We Are One Family: How Philanthropist Ann Lesley Smith Carries a Message of Peace from an Arabian Horse
In a world that relies more often than not on inauthentic means of communication and connection, a person willing to strip away the complicated, synthetic masks we hide behind and embark on a mission in search of meaning and peace can be an anomaly. Philanthropist and equestrian Ann Lesley Smith has proudly made a name for herself as that outlier, a woman in search of authenticity at any cost.
Smith’s message of lasting peace isn’t an abstract ideal but something she has realized within her own life and has now dedicated her time to helping others find. Through a life of privilege, passion, grief, and faith, she has thrown herself into philanthropy, outreach, and the pursuit of ideas that can help build bridges in an age of deep division.
The peace, fulfillment, and ideas that Smith has found all come from the most unlikely of places: a connection with her favorite horse, a purebred Arabian.
Finding a life of rest and service at a California sanctuary
Smith’s life was marked by wealth and artistic pursuits with her husband, musician and mogul Chester Smith. Since his passing, she has taken refuge on their sprawling estate in California’s wine country.
It was there that Smith learned about the transformative power that having access to a place of refuge could have on someone’s life. Finding her own peace among her prized Arabian horses and the vineyards, Smith decided to open up her estate to others, making it a destination for renewal.
“People come, and they experience being around the horses; they see their unbridled freedom, and that does something to people. It gives them hope for their own peace journey,” says Smith.
One horse in particular has been inspiring to Smith: her Arabian stallion, Amir Fadjur Salaam. A direct descendant of The Fabulous Fadjur, one of the most celebrated Arabian horses in recent history, Amir has a lineage that is steeped in human-like empathy and understanding.
“The Bedouin tribes bred their horses to be far more than simple beasts of burden,” Smith explains. “They were invited into the tents, and they were taught empathy, humor, and grace. These qualities have followed the breed for thousands of years.”
Smith has witnessed the special connection that Amir has with humans in his orbit firsthand, and it has led her to believe that he could be a global force for good.
A rare Arabian stallion as a messenger of peace
Amir’s one-of-a-kind legacy carries an ancient understanding of empathy that Smith believes our modern, digitally saturated life lacks. The technology that has been created to make communication easier so often divides us, and Smith has seen potential in Amir’s influence to change that reality for the better.
“Amir could be a potential blueprint for the way we program and develop artificial intelligence,” offers Smith.
As innovators seek ways to instill kindness, human-like understanding, and empathy into AI tools meant to help humans, Smith wonders if studying Amir and the Arabian horse legacy could inform how empathy is modeled or preserved in emerging AI technologies. On a larger scale, Smith feels we could return to a time when Arabian horses were symbols of peace and connection between countries and different cultures.
“I think what Amir can show us is that authentic impact is far more important than possessions or holding on to what divides us,” says Smith. She hopes to elevate Amir’s status to that of an ambassador of peace — an animal that can stand as a shining example of loyalty, understanding, and love.
A legacy of bringing peace
Smith knows she is building a legacy for herself, one idea at a time. Through her outreach from her estate as a place of peace to innovative brainstorming about the future of artificial intelligence, she is a modern-day renaissance woman who is on a mission to do good and spread as much kindness as possible.
“We are all one family in this world,” she says. “It’s important for us to lean into building peaceful, empathetic connections wherever we can.”
At her estate, where she is surrounded by the serenity of the rolling hills and her collection of horses, Smith is building upon a calling that brings together her abiding faith, what she has learned about resilience, technology, and the healing power of connection to animals. By inviting people to experience the compassion and empathy of this special horse breed, and Amir in particular, Smith is helping usher in a world where we can all feel more deeply for ourselves and for one another.
