Ordered by the doctor to move to a warmer climate, Squire Gordon and his family leave their estate in England and sell their horses. Gordon's illness that closes the chapter on Beauty's happy time at Birtwick. At one point, Beauty's caught in a stable fire, and on one very memorable night he rides to fetch a doctor and saves the life of Squire Gordon's ailing wife. There he's cared for by John Manly, a wise and perceptive groom, and makes friends with the other Birtwick horses, including spunky and feisty Ginger, who learns to chill out under John's care, and sweet Merrylegs, a pony who adores the young children on the estate.īut Beauty's life isn't all rainbows and sunshine, since he often encounters other horses that have been mistreated by their masters. Beauty spends the early part of his life with thoughtful, caring people who know how to keep horses healthy and happy, but he is always aware that other horses aren't so lucky.Īfter an idyllic childhood with Farmer Grey, Beauty is sent to Squire Gordon at Birtwick Park, where he spends the happiest years of his life. Raised by his mother, Duchess, under the kind care of Farmer Grey, Beauty learns from a young age that humans can be either a horse's greatest ally or their worst enemy. Beauty's story is set in Victorian England, a time when horses were crucial since they were the main mode of transportation for humans. Black Beauty starts at the beginning, with Beauty's birth.

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