Near Bathford, on the opposite side of the river, is a large meadow known as "Horselands" where, according to tradition, the Roman cavalry were exercised. More recently, the area bounded by Ostlings Lane and the Bradford Road (A363) was used to keep the spare horses used to haul the mail coaches up Bathford Hill. They then returned to the field to await the next coach. Some older long-standing residents of Bathford still refer to Ostlings Lane as "Horses Lane". Whether the two areas are related is somewhat uncertain.