There are 30 horses at the Royal Mews. They are Cleveland Bays or Windsor Greys.
Her Majesty The Queen names every horse. Often she chooses places she has visited or a name that relates to the horse's bloodline (family): for example, Cinderella is named because she is part of the 'Fairytale' bloodline. Each horse is given two nameplates, both with its name and year of birth on. One plate hangs wherever the horse happens to be stabled; the other hangs permanently on his or her stall in the Royal Mews.
The horses vary in height, but the Windsor Greys must be a minimum of 16.1 hands. Greys are chosen by the Head Coachman and checked over by a vet. They pull the carriages used by The Queen and her guests. The Greys need to be washed every day to keep the colour of their coat in good condition.
The Cleveland Bays (such as Cinderella and Pearl) are one of the oldest breeds of English horse and the only English breed used to pull carriages. They are used at the Mews to pull all other carriages, including daily activities such as the Royal mail run.
