The Gordons had to leave the country because of Mrs Gordon’s health and sold Black Beauty to Lord
Westerleigh at Earlshall Park. Lady Westerleigh was unkind and selfish, and she made her horses wear bearing
reins, which was very painful. One day, a groom called Rueben Smith took Black Beauty into town and left him
at a stable for hours while he was with his friends. When the blacksmith pointed out that Black Beauty’s shoe
was loose, Rueben didn’t care. He whipped Black Beauty and made him gallop much too fast because Reuben
was late. Black Beauty fell and Rueben was thrown off the horse and died. After that, Black Beauty was not
handsome enough for Lord and Lady Westerleigh because his knees were cut and scarred. They sold him to a
London cab driver, Jerry Barker.