Black Beauty: The Autobiography of a HorseA horse of nineteenth century England tells his life story from his early home through many masters and experiences, both good and bad. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
bearing-rein began Bill Starkey Birtwick Black Beauty Blantyre bridle called carriage CHAPTER colts course Crimean War crupper deal Dolly door driver drove dun color eyes farrier fast feet fellow felt fond gallop gate gave gentle gentleman Ginger glad groom halter hand hard head heard horse breed hostler James Jerry Joe Green John kick kind knees knew lady legs little pony look look sharp master meadow Merrylegs mistress morning mother mouth neck never night oats old horse pace pain patting pleasant Polly pony poor pull rein ride rider road Rob Roy rode round saddle seemed shillings side soon Squire stable stall stand stones stood Sunday sure talking tell thing thirsty and miserable thought told took train trot turned voice wanted whilst whip wish yard young
Popular passages
Page 20 - I turned and galloped to the farther side of the meadow as fast as I could go, and there I stood snorting with astonishment and fear. In the course of the day many other trains went by, some more slowly; these drew up at the station close by, and sometimes made an awful shriek and groan before they stopped. I thought it very dreadful, but the cows went on eating very quietly, and hardly raised their heads as the black, frightful thing came puffing and grinding past. For the first few days I could...
Page 21 - Besides, there are a great many foolish men, vain, ignorant, and careless, who never trouble themselves to think; these spoil more horses than all, just for want of sense; they don't mean it, but they do it for all that. I hope you will fall into good hands ; but a horse never knows who may buy him, or who may drive him ; it is all a chance for us, but still I say, do your best wherever it is, and keep up your good name.
Page 18 - ... it after him ; and he must go fast or slow, just as his driver wishes. He must never start at what he sees, nor speak to other horses, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of his own; but always do his master's will, even though he may be very tired or hungry ; but the worst of all is, when his harness is once on, he may neither jump for joy nor lie down for weariness.
Page 165 - He was, when young, a dark, dappled iron gray, and •considered very handsome. His master, a young, high-spirited gentleman, was very fond of him, and treated him from the first with the greatest care and kindness. He told me he thought the life of an army horse was very pleasant ; but when it came to being sent abroad over the sea in a great ship, he almost changed his mind. "That part of it,
Page 169 - My master, my dear master was cheering on his comrades with his right arm raised on high, when one of the balls whizzing close to my head, struck him. I felt him stagger with the shock, though he uttered no cry ; I tried to check my speed, but the sword dropped from his right hand, the rein fell loose from the left, and sinking backward from the saddle he fell to the earth ; the other riders swept past us, and by the force of their charge I was driven from the spot where he fell. " I wanted to keep...
Page 35 - I lay down I was tired, and miserable, and angry; it all seemed so hard. The next morning he came for me early, and ran me round again for a long time. I had scarcely had an hour's rest, when he came again for me with a saddle and bridle and a new kind of bit. I could never quite tell how it came about; he had only just mounted me on the training ground, when something I did put him out of temper, and he chucked me hard with the rein. The new bit was very painful, and I reared up suddenly, which...
Page 164 - CAPTAIN had been broken in and trained for an army horse ; his first owner was an officer of cavalry going out to the Crimean War. He said he quite enjoyed the training with all the other horses, trotting together, turning together, to the right hand or the left, halting at the word of command, or dashing forward at full speed at the sound of the trumpet, or signal of the officer. He was, when young, a dark, dappled iron gray, and considered very handsome.
Page 202 - When they found out my weakness they said I was not worth what they gave for me, and that I must go into one of the low cabs, and just be used up; that is what they are doing, whipping and working with never one thought of what I suffer — they paid for me, and must get it out of me, they say. The man who hires me now pays a deal of money to the owner every day, and so he has to get it out of me too; and so it's all the week round and round, with never a Sunday rest." I said, 'You used to stand...
Page 13 - There are the hounds!" and immediately cantered off, followed by the rest of us to the upper part of the field, where we could look over the hedge and see several fields beyond. My mother and an old riding horse of our master's were also standing near, and seemed to know all about it. "They have found a hare," said my mother, "and if they come this way we shall see the hunt.
Page 168 - He stroked my neck that morning more, I think, than he had ever done before ; quietly on and on, as if he were thinking of something else. I loved to feel his hand on my neck, and arched my crest proudly...