The Cleveland Bay generally stands between 16 and 16.2 hands (64 and 66 inches, 163 and 168 cm), and is always bay in colour. Bright bay horses (bays with a more reddish tint than normal) are the most preferred by breeders, followed by ordinary bay, dark bay and then light bay.[1] This preference for brighter shades of bay was originally stated in the official breed standard, although this stipulation has since been removed.[2] In some bloodlines of the breed, light, grayish hairs in the mane and tail are known as a characteristic of pure blood.