The Viral Optical Illusion: Is This Black Horse Walking Toward or Away?
A baffling optical illusion featuring a black horse in the snow has taken social media by storm. The burning question? Is the horse walking toward the camera or away from it?
The Snowy Scene That Sparked a Frenzy
After a heavy snowstorm in Kamloops, British Columbia, Alesia Willard filmed her American Quarter Horse, Rudnik. She’d noticed something odd about how he looked against the snowy backdrop, but only realized the full illusion’s power when she captured it on video in January.
Alesia Carrie and a black horse, Photo Credit: rudniktheroan/Instagram
Confusing Visuals Go Viral
On January 21, Willard posted the video on Rudnik’s social media. Her caption admitted her own confusion: “When your horse is so black in the snow you can’t tell if he’s walking towards you or away from you.” She even confessed, “There were times I genuinely couldn’t tell.”
The clip blew up quickly. TikTok alone racked up over 16 million views. Thousands flooded the comments, debating fiercely about Rudnik’s direction.
Social Media Reacts: Minds Boggled and Theories Fly
One Instagram user joked, “My last two brain cells fought to their last breath tryna figure this one out.” Another admitted, “I could switch back and forth between the two—melting my brain.”
Sharp-eyed viewers pointed to clues. One wrote, “Look at the snow he kicks up with his legs; that shows he’s walking away.”
The Verdict: Rudnik is Walking Away
For those still puzzled, the answer is clear: Rudnik is walking away from the camera. But the mystery didn’t end there.
A black horse walking on snow ground, Photo Credit: rudniktheroan/Tiktok