By: Amanda Reseburg
Some people find new purpose within a new career, a new hobby, or a new love. Philanthropist Ann Lesley Smith has found renewed purpose in the most unlikely of places: her connection to a horse named Amir Fadjur Salaam.
Amir, a prized Arabian stallion, is one of a long line of famous American horses, all of whom carry a unique, human-like level of understanding, intelligence, and empathy.
“He understands you,” says Smith. “You can see it in his eyes.”
It was this level of empathy, and the serenity it bore, that opened Smith’s mind to the possibilities for the wider world and the power of the Arabian horse to effect peace and goodwill.
A historic legacy
Amir came to Smith’s California estate as one of several Arabian horses she had roaming the rolling hills and vineyards. The horse is a direct descendant of The Fabulous Fadjur, an Arabian that was lauded in his time for his singular beauty, commanding presence, and ability to deeply understand and connect with humans.
“Amir has these same attributes,” says Smith. Standing apart from the non-Arabian horses Smith has at her estate, Amir can pick up on subtle cues, changes in mood or command, and the need for comfort.
It is a personality bred into Arabian horses over millennia. Over 4,500 years ago, Bedouin tribes bred Arabian horses to be more companions than workhorses, keeping those characteristics and refining them with each new generation. At one time, Arabian horses were given as gifts of goodwill between countries, serving as ambassadors of peace during tough times of division.
The Arabian horse in America
Smith knows well the impact the Arabian horse has had in America. “They are a foundational breed and a real cultural symbol,” she says.
The endurance, intelligence, refinement, and temperament of Arabian horses have influenced other breeds. By the mid-20th century, the United States was a major supplier of influential Arabian horse lines, including Fadjur’s.
“Arabian horses helped build modern American horse culture,” says Smith.
It is part of this connection to the breed that Smith has made her new purpose. Finding that her connection to Amir has been so life-changing, she wanted to pay it forward. Smith decided to invite people seeking rest, renewal, and connection to the estate she had once shared with her late husband, musician Chester Smith, where they could be among the free-roaming horses and perhaps learn a little about freedom and empathy themselves.”
“Most people aren’t used to that level of freedom or empathy,” says Smith. “It changes something in you.”
This new purpose extends beyond the walls of Smith’s estate as well. She is interested in bringing Amir to the global stage, allowing him to reclaim the title of Ambassador of Peace and Goodwill that his lineage has carried for centuries.
Smith even believes he could effect change in modern technology. “Today’s AI developers are trying and failing to instill empathy and human-like understanding into their assistive technologies,” she says. “I think the way the Arabian horse has been programmed to have human-like intelligence characteristics could be a workbench for these developers. They could learn from the way the Bedouin tribes did it thousands of years ago.”
New purpose to help people
As she enters her seventies, Smith is not looking to slow down. Bringing Amir to her estate has changed her in more ways than one. However, one thing she is sure of is that she wants to use what she has learned from Amir to help the people she invites to her estate and impact the world as a whole.
“These horses aren’t just beautiful to look at or great for creating new lineages in America,” Smith says. “They’re different. They’re special. The more time you spend with them, the more it helps you see that peace and empathy are possible.”
For Smith, the world is short on both. She is hoping to help change that. “We are living in divided times; I think that is clear,” she says. “If seeing empathy play out right in front of you through a horse like Amir can help, then I want to give that to people.”
From her California estate, Ann Lesley Smith blends her passions for outreach with her passion for horse culture. As she continues her work, she is creating a legacy of her own, one where faith, philanthropy, and the enduring spirit of the Arabian horse combine to restore lives and inspire hope for a better tomorrow.
