Black Beauty

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The story of my life

is the story of the people in it.

I haven't always been as lucky

as I am now...

...in this delicious place of water...

...and grass and sunlight.

Mine is a story of trust and betrayal...

...and learning to trust again.

I remember everything.

I'm here, Duchess.

I'll help you.

Come on, old lass.

Come on, push.

Push!

It was cold and too bright

and strange out in the air.

But then my mother kissed me.

I wanted to be nearer to her.

Over here, little one. It's all right.

In the beginning, I stayed as close

to my mother as I possibly could.

As the weeks went by,

I still stayed right beside her...

...but I began to have my own ideas

of what we should do.

So much of the time,

she would just stand there.

Hurry up!

Let's go!

Come on, come on.

I don't like this.

I do not like this!

Don't fight me now.

Everything's changing.

Even I'm changing.

Come on.

A black coat's taking over my baby fur.

It's all happening too fast.

When I turned 3...

...my master sent me to spend the year

with a gang of other colts.

Now it was time.

Training.

The bit was the first thing.

Terrible bars of cold, hard steel

between your teeth and over your tongue.

If you've never had one in your mouth,

you can't imagine what a shock it is.

But thank heaven for oats!

When you're eating them,

you can forget the bit's nasty coldness...

...the bitter, metallic taste.

Delicious oats.

Sweet oats.

Lovely, crunchy oats.

Beautiful oats.

Splendid oats... ow!

Here. It's just a saddle.

It's choking me!

You can still move. Promise.

Nobody could walk with this.

Come back here with those oats.

At first, the iron shoes made

my feet feel stiff and heavy.

I said, "No!" But he said, "Go!"

Come on.

Once I discovered that he and I...

...that the two of us could become one...

...this business turned out to be

perfectly glorious!

It was now time for me

to go to a new home.

My mother was proud of me...

...and encouraged me.

She knew my master would only

let me go to good people.

But I would miss her.

Before long, a man came

to take me to Birtwick Park...

...to live with Squire Gordon's family.

Just a moment! Molly!

- Come here with that pony.

- Run, Merry. Faster!

Please stay inside.

You're still much too weak.

I won't break. I want to see him.

It's a horse. Nothing more, nothing less,

I promise.

A beautiful horse!

Beauty is as beauty does.

How was he, John?

Perfect, sir.

They were shooting rabbits near Highwood

and the guns went off.

He pulled at such, and looked,

but he didn't step off the path.

- Did you, young fella?

- What shall we call him?

We'll decide over tea.

You must get out of this air.

He's as black as ebony.

Ebony.

Ebony.

Sounds like "bones. "

Settle him in the stables.

Pleasure, sir.

We'll call him Blackbird,

after your uncle's old horse.

But Blackbird was ugly

and mean-tempered.

- Wait. You've already named him.

- Pardon?

- "Beauty is as beauty does. "

- That's not a name.

Yes, it is. Beauty.

Black Beauty.

A new name...

...a new home...

...and a stable full of new horses to meet.

She'll be all right.

She was ill-tempered.

She was mean-spirited.

She was vicious.

She was the most beautiful creature

I'd ever seen.

I hate Alfred.

Me too.

Let me down!

Charge!

Lazy pony!

Move!

Stop it!

Move along!

Merrylegs!

- Quick, Merrylegs!

- Run!

Keep running, Merrylegs!

Mine too.

Open mine too!

Merrylegs.

What a perfect name for the little fellow.

Leave him alone!

Whoa there, Joe!

Better let young Joe catch him,

Master Alfred.

He needs the practice.

Go on now. Round them up.

Thank you for offering to help.

I expect it's time for your tea now, isn't it?

Yes, I expect it is.

Tea time, girls.

Jessica, Molly, come along!

It's a good thing John came along

when he did.

It certainly is.

Joe had a good heart...

...but really not a clue.

Stand still, will you?

Stop running.

Come on, everybody!

What a wonderful place.

I flew down to her.

I knew it would be magic between us.

Hey! Wait a second.

What do you think you're doing?

Please!

Easy, Ginger, easy.

- What's the matter with her?

- They must've battered her.

We treat her well and give her her head,

she'll come round, surely enough.

Back him on in.

Kind treatment makes good horses, Joe.

Bad treatment ruins them.

Straighten him out.

I can't.

Yes, you can.

Was I ever going to win her affection?

When we came to the hill...

...instead of slowing down

and leaving me to do the work...

...she threw her weight into the collar

and pulled away, straight up.

Our paces matched perfectly.

I was sure that afterwards,

things would be different between us.

They were.

They were worse.

Now she ignored me completely.

I bounded.

I leaped to the sky!

I tried everything to get her attention.

Even though I was new...

...the squire and John trusted me to

get them safely back from town...

...no matter how terrible the storm.

The wild branches tried to grab me.

The rain stung my eyes

like a thousand bees!

Keep moving, Beauty!

The bridge was flooded.

But it looked safe.

As I reached the middle,

I knew at once that something was wrong.

Beauty, forward!

Go forward!

Everything inside me screamed

not to go any further.

Go forward!

I wanted to obey him but he was wrong.

I know, chum. I know.

How can I make you understand?

We can't go near there!

Come on, Beauty.

For me.

I stood fast.

I tried to tell him.

That's enough!

I didn't know how long

I could hold on to him.

I had to hold on!

God bless you, Beauty.

What happened?

I'll be all right, Mistress.

I just need to look after the horse.

You will not. You come inside at once.

Beauty needs looking after.

I'll look after him, Uncle John.

All right. Do what I've shown you, Joe.

Not Joe.

He doesn't know what to do.

The drying sweat and rain sent a chill

down to my bones.

You don't need that rug.

You're boiling hot.

I wanted my rug.

I wanted a heap of rugs.

The icy water hit my stomach

like a kick in the guts.

But I was so thirsty.

By the next morning...

...I was sick.

Ginger stayed up all night with me.

Feeling sorry for me softened her.

Oh, dear Lord!

It hurts.

There's no rug put on.

Stupid, stupid boy.

I expect the water was cold as well.

Run to the house

and bring another blanket.

Now!

Come on.

You must drink it, come on.

My poor Beauty.

My good horse.

Let's hope it does him some good.

You go on to bed now, John.

I'll stay with him tonight.

We've done the best we can.

He may need some help.

Every little noise was torture.

Alfred, stop it!

Told you!

Children, that's enough!

They're fine, dear.

Please get well.

Uncle John!

Uncle John! Come and see Black Beauty!

I was put into a paddock to recuperate.

Joe came to visit me every day.

Catch me if you can!

What's wrong?

Can't you get up here?

All right, I'm coming.

What are you doing?

No! Not the sheets!

Sorry!

My mistress became so ill...

...we had to take her to a doctor...

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