Lady Wonder
Lady Wonder (1924–1957) was a horse that was purported to have psychic abilities.[1] Over 150 thousand people came to consult the horse at the price of three questions for one dollar. Lady Wonder is said to have helped the Massachusetts police to find the body of a missing girl, to have predicted that Jack Dempsey would defeat Jack Sharkey in 1927, and to have helped discover oil.[2] Lady Wonder's trainer, C.D. Fonda, raised the horse on a bottle. The horse spelled out the answers to questions by manipulating toy blocks with her nose.[3]
Dr. J. B. Rhine investigated the horse and concluded that there was strong evidence for telepathy between human and horse.[4] This was Rhine's first experience with such claims. The Magician Milbourne Christopher concluded that the phenomenon was due to ideomotor reaction. Christopher determined that Lady Wonder only answered questions correctly when her trainer was aware of the answer.[5] Many observers agree that its owner sincerely believed in the horse's psychic powers.[6]
[edit] See also
- Clever Hans
- Beautiful Jim Key
- Betsy, a border collie known to understand over 340 words
- Rico, a dog who reportedly understood more than 200 words.
- Koko, a gorilla who learned sign language
- Alex, an African Grey parrot known for intelligent use of speech
- Animal cognition
[edit] External links
- Richmond Then and Now. Articles about Lady Wonder from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
[edit] References
- ^ "Lady Wonder; "Mind Reading" Mare Baffles Scientists". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond Then and Now. 07-18-1927. http://richmondthenandnow.com/Newspaper-Articles/Lady-Wonder.html. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ Dick Gardner. The Impossible. 1962. Ballentine Books. NY. pg 94.
- ^ "Lady Wonder; "Mind Reading" Mare Baffles Scientists". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond Then and Now. 07-18-1927. http://richmondthenandnow.com/Newspaper-Articles/Lady-Wonder.html. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ Dick Gardner. The Impossible. 1962. Ballentine Books. NY. pg 94.
- ^ "Lady Wonder". An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural. James Randi Educational Foundation. 1995-2007. http://www.randi.org/encyclopedia/Lady%20Wonder.html. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ Dick Gardner. The Impossible. 1962. Ballentine Books. NY. pg 94.
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