Comments on: Clever Hans the Math Horse

By: JarvisLoop

JarvisLoop — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 00:31:54 +0000

Excellent article.

It reminded me of a piece that I once read in a book called “Stranger than Fiction.” The book was published sometime in the 1950s or 1960s.

The piece was about “Lady Wonder – the Psychic Horse.” Her most famous psychic act was knowing the location of the body of a missing boy.

By: Roman Stepanov

Roman Stepanov — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 21:45:07 +0000

Like the story, Thanks alot to author.
Roman

By: John Does

John Does — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 17:57:28 +0000

I belive it’s also been proven that dogs can read human emotions by observing their facial expressions. Barking is actually a skill that emerged as a way of cummunicating with humans. Coincidentally, dogs and horses are among the most early domesticated animals.Suppose the horses abilities too developed not as a means of communicating with other horses, but with humans?
Great article, as usually!

By: comamoto

comamoto — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:16:08 +0000

[quote]AZ196F said: “”wag my finger either side to side for yes or up and down for no”

I always thought up and down was yes and side to side was no.”[/quote]

Not in Bulgaria. “No” is nodding your head; “yes” isn’t shaking your head (rotating on your neck/axis) but tilting it back and forth between your shoulders.

I guess that may apply to eastern Europe in general, but haven’t visited those countries yet.

Sorry, off-topic…

Fabulous article!! (Wish I’d seen “Equus”…damn, off-topic again!)

By: amchornetgirl

amchornetgirl — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:13:03 +0000

Has anyone else here read the book “Beautiful Jim Key”? He supposedly came before Clever Hans, and he’s American ;) His talents were used to help promote humane treatment of animals, which during that time period was somewhat unheard of.

By: herkayle

herkayle — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:52:26 +0000

Awesome!! Horse are definitely clever. I also consider them as one of man's best friend. Ohh, I remember this videos I watched entitled "Horse party?" wherein they featured the funny budwiser snowball fight - horses and Horse Party!... It's priceless :- )

By: ao

ao — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:26:27 +0000

spam removed

By: BlackFoxOne

BlackFoxOne — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:14:01 +0000

Great Story! That is one smart cookie for sure!

By: piratelickitysplits

piratelickitysplits — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:41:10 +0000

Last time I checked, a horse’s ability to find square roots didn’t ever save one from a predator or find it food or shelter. It seems weird that a scientist chose to deduce an animal’s intelligence by testing it in ways it never would have developed. It seems from the above stories that horses(and goats) are very intelligent in applicable ways. Would a horse judge our intelligence in our ability to jump fences or choose the healthiest grains?

By: Christopher S. Putnam

Christopher S. Putnam — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:34:18 +0000

[quote]Yet she would get around the twin strand hot wire without disturbing either it or the mounting poles. Generally if an animal was where it should not be, the wire was broken or strung across the ground along with the mounting poles. Not her. After almost two weeks I finally caught her by-passing the wire. This tall animal had learned how to drop to the ground and shimmy like a soldier on her belly underneath the middle strand of the hot fiber wire which was around 30” or so off the ground.[/quote]

When I was a kid, our family raised some pet goats. No conventional fence could hold them in — they’d find a weak spot and ram it until it broke open. Eventually we set up an electric fence, which kept them stumped for at least a couple of weeks.

Turns out goat horns are rather good insulators. The buggers would push up the bottom wire with their horns and slide right under, then head up the road together to party. Luckily, if you clapped your hands and shouted at them a couple times, they’d know the jig was up and sheepishly (hiyo!) turn around and march back into the pen.

Are goats off-topic?