44 THE HORSE OF MR. VON OSTEN 



Such unequivocal results, however, were only obtained 

 after we had provided blinders of sufficient size (15 X 15 

 centimeters). Mr. von Osten believing that the horse 

 would not suffer these to be applied, had at first proposed 

 other measures. He held a slate before his face. Some 

 of the horse's responses were right, others wrong. The 

 tests were repeated and were successful as long as I, my- 

 self, held the slate before my face, but not a single one 

 of the responses was correct when another would attempt 

 to hold the slate before me. Mr. von Osten then brought 

 forth a kind of bolster which he fastened on the right 

 side of the horse's face, — the side which was turned to- 

 ward the questioner. But this also gave uncertain re- 

 sults. Finally he agreed to apply blinders. But these 

 were much too small and projected at a great angle from 

 the head (Mr. von Osten had cut the straps, for he 

 thought they worried the animal). The result was that 

 only the posterior part of the horse's normal field of vision 

 was obstructed. Therefore, one could never be quite 

 sure whether Hans, who — it will be borne in mind — made 

 every attempt to see the questioner, had not perhaps after 

 all been able to peer over the edge of the blinder. The 

 number of " undecided " tests, therefore, became very 

 great. Of 108 tests, only 25 could be placed in the 



of the horse, and bear no inseparable relation to the thing to be done 

 but are associated with it at the will of the trainer. The rider's use 

 of reins, and control by means of leg-pressure and manner of sit- 

 ting in the saddle, and the driver's use of the lines, all these, then 



are aids. A simple pull at the reins, however, is not an aid, but a sign. 



The whip may be used for giving signs as well as aids, the latter, 



when it does the work of the spur or of the pressure with the 

 knees, as is the case with ladies' riding-horses and in lunging. All calls 

 and all movements of the hand or head merely, on the part of the 

 trainer, are to be regarded as signs. 



