Black Beauty and Anna Sewell

When I was nine years old I read Black Beauty for the first time. When I turned to the last page, I knew at that moment I wanted to be an author, and I wanted to write about horses. It has taken me a while to get to this point, but I am now in the ranks of "struggling writers" who work odd jobs here and there to pay the bills so there is time left in the day to do what makes our hearts sing ~ write.


Anna Sewell, the author of Black Beauty, was also 51 when she wrote her first and only novel. Although her mother was a well known Quaker author of children's fiction and verse, Anna had never shown any particular inclination for writing. But after witnessing an incident of cruelty to a carriage horse, she felt moved to write in their defense. Out came one of the best loved novels of all time.


Anna had been crippled since she was a child, and at the time she wrote the book she was not expected to live for another 18 months. To begin a book while halfway to her deathbed might have looked pointless, especially when she could never sit to read or write for longer than a few moments. At times she became so weak from writing that she had to stop and rest for days at a time.

Her writing progressed with agonizing slowness between long bedridden stretches. Her eighteen months came and went. She was still alive, though close to death. But she lived another eighteen months, and another eighteen, and another still. In August 1877 she made one of the final notes in her diary: My proofs of Black Beauty are come—very nice type.

The completed story recounts the life and times of the well-bred horse of the title, and such stable companions as gentle Merrylegs and the angry and spirited Ginger; echoing throughout the book is the memory of Black Beauty’s mother Duchess, with her admonitions to stay gentle and mannered at all times. Surrounding these horses is a procession of good, bad, and indifferent owners: the well-meaning but inept rookie Joe Green, the drunkard Reuben Smith, the cruel cab driver Nicholas Skinner. Sewell sold this story, and all its rights, to the publishing house Jarrold & Sons for the staggeringly cheap advance of £20. But she was wise to get her cash up front.

Black Beauty is one of the best selling books ever published; a century after its publication, Sewell’s dying work was estimated to have sold approximately thirty million copies. Several decades since have surely added many millions more to that total. Black Beauty has been translated into everything from Swedish to Hindustani, and made and remade many times over in both silent and sound movies, as well as a TV series.


Anna Sewell may have died with only an additional £20 in her pocket, but what she left the world through her book has made her legacy far richer in honor and decency than any other author I know.


Parts of this post are taken from an article by Paul Collins.

Equine Herpes Virus

In 2005 I managed a horse farm with over 100 horses that was placed under quarantine for 11 very long weeks due to an outbreak of the equine herpes virus. Prior to this outbreak, like most other horse owners, I wasn't aware of how easy it is for a horse to pass this virus on to an entire farm. It is very possible that a horse who came for one of the shows we hosted could have "dropped off" the virus when it coughed on a gate, or a fence post. It is equally possible a horse who came through for a trial left it behind, or that one of the school horses we had on the farm was a latent carrier of the disease.

I was naive in thinking we were safe because all our horses were vaccinated religiously. For everything. Like clock work. Silly me. When the first three horses died in the days leading up to the largest 3 day horse show we held each year, I felt like someone had misled me. We were so cautious about vaccinating new horses as soon as they arrived, and keeping our own horses on a strict schedule, I just didn't know how it was possible this could happen. But it did.

Because it happened as show horses were being trailered onto our property, and because we were the largest riding facility within hundreds of miles, it was one of the most public outbreaks of the equine herpes virus the state of Maryland had ever experienced. We lost six horses in that outbreak. Six horses who were teachers, the stars of our stables, horses and ponies who had carried hundreds of children and adults on their backs and taught them how to ride. For those of us who worked at that riding school, they were our pets, our family, and we mourned their loss deeply. It was a very sad time.

But like all dark clouds, we learned from that experience. We learned about proper quarantine procedures, we learned never to let our horses drink from a public water trough at another farm. We learned it is possible the lack of sunlight through the winter diminishes the horses immune system and can cause this virus to rear its ugly head, and we learned that even the best vaccination practices, the best feed, the most love and the best care, it can happen to anyone, on any farm. In a riding school like ours, with over 100 horses stabled in four barns, bacteria and virus's are everywhere. Horses that are kept outside in a more natural setting and in the open air are less likely to catch something from another horse like that.

As the days get dark earlier, as we head toward winter which is when most of these outbreaks occur, I think of those horses we lost: Aviva, Bailar, Gem, Shaggy, Winter and Cherry. I will remember them always.

