in 1892 dement moved to wartrace, in bedford county tennessee, and began breeding horses. dement's main broodmare was the tennessee walking horse foundation mare nell dement f-3. in 1910, dement bought the stallion black allan from fellow horseman james brantley, with the guarantee that the horse would live through the breeding season. from the only breeding of nell dement and black allan, dement obtained the foundation mare merry legs. dement is given credit for being the first tennessee walking horse breeder to utilize scientific inbreeding.