Louise Firouz

Louise Firouz (née Laylin), was an American-born, Iranian horse breeder and researcher who rediscovered and helped to preserve the Caspian horse, a breed believed to be the ancestor of the Arab^{[clarification needed]} and other types of what are called "hot-blooded" (agile and spirited) horses, and previously thought to have been extinct for 1,300 years.

Remembered as a "phenomenon; a charming, intelligent, adventurous, American woman", she married a Persian prince from the Qajar dynasty and together they ran a horse breeding programme and riding school and raised a family through revolution, war and intrigue. That the horse now exists in sustainable numbers in several countries worldwide (including Australia, America, New Zealand and Britain) is considered largely due to her efforts.^[1] Firouz has been dubbed "Iran's lady of horses".^[2] She died in 2008 in Gonbad having lived more than half a century in northern Iran.