Beautiful Jim Key

The Lost History of the World’s Smartest Horse

By: Mim Eichler Rivas

Narrated by: Mim E. Rivas

The horse Jim was known as Beautiful Jim Key from the moment he stepped into the American spotlight in 1897 at age eight until his death in 1912. This horse was beloved for his remarkable intelligence, cultivated by human kindness and patience. Proclaimed a genius, a leader of his species, the smartest horse who ever lived, with an IQ the equivalent of a 12-year-old human, Jim Key appeared to read, write, spell, do mathematics, tell time, sort mail, use a cash register and a telephone, cite bible passages by chapter and verse, and engage in political debate. Jim Key and his owner travelled the country performing these tricks, and whether true or not, the public believed it was so.

No less extraordinary was the man who trained Jim, Dr. William Key of Shelbyville, Tennessee, a former slave who in his life had seen horrific cruelty toward humans and animals. Bill Key was a self-schooled veterinarian and Black entrepreneur who refused to use force in any guise while breaking and training horses. It was thanks to this rare and intimate relationship between horse and man, championed by a second man named Albert R. Rogers - inventor, philanthropist, and founding member of the American Humane Society - that the animal rights movement was legitimized and born into the 20th century.

©2005 Mim Eichler Rivas (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

Great story

Animal lovers will l be amazed, I Did and sent sent one to my granddaughter

Fascinating bit of (almost) lost history!

Before Seabiscuit, Secretariat or Man o' War... there was Jim Key; an educated horse! This book is a wonderful bit of (almost) lost history: the story of a horse and his trainer... who helped spark the "be kind to animals" movement.

Well researched and written... this story is a much for all who are interested in animal history.

Beautiful Jim Key

If one is a horse lover you should "read" this book. It is a remarkable story that flies in the face of everything one knows
about horses but wishes it was possible. I was totally captivated and am happy to be a believer!

the horses intelligence and the owners patience with him

sometimes the history was a little long but mostly interesting. lots of tidbits of history I never knew about

that Jim and Doc Key were Angel's sent to change the world for the better.

God Bless Mim and all the others who brought this story back. I feel I was a part of this story and lived that life. I was guided to read this book that touched me deeply and fell in love with Jim ,Doc and Monk and all that supported them too.