How ‘Black Beauty’ Transformed the World for Horses

Anna Sewell’s “Black Beauty” (1877), in its full title “Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse,” is a renowned piece of children’s literature. However, Sewell wrote it with an adult audience in mind, aiming to change perceptions about animal welfare, especially the welfare of horses.

During the Victorian era, horses were essential for everyday life, fueling wars, agriculture, transportation, construction, and factory work. This dependence often led to the animals being overworked and mistreated. Sewell’s novel portrays horses as sentient beings rather than merely as tools.

“Black Beauty” is narrated from the perspective of the titular horse, a literary strategy that allows readers to empathize with the animal’s suffering. Author Jane Smiley noted that once an animal is given a point of view, it becomes difficult to justify cruelty toward it.

The novel is rife with examples of cruelty. For instance, an aristocratic family forces Black Beauty to wear a bearing rein, which causes him pain by making him hold his head unnaturally high. Later, as a workhorse for a baker, his driver overloads the cart, reducing the number of trips needed but increasing Beauty’s suffering.

Sewell drew inspiration partly from her own experiences. After injuring her ankle at 14, she depended on horse-drawn carts for mobility and became especially fond of her family’s horse, Bess. This bond likely influenced her depiction of Black Beauty.

Sewell began writing “Black Beauty” in 1871 at the age of 51. She intended the book to foster kindness, sympathy, and proper treatment of horses. In a letter to her friend Mary Bayly, Sewell mentioned how words from Horace Bushnell’s “Essay on Animals” had inspired her throughout the writing process.

The novel quickly gained popularity and began changing public perception of equine welfare. Within a few years, one million copies were distributed in the United States alone, and today, over 50 million copies have been sold worldwide.

Animal rights activists swiftly embraced “Black Beauty”. Edward Fordham Flower opposed the use of bearing reins, and George Angell distributed copies of the novel through the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The book also helped discourage the cosmetic practice of cutting horses’ tails short.

The novel also spurred philanthropic efforts. It inspired Ann Lindo to found a charity in 1886, now known as The Horse Trust, to provide care for working horses in need. “Black Beauty” continues to influence animal welfare causes, with proceeds from certain editions supporting organizations like Redwings Horse Sanctuary.

Tragically, Sewell died just five months after the book’s release and never witnessed its profound impact. Nonetheless, her legacy endures. Bernard Unti of the Humane Society of the United States hailed “Black Beauty” as “the most influential anticruelty novel of all time.”

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Explore the enduring impact of “Black Beauty” and its contributions to animal welfare on various platforms and organizations. The story’s message continues to resonate, advocating for the compassionate treatment of animals.

Source: Mental Floss