6 SIDELINES AUGUST 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
My name is Lukas, and I’m an ex-racehorse that got a second
chance on life. I am a Thoroughbred gelding (I don’t like to talk about
it) and I ran three races at Santa Anita Park in California before I
was retired. My owner, Karen Murdock, tells me that only the really
good racers are retired after so few races, so of course I believe her
because she is so nice to me.
Karen is the one who rescued me and helped me make a name for
myself. She found me neglected and emaciated, with many issues
that developed from my previous owner. Her patience and kindness
built me up to be the confdent and intelligent horse that she always
believed I could be.
In case you haven’t heard of me, I’m kind of a big deal. I’m only
19 years young and I have already accomplished so much! I am the
Guinness World Record Holder for the “Most Numbers Identifed by
a Horse in One Minute,” and I identifed 19 numbers! I really set the
bar high, didn’t I? There had never even been a record holder for this
title before; it was created especially for me because I’m so smart.
Karen says it’s a huge step for Guinness to recognize how intelligent
animals can be.
On world record day, everyone was running around getting things
ready for me and I felt like a king! I could sense that Karen was really
nervous, yet I wasn’t worried at all. We had been working together
for a long time for this moment. There were lots of important people
at my house including a camera crew, photographers and offcial
counters for the occasion and they had all come to see me. I wasn’t
allowed to have a rope on Karen during the offcial timed event; but
I was confdent that she wouldn’t run away. Karen would call out the
numbers 1 through 5 in random order and I would simply place my
nose on the corresponding wooden blocks. It was so easy! I don’t
understand what all the fuss was about; but I guess most intellects are
just ahead of their time.
In addition to being a Guinness World Record Holder, I am also the
spokeshorse for After the Finish Line, a non-proft that raises money
to support other rescued Thoroughbred racehorses like me and I’m
the frst four legged to become a member of the Equine Welfare
Alliance. Being the smartest horse in the world defnitely has its perks!
Karen doesn’t like to take credit; but she really is the one who made
me who I am today. She understands that horses thrive on patience
and lots of love. Karen does not even own a whip! The times we have
spent bonding together have been some of the happiest moments of
my life. I have her really well trained, too: when I do a trick, she knows
to give me a treat. I like to call that positive reinforcement. She gets
really happy and showers me with attention, which is fne – I’ll let her
pretend that it was her idea. Plus, Karen makes our sessions so fun
that she doesn’t even realize I’m training her.
I have taught Karen lots of different tricks. We make a good team. I
have trained her to perform at liberty, which means I don’t even need
to hold on to her with a rope, I just communicate with her through
my body language. I know she will give me carrots if I nod or shake,
curtsy, bow, cross my legs, fetch or do the Hokey Pokey. Karen will
do anything to give me a molasses muffn, so I will identify numbers,
shapes and colors. She says I also understand object permanence
(whatever that means). My favorite trick to do is also the frst trick that
I learned, which is to smile. I know that if I smile, then Karen will smile,
too -- which I love. Do you know what else I love? That I found a home
and a loving friend who recognized how smart and special I am.
The World’s
Smartest Horse
By Lukas, as told to Courtney Zimmerman
While Sidelines Magazine isn’t in the habit of
letting horses take the reins and write their
own stories, it’s almost impossible to pass
up letting the “World’s Smartest Horse” tell
his own story. With that in mind, Lukas met
with Sidelines intern Courtney Zimmerman
who happily did the pecking on the keyboard
while Lukas told his tale of what it’s like to be
the smartest horse in the world.
Here I am with Karen,
counting my numbers
Photo by Sharon Filbelkorn
I love to say “cheese” for
the camera and show
off my Guinness World
Record Certifcate
Photo courtesy of Karen Murdock
About the writer: Courtney Zimmerman, from Cincinnati, Ohio, graduated
from the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Equine Science and
Management. She is currently working on her M.A. of Communication
at Northern Kentucky University. She works at the Cincinnati Zoo and
Botanical Garden where she is an Animal Handler in the Education
Department. Thanks to her experience, handling the interview with the
Smartest Horse in the World was a piece of cake.