The Seal of King Darius
In ancient history small Caspian like horses were depicted on the cylindrical Royal seal of Darius the Great - c 550B.C. They were offered to Persian Kings as treasured gifts they decorated the walls of ancient palaces and were used in royal ceremonies. The Royal Horse Society was formed under the patronage of the Crown Prince, Prince Reza Pahlavi in 1970, with the main aim of preserving Iran's native breeds, including the Caspian Horse. The Seal of Darius
Flattened image of cylindrical Royal seal of Darius the Great.
Prince Philip
2 of the Royal Caspians
Rostam (offside) and Maroun at Smiths Lawn, Windsor-1978 driven by Head Coachman
Mr Ernest Long (photo: S. Lemoine).
 		Prince Philip has owned 4 Caspians , some of these were gifts to Prince Philip by Louise Firouz after the Prince's visit to the late Shah of Iran. Prince Philip wrote a forward for the first International Caspian Stud Book, he also loaned a stallion and two mares to be used in the breeding program in the UK. The Prince's high reguard for these beutiful little horses is shown by the letter below, which he sent to the Caspian Stud Book.
Extracts from Prince Philip's letter:
"It now seems certain that the small Caspian horses... are the decendants of a breed... highly valued at the time of King Darius and recorded on many monuments of that time."

"Mechanization and neglect brought... the caspian... dangerously close to exinction."

"The salvation of the breed... are due to the dedicated work of Louise Firouz and enthusiasts in many parts of the world." 		A Letter From The Prince
Copy of a letter from Prince Philip.