132 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 
able prepotency of the blood of Gaines’ Denmark 61, in 
the male line, has been conclusively demonstrated. He is 
a reckless man who undertakes to produce the modern 
American Saddle horse, with a stallion heading his stud 
which lacks the direct male trace to this greatest of the 
Denmarks. Fortunately, his blood has been so diffused 
that there is no danger of inbreeding. The years havealso 
demonstrated that certain lines of blood have produced 
great brood-mare families. The daughters of Peavine 
85, Dave Akin 775, Harrison Chief 1606, Indian Chief 
1718, and that exquisite son of Magic, Beauty 604, have 
produced very successfully when mated to stallions possess- 
ing a direct male lineage to Gaines’ Denmark 61. Not 
yet has the Chief family produced an acceptable sire. 
The general rules followed in the production of the 
present-day American Saddle horse may be stated thus: 
(1) Have the stallion trace directly to Gaines’ Denmark 
61. (2) Have in the brood-mares as many crosses as pos- 
sible of the proved great brood-mare sires. (3) Line-breed 
to the proved great brood-mares of the breed, and remem- 
ber that of these, Nannie Garrett 472 stands easily first. 
It seems hardly necessary to add that the question of 
individuality is even more pertinent here than in other 
breeds. No horse of this breed can carry such superior 
blood lines as to warrant overlooking inferior individuality. 
The ideal must be definite and must be adhered to. 
152. Feeding. — It has been learned from the breeders 
of Thoroughbreds that the essential growth of a horse is 
mainly in the first year of his life. Hence, we antedate his 
birth and keep his dam in prime condition. For twenty- 
four hours after his birth, the dam has no food, but a 
bucket of water with the chill taken off is kept constantly 
before her. At the expiration of the twenty-four hours, 
