black beauty chapter 7 horse taught and
human talk
one of my favorite tasks at berkwick
park was carrying the mistress when the
whole family rode together
the little girls would take turns on
merry legs and sir oliver while the
squire usually rode ginger
i knew that the lady preferred me to
ginger because my mouth was more
sensitive making me easier and more
pleasant to ride
that made ginger envy me
it's all because of the cruel men who
trained me she complained one day in the
orchard
wise old sir oliver heard her and said
don't be so hard on yourself
you carry the squire's weight easily and
still maintain your gaits your fine ways
of walking
that's nothing to be ashamed of
besides we horses should be content and
willing as long as we're treated kindly
he switched his tail for emphasis
sir oliver's tail was very short only
six or seven inches long
i'd often wondered what accident had
shortened it and so i asked him now
accident sir oliver let out a fierce
snort
it was no accident
when i was young my original owner had
it cut off on purpose flesh bone and all
that's awful i exclaimed
indeed it was sir oliver agreed
and it was not only the pain though that
was bad enough
i am left without enough tail to brush
the flies off my sides and hind legs
the rest of you can't imagine what
that's like
they can bite me all day long and i'm
helpless to flick them away as you can
without thinking about it
but why did they cut off your tail
jinger asked
for fashion sir oliver
replied nothing more
it must be fashion that makes some
humans strap our heads up with the check
rain as well ginger said
yes it's also fashion that makes them
strap those blinkers to our heads when
we drive so we can't see anything to the
sides sir oliver replied
justice looked up from his grazing
the blinkers are supposed to prevent
horses from shining and causing
accidents he said in his calm way
then why don't they put them on riding
horses i asked
i suppose that's because of fashion
justice admitted
true blinkers are especially dangerous
at night when horses can see better than
humans sir oliver said
i have heard of many accidents that
could have been prevented if the horse
had been able to see all around him
we horses were not the only ones who
thought badly of such things
the squire might still put blinkers on
us when we pulled a cart or carriage
but he disliked czech reigns as much as
ginger did
one day out on the road the squire and i
passed a team of fine horses
the driver was a friend of the squires
he asked the squire what he thought of
the new team
they're a handsome pair the squire
replied
but i see you still insist on lessening
their power
oh you mean the check rain the other man
said
i like to see my horses hold their heads
up
so do i but i prefer to see them do so
on their own the squire said
besides if you don't let them throw all
their weight into their work it wears
them out faster
maybe you're right my friend the other
man said
i don't promise to change my ways
but i do promise to think about what you
said
the squire tried to discourage people
from being cruel to animals in any way
he could
for instance one day we were riding
toward home
we came into view of the berkwick park
gate just in time to see a pony cart
approaching
the delicate little pony was being
driven by a large strong man
when the cart neared the gate the pony
turned toward it
with a growl the man yanked the pony's
head around so strongly that the pony
almost fell over
but the pony recovered and started
forward again
the man wasn't satisfied with that he
lifted his whip and began lashing the
pony cruelly
the squire urged me forward until we
were beside the cart
mr sawyer he called in a stern voice
is that pony made of flesh and blood
yes and temper too the other man
retorted
i didn't ask him to turn there
he needs to learn to do only as i say
you've driven that pony to my place many
times the squire said
how could he know you weren't going
there again
remembering the turn only shows his
intelligence
but that's not the point
your cruel treatment of that creature
shows your own poor character
sawyer didn't respond to that
but he stopped whipping the pony and
drove on leaving me glad to have such a
kind master
little fox