“Mr. Larusson, do you think that horses read the minds of humans?” asked an American horse-enthusiast woman at the end of a lesson a few years ago. “I won’t rule it out, but I reckon it doesn’t happen as often as people would like to think,” I replied with the hopes that my answer would suffice and this conversation would end with that. But to no avail, she replied matter-of-factly, “I have a mare who reads my mind.” The audience members, who were mostly on their way out after the lecture, slowed down and fell silent to listen in on our conversation.  “I have proved it many times,” she said pleased to have the attention and have challenged the teacher. “Can you give me an example of the mare reading your thoughts,” I said without expression to shorten our conversation. “Yes, each time I am about to ask her to go into slow gallop, she races forward into an uncontrollable gallop before I have even given the command for slow gallop. She does this every time because she knows I am going to ask her for slow gallop or canter,” she declared.

Instead of asking why she doesn’t think about slow gallop than gallop to see what would happen, this came out of my mouth: “And you are sure you do not do anything right before you ask for gallop to trigger the mare’s senses about what you are about to do? Something that the mare associates with a gallop command?”

“Mr. Larusson, I am sure!” announced the American woman in a voice that all who were listening were certain her mind would not be changed. In an attempt to end the conversation swiftly and conceal my skepticism, I said, “this is an interesting example, one to be examined further at a later date.” The woman became flustered at my comment and proclaimed she wanted a riding lesson the next day if I were to come to her house. “If the mare reads your thoughts then you get the riding lesson for free, otherwise you do not,” I said relieved to be finished with this unpleasant conversation. 

“You shall ride the mare like you normally do,” I said the next day to the owner of the mind reading mare. “Right before you prepare the mare for gallop then you will have to let me know that a gallop command is looming.” Immediately after the rider had indicated a looming gallop command, the mare raced into gallop. After a few attempts to gain controll over the mare, the pair came towards me. “There you see the proof,” was announced victoriously by the woman on her mindreading mare.

“I have a suggestion. When you prepare the mare next for slow gallop try shortening the reins without bringing your hands forward. Go and try to ride slow gallop again,” I said and released them to their task. The rider obeyed and left. This time the mare strode slowly with a beautiful arch. “Try again!” I yelled from where I stood. The mare went into a beautiful slow gallop under complete control of the rider. “Try again and think of a racing gallop!” I screamed again from a distance, allowing the smugness in my voice. After several tries in a slow controlled gallop the woman paid for her riding lesson without mentioning the mindreading of horses once.

Do you think horses can read minds?

Best regards,

Magnús Lárusson

Picture shows two mind readers - or what?