[2] However, Raffles never produced any offspring in England, and it is generally thought that his handlers at Crabbet believed he was sterile.

With the assistance of Dean's wife, Thelma, a skilled horsewoman in her own right, they spent many months gentling Raffles and gaining his trust.

Thelma in particular spent many months simply taking him on low-stress, relaxing rides around the farm and surrounding land.

[10] A final theory is that he was discounted as a breeding stallion, was viewed merely as a potential pony sire, and only used on purebred mares after the Arabian horse expert Carl Raswan urged Selby to do so.

[11] However, once put to stud, he went on to have a tremendous influence on Arabian horse breeding in the United States, siring 122 foals.

[1] In addition to horses he produced by outcrossing on Arabians of other bloodlines, breeders also had very good results by linebreeding his offspring to those of Raseyn, another Skowronek son who had also been purchased from Lady Wentworth and was imported to the USA by W.K.