This book is all about horses. I would love to be friends with all of the people who treated the horse Black Beauty with kindness and a knowing, loving hand, but I will choose the first two as my favorites. Black Beauty's first owner, was called his "master". Apparently, some humans have names and others don't. His master was so kind, and trained him to be the kindest and most helpful horse ever! (Training for the first time is also called "breaking in") The next person that Black Beauty cherished and loved was his groom in his first home away from his mother's side. This person's name was John Manly. He was very gentle with horses, and knew everything about them. He and the stable boy, James Howard, say that any horse at the Birtwick estate will be cured of all viciousness. John says that it's all in the "Birtwick horseballs". These balls, he says, are "made up of patience and gentle ness, firmness and petting, one pound of each to be mixed up with half a pint of common sense, and given to the horse every day." He is the person I would most like to be friends with.Any person that can teach me how to handle a horse in the best way is my friend.
--Emmie, 7th grade, Cambridge Street
