Autumn 2008 News

The Long Riders Guild Academic Foundation
The world’s first global hippological study

Visit The Long Riders' Guild!

Website designed by Basha O'Reilly

Autumn 2008 News - page 2

In the early days of the 20^th century, the world was agog to learn that a German stallion named Clever Hans could apparently communicate with humans. The discovery of this remarkable animal, who could supposedly also spell and tell time, caused such an uproar that the German government appointed the “Hans Commission” to investigate the astonishing claims. With the New York Times and other papers anxiously awaiting the outcome, the Commission concluded in September, 1904 that no tricks were involved. A sceptical psychologist however declared that the horse’s owner was guilty of inadvertently signalling the answers to Hans.

The result was an impassioned debate, one which resulted in a wealthy German businessman named Karl Krall announcing he had trained three other horses which were smarter than Hans. These horses could not only solve complex mathematical calculations and recognise people, he said, they could also transmit the correct answer to questions via the newly-invented telephone. Plus, to offset scientific critics, one of Krall’s horses was blind!

In the midst of this equestrian scientific brawl, the Nobel Laureate, Maurice Maeterlinck, announced he was going to travel from his Belgian home and personally inspect these educated German horses. Having been granted complete freedom to test the horses in a variety of ways, he concluded, “You rub your eyes and ask yourself in the presence of what new creature you stand. You look for some trace, obvious or subtle, of the mystery. You feel yourself attacked in your innermost citadel where you held yourself impregnable.”

Was it all a colossal fraud? The psychologists, who have spent a hundred years denouncing Clever Hans and Karl Krall’s horses, are still quick to say it was. Yet even their denunciation wasn’t originally unanimous. In a detailed report, Edmund Sanford, one of America’s founding psychologists, reluctantly admitted that he could not conclusively denounce the horses’ scholastic abilities.

With the outbreak of the First World War it all became a moot point, as the horses were slain and the majority of the original documents were lost to posterity. This is the first modern attempt to re-examine the mystery of Clever Hans and his fellow educated horses. This ground-breaking study includes Maeterlinck’s original eye-witness observations, extracts from Karl Krall’s rare German book explaining how he trained the horses to achieve such remarkable results, and Sanford’s detailed psychological report. The mystery of Clever Hans and Krall’s horses still intrigues equestrian scholars and this analysis will provide vital information designed to reconsider the startling question – can horses communicate with humans?

Clever Hans and the Elberfeld Horses

Maurice Maeterlinck

For more information, please contact us

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding and communicating with horses. Ross Jacobs is an extraordinary and experienced Australian horseman, trainer and writer. In Old Men and Horses he has created three fictional characters whose role in the history of equestrian training will never be forgotten. In an unfolding series of delightful stories, Walt and Amos are the elderly twin brothers who share their wisdom with an enthusiastic but raw teenage boy who is eager to ride and handle horses.

As each of these captivating stories unfurls, the boy repeatedly makes the mistakes which are common to everyone in the horse world. Walt and Amos, however, have a wonderful way of gently teaching him, all the while letting the novice horseman work out for himself where and how he went wrong. Anyone who has ever ridden or worked with a horse will come away from this book longing to have met and learned from those mythical masters, Walt and Amos.

Though captivating and entertaining, Jacobs’ stories are replete with timeless and essential equestrian information which offer wonderful insights into the art of horsemanship.

The Long Riders' Guild Press is proud to include this title in the Equestrian Wisdom and History Series.

Old Men and Horses - A Gift of Horsemanship

Ross Jacobs

For more information, please contact us.

Books of interest by other publishers:

Chevaux Entiers et Étalons Laurence Bougault	Long Rider Laurence Bougault has written an excellent book about stallions. Note: In the French language, an "entier" is an entire horse used mainly or only for work, whereas an "étalon" is a stallion used only for breeding. "Is an uncastrated horse more dangerous than a gelding or a mare? Why do circus performers prefer entire horses to others? Why are the males of some breeds never castrated? Will a woman have more problems than a man in dealing with an entire horse?" Laurence herself knows the answers to these questions posed in the book, and many more, as she herself has three stallions. The subtitle of this book is "Know them better, understand them better" and we recommend it to anyone who has, or is contemplating buying, a stallion. This book has been published in the "Cheval, Chevaux" section - headed by Long Rider Jean-Louis Gouraud - of Éditions du Rocher.
The Arabian Horse and its Influence in South Africa Charmaine Grobbelaar Published by Protea Boekhus Hatfield, South Africa	An Arabian horse holds a special fascination to all those who love horses. Arabian horses are known for their beauty, elegant movement and the noble demeanour they display. On the other hand their toughness and their ability to endure in difficult circumstances are also well known. But how did this breed become a household name in South Africa, thousands of miles away from the Middle East, their place of origin? Charmaine Grobbelaar answers this question as she tells the story of how the Arabian horse went to South Africa and the role they played in shaping the history of the country. The book also contains useful information on different studs, breeders and the pedigrees of famous Arabian horses. Rare photographs of many Arabian horses ensure that this publication holds the attention of all those interested in horses. Chairmaine Grobbelaar and her husband, Jannie, both loved horses and significantly contributed to the breeding of Arabian horses in South Africa. In 1960 Charmaine founded the Arab Horse Society of South Africa. For more information, please contact the publisher: www.proteaboekhuis.co.za
Tales of a Saddle Tramp Rick Allen Published in Australia by Tickner Publishing	"This book is about how one man's life can be touched by horses and the bond that develops between that special horse and rider. That life is mine - Rick Allen - ex-navy electrician turned leatherworker turned saddler, horse rider, endurance club president, saddlery store owner, horseback tour guide and operator of Saddletramp Horseback Tours." "Leave only hoof prints, take only memories." For more information, please contact the author: Rick Allen Mobile Saddler Pty Ltd PO Box 1, Tunnack, Tasmania 7120 Ph: (03) 6254 6196 Email: TheCraftCentre@bigpond.com
Draft Horses and Mules Gail Damerow & Alina Rice Illustrated by Bethany Caskey Published by Storey Publishing	Hard working draft horses and mules provide clean-energy power for an impressive array of tasks. Cultivate your farmland, haul logs out of the forest, give tourists quiet rides through historic neighborhoods, pack far into the wilderness, or simply enjoy sunny drives through the countryside. In addition to contributing their steadfast strength to every task, draft horses and mules are intelligent, companionable animals that bring their gentle personalities to work every day. This complete guide will help you choose an ideal team, feed and house them, maintain their health, establish positive human/equine relationships, and work with your animals to perform the work you require. Note: Visitors interested in this title are certain to enjoy The Wagon Travel Handbook by David Grant, published by The Long Riders' Guild Press.

Home Spring 2008 Newsletter