ARABIAN HORSES IN ENGLAND 53 



of this company to found a family of Arab horses ; and 

 that Kismet was a treasure of such inestimable value that 

 he could never forgive himself for letting him go to his 

 death. 



Did Kismet leave no successors? 



' Mr Vidal owns a very handsome pure-bred son of 

 Kismet, "who," he writes, "bids fair to outrival his father 

 in beauty, although no horse can ever do so in other 

 quaUties." His Uttle stud of Arabs is said to be one of the 

 best in England.' 



Who are the other owners of Arab studs in England? 



' The Hon. Miss Etheldred Dillon, who has spent year 

 after year in India, Algiers, Turkey and Egypt, going as far 

 into Arabia as she dared, to secure the precious sons of 

 the desert for her stud, is also an enthusiast. Although 

 approaching three score years, she is still a devotee of the 

 saddle, and owns and breeds fine Arabians. Mr Wilfred 

 Blunt and his wife, Lady Anne, granddaughter of Lord 

 Byron, make up the trio of pioneers, so to speak, in the 

 cause of securing Arabs for the improvement of their studs 

 in England. Officers of the army who have had the 

 advantages of travel and service in Egypt, India and the 

 Crimea, and always bestrode Arabs there, have brought 

 them out when possible. Among these is Captain W, C. 

 Kerr, V.C., of the Royal Lancers, to whom belongs the 

 beautiful Anglo- Arabian Khaled. Of him he says, "He is 

 good enough to hold his own against all comers on the flat, 

 or between the flags, to carry a first flight fourteen stone 

 man in the shires ; would mount the Prince of Wales to 

 perfection at the head of the Tenth, or Lady Clara Vere-de- 

 Vere in the Row." He owns also Speed of Thought, a 

 dark rich chestnut without white save a star. Possessed of 



