| features          = [[Bay (horse)|Bay]] in colour, well-muscled, used mainly for [[driving (horse)|driving]]
| altname=
| nickname          = Chapman Horse
| country           = [[England]]
| group1            = Cleveland Bay Horse Society (UK)
| std1              = https://www.clevelandbay.com/About#BreadStandards
| group2            = Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America
| std2              = https://clevelandbay.org/wp/?page_id=114
}} 

The '''Cleveland Bay''' is a [[horse breed|breed]] of [[horse]] that originated in England during the 17th&nbsp;century, named after its colouring and the [[Cleveland, England|Cleveland]] district of [[Yorkshire]]. It is a well-muscled horse, with legs that are strong but short in relation to the body. The horses are always [[bay (horse)|bay]] in colour, although a few light hairs in the mane and tail are characteristic of some breed lines. It is the oldest established horse breed in England. The ancestors of the breed were developed during the [[Middle Ages]] for use as [[pack horse]]s, when they gained their nickname of "Chapman Horses". These pack horses were [[cross-bred]] with [[Andalusian horse|Andalusian]] and [[Barb (horse)|Barb]] blood, and later with [[Arabian horse|Arabians]] and [[Thoroughbred]]s, to create the Cleveland Bay of today. Over the years, the breed became lighter in frame as they were employed more as [[carriage]] and riding horses. The popularity of the Cleveland Bay has greatly fluctuated since it was first imported to the United States in the early nineteenth century. Despite serious declines in the population after the [[Second World War]], the breed has experienced a resurgence in popularity since the 1970s, although only around 550&nbsp;horses existed worldwide as of 2006.

They have been patronized by members of the [[British Royal Family]] throughout their history, and they are still used to pull [[carriage]]s in royal processions today. The breed has also been used to develop and improve several [[warmblood]] and [[draught horse]] breeds. Today they are used for farm work and driving, as well as under-saddle work. They are particularly popular for [[fox hunting]] and [[show jumping]], both [[Purebred|pure blooded]] and when crossed with Thoroughbreds. The Cleveland Bay is a rare breed, and both the United Kingdom–based [[Rare Breeds Survival Trust]] and the United States–based [[Livestock Conservancy]] consider the population to be at critical limits for extinction.