Hi. I’m Lois Selby Perry welcoming you to this expression of *Raffles and the Arabians imported by my father, Roger Selby, from the Crabbet Park in England to the Selby Stud in Ohio. I grew up with Raffles, Mirage, Rifala, Kareyma, Indaia, and all those that would become foundation blood for breeders across the country and flourish in pedigrees of breeding and performance horses for these 80+ years.
It was a priceless beginning as I became the 2nd generation breeder to develop this blood and see it become the most enduring bloodline in America.

The spirit that built Selby Stud

Roger A. Selby sought beauty, as reflected in the extravaganza of exotic flowers and animals that shared the farm, and the artwork that adorned our home, but his heart was quickened when on a business trip to London, he discovered the Crabbet Park arabians. With a beauty that inspires artists and viewers alike, and a history unique and exotic, his vision became reality. This Crabbet blood had preserved that classic beauty with a correctness of build and fluidity of movement that could be depended on to breed consistently. He spent the time and subsequent visits persuading Lady Wentworth to sell a group of her best stock that could be developed into a substantive breeding program in America.

A horse named *Raffles

This barely 14 hand on tiptoe stallion was considered unmanageable and sterile by Lady Wentworth, and somewhere along the negotiations, he was included in the group supposedly, however unlikely that seems, for the kids. It soon became evident Raffles’ small size was completely overshadowed by his presence. His striking classic quality was enhanced by a dynamic spirit that made him quite magnetic. But seemingly having been badly handled, Raffles trusted no one, and no one but our 6.4, 240 lb manager, Jim Dean, tended him for many months. Eventually as his wife Thelma was able to ride him, for up to 6 hours a day, he calmed.

Becoming “Raffles”

Jim Dean became curious if Raffles’ sterility was associated with his prior handling, and bred him to 2 mares. They foaled, and soon our course became clear. Raffles possessed a purity of genes you could depend on for inbreeding, line breeding, outcrossing, improving cold bloods - - - Raffles kids galloped across America! Inbred to the famed Skowronek (the equally famed Rifala bred back to her father), he had a prepotency beyond the expected degree. You could always recognize his imprint, even generations later.

The others

Others of the importations proved of great value in their own right. There was the celebrated pure white, desert-bred Mirage, with a style and elegance representative of the beauty and quality of the ancient desert elite. In his journey from the desert of Arabia, to the stable of a king, to the parades of London, to America, Mirage was magnificent enough for a king, gentle enough for a child. His daughters became an especially productive cross with Raffles.And there were Rifala, Kareyma, Nisa, Selmnab, Rose of France, Indaia – those wonderful mares that made the Selby Stud a primary source for breeders across the United States to establish distinguished female lines, the heart of any program.

The rest of the story

So much has been written over these many years, and from such a variety of sources, that it is extremely difficult to research the true, the valuable, and the interesting, and to understand the intrinsic worth of this information to current and future breeders. This 80 page book I offer here is a complete but concise collection of that data, and the truths learned, as well as a personal account of these 80+ years running.

Working with Arabians, the original people horse

Folk lore and paintings are rampant with depictions of rearing, charging stallions carrying their masters to conquer neighboring tribes with their athleticism and wit, then escaping to gallop endlessly, tirelessly across desert sands. Then there were the cowboys of the early West whose tactics of “breaking” did not set well with these horses that for generations had known an intelligent sensible bond with humans, sharing the tents and lives with Bedouins as a prized possession. They were tagged as fractious and hard to handle by the misinformed, but to us who know them, there is no more willing companion. They listen and respond to those who care for them. Show them what you want them to do, correct with understanding, praise the progress, and trust the bond – at home, on the trail, with the kids, and in a pinch they will “go through fire and carry you home”.

growing up great