[00:01.78] Chapter six.
[00:03.18] We'll never see them again.
[00:07.53] John was extremely cross with Joe for making me ill.
[00:12.02] Joe worked extra hard to make up for his terrible mistake.
[00:17.38] But he was too small to do some of the jobs like riding Ginger and me.
[00:23.73] Then, one day, the squire needed to send an urgent message, and only Joe was free.
[00:32.18] Here was his chance to prove himself.
[00:39.62] "You will have to ride Black Beauty," said the squire, "But please be careful."
[00:49.24] Joe rode me very well, and we passed the message on and came home.
[00:55.57] On the way back, we saw two horses and a heavy cart of bricks all stuck in the mud.
[01:04.84] "Get on!" roared the coachman, cruelly whipping the horses.
[01:11.69] "Stop!" shouted Joe.
[01:14.75] "Please don't hurt those horses.
[01:18.74] It's not their fault that the cart is stuck.
[01:23.25] If you take some of the bricks off, it'll be easier to pull the cart free.
[01:29.10] I'll help you."
[01:31.61] "Get lost!" yelled the coachman angrily.
[01:38.00] "Just mind your own business."
[01:42.11] Then he carried on beating the horses.
[01:48.93] Joe was furious.
[01:51.99] I'd never seen him so mad.
[01:55.29] He turned me around and rode like the wind to the brick maker's house.
[02:03.54] "Mr. Clay, come quickly!" he called.
[02:08.72] "Your horses are stuck in the mud, and your coachman is whipping them to death."
[02:16.05] "Thanks, Joe."
[02:19.33] Mr. Clay dashed out of the house to rescue his horses.
[02:25.96] Joe was so angry, he rode me home at a smart trot.
[02:31.87] He didn't calm down until he reached the stables.
[02:37.02] There, he told everyone what he'd done, and John was pleased.
[02:44.11] "Well done, Joe," he said.
[02:48.47] "You did the right thing."
[02:57.36] Several weeks later, we heard that the brick maker's coachman had been taken to court for cruelty to horses.
[03:07.49] It was the making of Joe.
[03:11.73] Overnight, he turned from a timid boy to a confident young man.
[03:20.03] I'd been at Butwick Park for three years, and I was very happy.
[03:26.46] How could I know that change was on its way?
[03:31.97] My whole life was about to be turned upside down for the worse.
[03:40.41] We horses knew that Mrs. Gordon was often sick.
[03:47.98] But it was a huge shock when we learned that the doctor had told her she must move to a warmer country, or she would die.
[04:01.07] Of course, the squire wanted to go abroad at once.
[04:06.78] In no time at all, Butwick Park was sold, and all of us horses were sent to new homes.
[04:18.27] Marylegs was given to the Vica's children, and I was pleased for him.
[04:24.40] The Vicarage would be a good home, especially as Joe had been given a job there, too.
[04:33.01] John decided to give up being a coachman and train young horses instead.
[04:40.26] He would be good at it.
[04:42.86] John had an excellent manner with us, and I was going to miss him.
[04:52.80] Too soon, the day came for the squire and Mrs. Gordon to leave Butwick Park.
[05:01.32] Ginger and I had the sad job of taking them to the station.
[05:08.11] With heavy hearts, we made that journey.
[05:13.99] Everyone was very quiet, and at the station, Joe buried his face in my coat to hide his tears.
[05:25.55] As the train left, John said quietly, "We'll never see them again."
[05:35.14] He drove us home in silence.
[05:41.50] Only Butwick Park was no longer our home.
[05:46.93] Ginger and I had been sold, and we were off to a new life with a new owner.