114 MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING OF HORSES 



time. There is Just enough impact to introduce a short 

 interval, thus making it a four-beat gait. It is difficult 

 for some horses to perform. 



Popularity of the American Saddle horse. — Kentucky 

 justly claims to have been the nursery of the American 

 Saddle horse, although the breed is very popular both 

 for business and pleasure throughout the southern states 

 and Canada. Stallions have been sent to Mexico and to 

 South American countries, as virell as to England. The 

 American Saddlebred stallion is rather popular for cross- 

 ing on common mares to improve the gaits, and the gen- 

 eral appearance as well as the quality of the offspring of 

 these mares. Further, such crosses are used in the produc- 

 tion of the hunter, the army horse, and to some extent in 

 the production of the polo pony. 



Organizations and records. — In 189 1, the National 

 Saddle Horse Breeders' Association was organized with 

 headquarters at Louisville, Kentucky. In 1899, the name 

 of the societ}^ was changed to the American Saddle Horse 

 Breeders' Association. The society established a stud 

 book and published six volumes, registering 6,327 animals. 

 Later the stud book was revised, and thus far five volumes 

 of the revised edition have appeared containing a total of 

 15,000 entries. The credit for much of this work belongs 

 to Major David Castleman and General John B. Castlc- 

 man of Kentucky. 



