The early half of the 20th Century saw a fad of intelligent equines whom, it was claimed, possessed various capabilities including reading and writing, quoting Biblical verse, handling money, and even precognition.

Clever Hans was a German horse who was purportedly able to perform simple arthritic and clop out the solution by stamping his hooves. His owner Wilhelm von Osten exhibited him all over the country during the 1900s, even though the psychologist Oskar Pfungst demonstrated in 1907 that the horse was not actually performing these mental tasks, but was watching the reactions of his trainer.

The “Clever Hans” effect is often referred to when claims of higher intelligence in other animals are made, and even in the field of artificial intelligence today.

Sadly, Clever Hans was drafted during World War One and was most likely eaten by hungry soldiers in 1916.

Beautiful Jim Key was another famous horse who lived around the turn of the Twentieth Century. Beautiful Jim was born in 1889 in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and was promoted as being able to read and write and count out money. Apparently he could also recite Bible passages “where a horse is mentioned.”

Trained by former slave, Civil War veteran, and self-taught veterinarian Doctor William Key, Jim toured America, performing in front of crowds of plebs and various luminaries at events such as Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. It was claimed he predicted Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice’s future husband by spelling out her entire married name, even though at the time she wasn’t even engaged.

Lady Wonder the Educated Horse was a nag famed for being able to read and write as well as having extra sensory powers. Not only would she come when her owner thought of calling her (wow!) the police credited the horse in helping find missing children – as described in Life magazine:

“In 1952 a friend of the district attorney of Norfolk County, Mass., went to see her, on a hunch, to ask her for news of a little boy who had been missing for months. She answered, “Pittsford Water Wheel.” A police captain figured out that this was a psychic misprint for “Field and Wilde Water Pit,” an abandoned quarry. Sure enough, that is where the boy’s body was found.”

Once again however, it was shown that Lady Wonder was simply following the directions of her owner, this time by famed magician Milbourne Christopher in 1956.

Clever horses or just well trained horses, hopefully they all had as many apples as they could eat. Enjoy your day and take care of yourselves!