I also remember the old horse we almost lost, Radar. It was only because of the round the clock care of his loving owner, the delivery of a sling to hold Radar upright when his legs failed him, and the team effort of our barn workers, the vets, the other boarders and students who pitched in to help, that Radar still lives today. He is retired now, living the good life in green pastures where his owner, Bill, still visits him every day. I will get an update on Radar and will write about him soon.

In the meantime, put bottles of antiseptic pumps between each stall at your farm and use it all the time to clean your hands. Be sure your horses are vaccinated because it does help minimize the severity of a disease, even if it doesn't prevent it. If possible, put winter lights in your barn to compensate for the lack of sun in the winter, and quarantine all new horses for a minimum of 14 days, but preferably 21 before allowing them to mingle with the others. Ask for vaccination records of all horses coming onto your property, and the second a horse shows signs of illness, remove them to your quarantine area for the duration.

Where Did Our Ancient Equus Go?

It may surprise you to know that the early equine species originated in North America and remained on our soil, roaming what are now the Great Plains, for about 57 million years. That's a hard number to wrap your head around, I know, especially when you consider the fact that horses are not considered "native" to America. Well, there is a gray area of truth to that, because for unknown reasons, the equus ~ ancestor of the horse as we know it today ~ became extinct on our land about 10,000 years ago, most likely due to changes in the environment, over killing by humans who hunted them for food, and disease. Fortunately, before that happened, many had moved along to other continents where they continued to evolve in Asia, Europe and Africa.

By the time the Spanish Conquistadors began their exploration in North America the 1500’s, they had spent generations selectively breeding Arab, Barb and Andulusion horses to produce sturdy, intelligent and beautiful steeds. These were the horses they brought with them on their voyages, and the same who are ancestors of our American Mustang today. Some of the physical traits of these early Spanish horses can still be seen in the mustangs. You might notice the slight dish of a head like the Arabs, while others show off long, feathery hairs on thick boned legs, and massive flowing manes like the Andulusions.

After the Spanish introduced the horses to Native Americans, some of the horses became free and gathered in bands, or herds, throughout the western U.S., maybe drawn back to the Great Plains by the call of their fore bearers. Generation after generation they prospered, prey only to mountain lions and wolves, and sought by Indians who had learned to appreciate how these swift horses could benefit the quality of their lives. It is because they originated from captive horses that the mustangs in America today are not considered true “wild” horses, but instead are called “feral.” No doubt if they could have maintained their status as true wild, native animals they would have garnered more protection, like the American bald eagle, or even a state wildflower or tree.

For hundreds of years the mustangs lived in the hills and mountains, on the plains, and in the deserts of our country. By the late 1800’s there were about 2 million roaming free in the American west. Having adapted to the harsh and rugged environment, they developed shorter cannon bones, a thicker hoof wall and tougher constitution. They developed their own societies, and co-existed with their own understanding of the hierarchy among themselves.

As the pioneers moved west with their larger European bred horses, mustang blood was used to beef up their strength, agility and intelligence. As the west continued to develop and cattle ranchers claimed the land, mustangs were forced out of their homes to make room for the more profitable cattle. The fewer places there were for the mustangs to live, the more urgent the need to manage their numbers. Which is why we are at this impasse today, why someone needs to decide how to protect them so commerce and industry don't push them into the slaughter houses in Mexico, where they will be butchered and end up on someones dinner plate in Japan.

I am reminded of a short essay I read from time to time called Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, which is where we all learned how to share. There are days when I would like to send a copy of that essay to all the members of Congress who are assigned the task of deciding the fate of the mustangs, who are as much a part of our history as Christopher Columbus, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln..

The Mustang Issue

The issue of the wild mustangs in America continues to rage. While progress is being made to help these icons of the American west, there is much work still to be done to protect them from the possibility of euthanasia.

Yesterday, while trying to gain a better understanding of how I might be able to help, I watched a DVD that stunned me. Not only was it beautifully made, shot in the mountains of Montana over a period of seven years, but the film was done in a way that made me feel I was right there in the middle of the herds. For a few hours I was a part of the lives of these wild horses, with an understanding of their society like I never was before. I came away with so much passion for their plight, and I would like to encourage you to watch the film, too.

You can buy it on Amazon for less than $13 including shipping by clicking here: Cloud, Wild Stallion of the Rockies. It is well worth the investment, and is a movie you will watch time and again.

Chincoteague Ponies and the Feather Fund

As I prepare for the Mustangs on the Hill Rally tomorrow, I have been thinking a lot about wild ponies in general. I want to share with you an organization that helps children buy Chincoteague ponies each year at the round up made famous by Marguerite Henry in her book Misty of Chincoteague.

