Black Beauty

My Early Home

The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow. There was a pond of clear water in the meadow. Some shady trees grew beside the pond and water lilies grew at the deep end. At the top of the meadow was an orchard. At the bottom, a little brook sang along.
   On one side of the meadow we looked over a hedge of green shrubs onto a field. On another side we saw Farmer Grey's house. I believe that it was the most pleasant place in all England to play and learn.
   In the daytime I ran by my mother's side and at night I lay down close by her. When it was hot, we used to stand in the shade beside the pond. When it was cold, we had a nice warm shed near the grove.
   As soon as I was old enough to eat grass, my mother used to go out to pull Farmer Grey's carts. I played with the other colts in the meadow. We had great fun, but sometimes our play was a little rough.
   One day my mother called me to her. "Listen to me," she said. "You come from a good family of horses. You must learn good manners. You have never seen me kick or bite. I hope you will grow up gentle and good and never learn bad ways. Do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick, even in play." My mother was a wise old horse. I have never forgotten her advice.
   There was a day I have never forgotten, too. I stood very close to my mother that day. A group of dogs ran by making howling noises. We saw a poor frightened rabbit running from them.
   Hunters on horses went galloping behind them. A horse and his rider tried to jump a stream in a field beyond ours. The horse fell and threw his rider. Both of them were hurt so badly that they died. All for one little rabbit.
  My mother was much troubled. "Its only for sport that they were killed," she said. "Why men take chances for themselves and for the horses? They chase a fox or rabbit that they don't need for food. But we are only horses and don't understand."
  I thought my mother understood the matter better than the hunters did.
   When I was older, Farmer Grey sent me to a neighbor's farm. I was put into a meadow with some sheep and cows. Train tracks ran on the other side of the fence. Farmer Grey wanted me to learn to not be afraid of the train.
   I shall never forget the first train that ran past us. There was a rush and a clatter and a puffing of smoke. It looked like a long, black monster racing by. I allowed to the far side of the meadow as fast as I could. I stood snorting and pawing with fear. The cows and sheep hardly raised their heads. I thought that they might know something about the train.
   I learned that they did. This terrible creature could do me no harm. It never came into the field, and sio I began to pay no attention to it.
  Very soon I paid no more attention to the train than the cows and sheep did. The noise when it stopped at a nearby station was loud. I soon stopped paying attention to that also.
  When I returned home, my mother told me that I had learned two lessons. "You will be near trains when you start pulling carriages. Now you know not to be afraid. The other lesson is good also. Get to know about the thing you're afraid of. It will often turn out not to be as scary as you thought."
  When I became four years old, I was considered very handsome. My coat had grown fine and soft, and was bright black. I had one white foot, and a pretty white star on my forehead. A patch of white hair sparkled right in the middle of my back. Also I had learned good manners from my mother. Farmer Grey and Daniel considered me to be a good horse. Daniel was the groom who cared for the horses. I was happy to please him, for he was good to me.
   One day Squire Gordon from Birtwick Park came to look at me. He looked at my eyes, my mouth, my back, and my legs. Then I walked, trotted, and g alloped for him.
  "When he has been broken in, I will buy him," he told Farmer Grey.
    "I will break him in myself," Farmer Grey said. "I do not want him to be frightened or hurt."
     Farmer Grey first taught me to wear a saddle and a bridle. I did not like the steal bar he put in my mouth. He called it a "bit". It was a lump of cold, hard steel over my tongue. Farmer Grey was patient and gentle with me. I learned to let him put the bit in my mouth. One day he got in the saddle and rode on my back. It felt strange, but I soon learned to enjoy carrying him.
    It was hard to stand while a harness was put on me. All the pieces of steel and leather felt very heavy and tight. Afterwards, a cart or a carriage was fastened behind me. I had to get used to having it at my heels.
    One day the blacksmith nailed iron shoes to my hooves. It didn't hurt and my mother told me they protected my feet. My feet felt very heavy at first, but I soon got used to them. I was glad to have my feet protected.
   I knew that all grown up horses wore this harness. I learned to not dislike it to much. Later I started pulling farm carts and carriages. Farmer Grey had my mother pull them beside me. She was very steady and taught me very well.
"The better you behave, the better you will be treated," she told me "Lift your feet when you trot try to please your owner. I hope you will have good owners. A horse can not choose who may drive him. It is a chance for us. Still say behave well, where ever you are."
   With patience from Farmer Grey, I got used to everything. Soon I could work as well as my mother.