[00:00.02] Chapter 15.
[00:02.36] Hard Times.
[00:07.08] After a bit, I was sold to a corn dealer.
[00:11.56] Jerry's friend knew him, and thought he would treat me well.
[00:16.66] Unfortunately, I hardly saw this man, as his foreman was left to care for me.
[00:26.05] Often I had to carry heavier loads than I should.
[00:32.71] To my horror, I was also driven in a bearing rain, and this put an awful strain on my body.
[00:42.57] But worst of all was my stable.
[00:46.98] It was very dark, and the poor light weakened my sight.
[00:52.80] Imagine how bad it felt, being led from the darkness straight out into bright sunlight.
[01:00.88] It was blinding and often made me stumble.
[01:05.48] The foreman wasn't happy with me, and soon he got my owner to trade me for a younger horse.
[01:14.29] I shall never forget my next owner.
[01:20.36] Nicholas Skinner had a large hooked nose, more teeth than a bulldog, and a temper as hard as his voice.
[01:30.21] He was a cruel man, and if I thought that I'd been miserable in previous homes, then I'd been mistaken.
[01:40.80] Life with Nicholas Skinner was the worst it had ever been.
[01:46.92] Skinner owned a string of cabs, and he worked his horses and drivers seven days a week.
[01:55.59] Often I had to carry four adult passengers plus their driver on long trips in the hot sun.
[02:05.50] No one ever thought to get out and walk, even at the steepest of hills.
[02:11.97] My driver whipped me so cruelly that I bled.
[02:18.27] Some days, I was even too tired to eat my food.
[02:25.90] Life became so awful that, like Ginger, I wished I could drop down dead to be out of my misery.
[02:36.66] Then, I nearly did.
[02:40.78] I'd already done a hard day's work when my driver stopped at the station and picked up a family of four.
[02:49.87] There was a father, a mother, a boy, a small girl, and a mountain of luggage.
[03:00.35] Daddy, said the girl, surely this horse can't carry all of us.
[03:09.13] Of course he can, laughed my driver.
[03:13.31] Climb in and I'll show you.
[03:18.50] A porter began to load the luggage onto the cab, and the little girl came and stroked my face.
[03:28.05] Daddy, she said anxiously.
[03:33.92] Please hire a second cab.
[03:38.75] It's cruel to make this horse work so hard.
[03:44.98] No one listened to her, and when the luggage was loaded, she was made to climb aboard too.
[03:56.19] My driver jerked my reins and lashed me with the whip as I slowly moved off.
[04:07.31] The load was extremely heavy, and it was a struggle to pull it.
[04:14.20] But I did my best until we came to Ludgate Hill.
[04:19.71] There, the hill beat me.
[04:26.07] One minute I was straining with all my might, my driver whipping me harder and harder.
[04:36.28] The next, my feet seemed to slip away from me, and I crashed to the ground, landing on my side.
[04:47.56] Badly winded, I lay where I'd fallen and hoped I was dying.
[04:54.72] Around me, people were panicking, but over the noise I could hear that sweet little girl's voice.
[05:05.37] Oh, she kept saying.
[05:12.13] That poor horse, and it's all our fault.
[05:21.63] Finally someone came and unhitched my cab.
[05:27.74] A policeman shouted orders, but I kept my eyes closed.
[05:33.54] My breath came in short rasps, and a man poured a liquid into my mouth.
[05:42.05] After a while, he tried to help me to stand.
[05:48.29] I was shocked and badly bruised, and it took several attempts before I made it.
[05:57.75] Slowly the man led me to a nearby stable.
[06:03.88] I was given warm gruel and left to rest.
[06:10.31] The stable was full of fresh straw, and it was so comfortable, I wanted to stay there forever.
[06:20.00] By the evening, I was well enough to be led back to Skinner's place, where a farrier came to check my health.
[06:29.70] He's overworked, the farrier said.
[06:35.75] He needs to rest for at least six months.
[06:41.44] Then he must go for dog meat, snapped Skinner angrily.
[06:48.87] I'm not feeding a horse to laze around all day.
[06:53.97] There's a horse sale in 10 days.
[06:57.77] Why not feed him up and sell him there? suggested the farrier.
[07:04.61] You'll get more money than if you sell him for dog meat.
[07:12.11] Hmm, said Skinner unwillingly.
[07:18.17] I suppose I might.
[07:21.99] Skinner was a greedy man and decided that's what he'd do.
[07:28.42] There followed 10 wonderful days of complete rest and delicious food, and I changed my mind about wanting to die.
[07:45.79] When the day of the horse sale came, I felt almost cheerful.
[07:53.51] Maybe my next home would be better.