Take a look at their web site and read the touching history of how the organization got started in honor of a woman named Carollynn Suplee. Since its conception, The Feather Fund has been led by a woman who critiqued my pony novel, The Tugboat Chronicles ~ Confessions of a School-Pony at a writers conference several years ago. Lois Szymanski is the author of many children's pony books, including a non-fiction work on the Chincoteague ponies.

You can go to the web site by clicking here: Feather Fund.

Who Was Wild Horse Annie?

One day in 1950, a tiny secretary from Reno, NV named Velma B. Johnston was driving on a highway and noticed a truck in front of her with blood dripping from the back. She followed the truck and discovered that it was carrying injured, but live, wild horses to a slaughter house.

Repulsed and distressed, Johnston began researching how wild horses were rounded up by "mustangers"—ranchers and hunters that captured wild horses for slaughter. When she became aware of the inhumane methods used to round up the mustangs, and their horrific journey to be slaughtered, she became determined to make a difference in the lives of these horses who represented the pioneer spirit of the American West.

Johnston began a grassroots campaign that involved mostly school children. Young people from all across America sent letters to newspapers and legislators and attracted enormous attention that outraged the public and made them aware of the issue. As public attention grew, some of Johnston's critics snidely began to call her "Wild Horse Annie." Over time there was no louder outcry from the American public over this issue than any other with the exception of the Vietnam war.

Annie and her supporters continued the fight—and newspapers continued to publish articles about the exploitation of wild horses and burros. In January 1959, Nevada Congressman Walter Baring introduced a bill prohibiting the use of motorized vehicles (helicopters and trucks which were used to chase down the terrified mustangs) to hunt wild horses and burros on all public lands. The House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill which became known as the Wild Horse Annie Act. The bill became Public Law 86-234 on Sept. 8, 1959.

This law did not include Annie's recommendation that Congress begin a program to protect wild horses and burros. Public interest and concern continued to increase, and with it came the realization that federal management was needed. In response to public outcry, the Senate unanimously passed a law on June 19, 1971. It became known as The Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971.

The federal statute calls wild horses "living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West" that should be "protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death." But the same law also requires the government to achieve "appropriate management levels" of roaming horses so they don't overwhelm federal lands -- and that's the part that has been vexing for bureau officials.

Unfortunately, something has gone terribly wrong and there are over 30,000 wild mustangs who have been incarcerated in holding pens, standing rump to rump, without shade, in Nevada, for over three years now! There are people who want to help, who are willing to help and have the financial resources to help.

For more information, click here: Mustangs On The Hill

The Wild Horses of Bay Head

There is a lot across the street from my parents house at the ocean where I spent many happy hours as a child, galloping along twisting paths of grassy sand dunes, pretending I was a wild stallion protecting my herd. For whatever reason, 40+ years later this little piece of earth is still untouched. Whenever I am in Bay Head, the first thing I do each morning is look out my bedroom window, across the top of those same sand dunes, to see the sun rising over the ocean.

Like all good horse girls, my imagination allowed me the power to tame many a wild stallion purely through my gentle nature, or to become that wild stallion, or a mare who had strayed from his herd with my newborn foal. But never did I ever imagine capturing the wild horses in my mind, forcing them into work, to live in a stall, away from their native land where they ran so wild and free.

I think I first read Black Beauty about the same time I saw the movie Born Free. I was nine years old (and I did not read an abridged version) and very moved by the words on those pages. It was reading Black Beauty that made me decide I wanted to be a writer, and I wanted to write about horses. I wrote several stories as a child, which ~ thanks to my sentimental and thoughtful mother ~ I still have today. Little pages stapled together, complete with illustrations, all about wild horses resisting being tamed and a girl who sets them free.

In thinking recently about the wild mustangs plight happening right now, and watching the videos posted on the internet of the "gatherings" as the BLM gently refers to them, I remembered a poem I wrote one day after I came in from the sand dunes. I found it in my box of childhood treasures and thought I would share it with you. Following is how it was written when I was 9 years old:

Wild and Free
This one shall never feel the pain
Of stinging whip or bearing rein,
For he is born so wild and free
Just like all others were meant to be.

Out on the prairie, his mother near,
He doesn't yet know the meaning of fear,
But soon he will learn to run like the wind,
When man comes after day out and day in.

For if they catch him (the thought is ill),
They will teach him to go only at their will,
And never again will he ever be,
Running and living so wild and free.

Nanci Tuner
Age 9