Horse Heroes of History

Our Horse Heroes of History returns every week by popular demand - enjoy the latest, perhaps forgotten, maybe untold, stories of our equine heroes and why we have such immense love and respect for them - our partners in life over centuries:

Lady Wonder – the typing psychic horse who stunned America

Lady Wonder, a chestnut mare born in 1924 in Virginia, became a national curiosity due to what many believed were her psychic abilities. Her owner Claudia Fonda claimed to have noticed Lady had an unusually high level of intelligence from a young age. Fonda, a former schoolteacher, began training Lady to respond to letters and numbers using a specially designed typewriter-like device that Lady operated with her nose.

Lady’s "psychic" abilities gained fame as people began visiting her by the thousands - she reportedly gave accurate predictions about presidential elections, boxing matches, and even the outcomes of horse races. But what truly captivated the public (and gave her a place in crime lore) was her role in missing persons cases.

In one case in 1952, she was consulted by Massachusetts police regarding the disappearance of a young boy. Lady "spelled out" that the boy was "near water" and shockingly close to where he was eventually found. Although skeptics have suggested that subtle cues from her owner could explain her responses, even seasoned investigators admitted being unnerved by the accuracy of her “answers.”

Parapsychologists studied her, newspapers followed her story, and the FBI even observed her in action. While the debate over her abilities continues, Lady Wonder remains one of the most unusual and compelling horses in history - a mare who, for over 30 years, captivated the American imagination.

Jim - helped cure diphtheria (changing vaccine safety forever)

Jim, a retired milk cart horse in the early 1900s, played an unexpected but pivotal role in medicine. After being acquired by a pharmaceutical company, Jim was used to produce diphtheria antitoxin. The method involved injecting a horse with the diphtheria toxin in small doses; over time, the horse’s body would produce antibodies, which could be harvested and purified to treat humans.

Jim produced over 30 quarts of life-saving serum and was credited with saving countless lives during a major diphtheria outbreak. However, tragedy struck in 1901 when some of the serum from Jim was contaminated with tetanus - resulting in the deaths of several children. Jim had contracted tetanus and died soon after.

The public outcry was immense, but it led to a pivotal outcome: the passage of the Biologics Control Act of 1902, the first law in the United States to regulate the production of biological products. In a tragic twist, Jim’s legacy became one of progress - a horse who saved lives, and whose case ultimately improved vaccine safety for generations to come.

Dogs overshadowed him - but it was Rusty who saved a village

While the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska - the famous “Great Race of Mercy” - is largely remembered for the sled dogs Balto and Togo, few know that a horse named Rusty played a critical but often overlooked role in the chain of events that saved hundreds of lives.

In the early stages of the serum relay, a desperate and unexpected situation arose: a crucial portion of the antitoxin had to be transported overland from Anchorage to Nenana to start the sled dog relay - and the usual dog-sled routes were impassable. A rugged freight horse known locally as Rusty - part of the U.S. mail route - was called into emergency duty.

Over frozen terrain, subzero temperatures, and through blinding snowstorms, Rusty carried a portion of the lifesaving serum through 30 miles of sheer wilderness between remote railway stops. While most of the journey is remembered for the final dog sled teams, without Rusty bridging that initial gap, the serum might never have made it to the those desperately waiting in Nenana.

Rusty’s role was quietly acknowledged in early reports but faded from public attention as the narrative focused on the dramatic canine finale. Still, among the few who did remember, Rusty is regarded as an unsung hero of the mission - a horse who asked for no spotlight but carried the weight of a village’s hope through one of Alaska’s darkest winters.