Many centuries ago the Arabian horse enjoyed a contributing influence on horse breeding in England being an ancestor of the country's famed Thoroughbred breed as well as other native stock of the time. By the late 1800's a British couple who would become world famous, began a quest for establishing a stud of pure Arabian horse breeding in England. The couple was Wilfrid and Lady Anne Blunt and their English stud was named Crabbet. The Blunts traveled in Arabia, learning all about the breed's development and its Bedouin culture.

They obtained some Bedouin bred horses in their travels and sent them to England. They also established a stud of Arabian horses in Egypt, called Sheykh Obeyd based on Arabians of the aforementioned Pashas and Egyptian notables, and they sometimes sent Egyptian bred horses back to England. The Crabbet Arabian stud became one of the premier sources of Arabians by the early 20th century and its influence spread worldwide.

It also inspired other breeders to import some desert Arabians to England. But the predominant lines of Arabians in England have been derived from the Crabbet stud and eventually, America, Poland, Spain, Russia, Egypt, South America, South Africa and Australia became significant beneficiaries of the Crabbet influence. Crabbet bloodlines are now so pervasive throughout the Arabian breed that very few bloodlines do not have any crosses to Crabbet bred stock. Of the 20 most prolific Arabian sires worldwide today, 17 carry lines to Crabbet breeding.