One rider and his horse survive, but the other pair, George Gordon-son of Squire Gordon-and his horse, Rob Roy, die from the accident. Most of the hunters make it over the fence-forcing their horses to make the jump-but two horses fail to complete the jump. They chase a hare away and back again, following it even though they have to leap over a tall fence. He sees the dogs go racing over the field, followed by swift horses and their riders. He could not be sheltered forever, though: around the age of two, Black Beauty witnesses a hunting chase for the first time. For now, though, he was just young “Darkie,” under the care of his mother Duchess and his master, both of whom took great care to provide him a good upbringing, safe from naughty stone-throwing boys and the like. Black Beauty’s life would be a prime example of this advice put into practice. After one such day of play, his mother gave him life-long advice: be gentle and good in all things, work with a good spirit, and do not ever kick or bite. Soon he was playing with all the other colts in the field, as they went galloping across the fields, kicking and biting. Gradually, Black Beauty matured from drinking his mother’s milk to eating grass, and with that change came more independence. He fondly remembers the pleasant meadow and pond of his young days, under the care of his mother and a kind master. Black Beauty begins by describing his earliest memories.
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