With regard to the distance at which the experimenter directed the
horse, the following may be said: The usual distance was one-quarter to
one-half meter. This holds for all tests hitherto described. Seventy
tests which were made for the purpose of discovering the influence of
change in distance showed that the reaction of the horse upon the
customary signal of the head-jerk was accurate up to a distance of three
and one-half meters. At a distance of three and one-half to four meters
there suddenly occurred a fall of 60-70% in the number of correct
responses. At a distance of four to four and one-half meters only
one-third of the responses were correct, and at a distance beyond four
and one-half meters there were no correct responses. The greater number
of these tests were made in our presence by Mr. von Osten, who was under
the impression that we were testing the accuracy of the horse's hearing,
whereas we were really testing the accuracy of his perception of
movements.
With regard to the different positions which the experimenter might
assume with reference to the horse, the following may be noted: The
normal position was to the right of the horse. If the experimenter stood
immediately in front of Hans, the latter's reaction would be just as
accurate, though he would always turn his head and make desperate
efforts to see the questioner, even though he was held in short by the
reins. When a position immediately behind the horse was taken--a
somewhat dangerous proceeding, since Hans would at once begin to
kick--no response could be obtained until he succeeded in turning far
enough around to get the questioner within view. If he was restrained
from turning completely around, he would at least turn his head,--and
always to the right. One might even turn his back upon Hans during the
tests, for the signal for stopping was not obtained from the face of the
questioner, but from a movement of the head. The following incident will
show to what extent the horse had become accustomed to seeing the
questioner in a certain definite position. For a long time I had been
in the habit--without exception--of standing close to the horse's
shoulder. Mr. von Osten, on the other hand, would stand farther back.
When, on a certain day, I assumed the latter position, the horse would
not suffer it, but would move backward until he had his accustomed view
of me.
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