12 Hard times

I was sold to a baker who Jerry knew,but the baker's bearing rein up.This made it difficult for me to pull a heavy cart,and I found the work very hard.

One day,after three or four months of this,I was pulling the cart,which was much heavier than usual,up a steep hill.I had to stop several times to rest,which didn't please Jakes.

'Move on, you lazy horse, or I'll make you!'he shouted,and he hit me with his whip.

After a few more metres,I had to stop again.The whip came down across my back once more and the pain was sharp.I was doing my best but the driver was still punishing me cruelly,which seemed very unfair.

Jakes was whipping me a third time when a woman hurried over and said,'Oh,please don't whip your horse like that. I think I can help,if you'll let me.'

Jakes laughed.'Oh?'

'He can't use all his strength when his head is held back with that bearing rein,'the woman went on.'If you take it off,I'm sure he'll do better.'

'Anything to please a lady,'said Jakes,smiling.

The rein was taken off and I moved my head up and down several times to help my aching neck.

'Poor boy,is that what you wanted?'said the woman, pat-ting me.She turned to Jakes.'If you speak to him kindly and lead him on,I believe he'll do better.'

Jakes took the rein,and I put down my head and moved on.I pulled the cart up the hill, then stopped to take a breath.

'Well, that helped,' said Jakes,'but if I went without a bearing rein all the time,the other cart drivers would laugh at me.It's fashionable,you see.'

'It's better to start a good fashion than to follow a bad one,'said the woman.'Many gentlemen don't use bearing reins now.'

She gave me another pat on the neck and walked on.

After that,Jakes always took off my bearing rein when I was going up a hill,and that made my life easier.But pulling heavy carts day after day slowly began to exhaust me and a younger horse was brought in to do my work.

* * *

I was sold to another cab owner whose name was Nicholas Skinner.He was hard on his drivers,and they were hard on the horses.We worked long hours,had no Sunday rest,and it was a hot summer.

My driver was just as hard as his master,and he had a cruel whip with something sharp at the end which often cut me and made me bleed.It was a terrible life,and sometimes,like poor Ginger,I wished I was dead.

One day I nearly got my wish.

We were at the railway station when a family of four people hired us There was a noisy man with a lady,a little boy,a young girl, and a lot of heavy luggage.

'Father,'said the young girl,'this poor horse can't take us and all our luggage.He's too tired.'

'Oh, he's all right, miss!'said my driver.He put a heavy box on the cab with the other luggage.

'Father,please take a second cab,'said the girl.'I'm sure this is very cruel.'

'Grace,get in at once,and don't be stupid,'said her father.'The driver knows his own business.'

My gentle friend had to obey,and box after box was lifted up and put on the top of the cab,or next to the driver.Then the driver hit me with his whip and we moved out of the sta-tion. The cab was very heavy and I had not eaten or rested since early that morning.I did my best and got along quite well un-til we came to Ludgate Hill.By then I was exhausted,and the heavy cab was too much for me.My feet went from under me and I fell heavily,knocking all the breath out of me.I lay quite still because I could not move.Indeed, I expected to die.

There were angry voices above me and luggage was taken off the cab,but it was all like a dream.I tnought I heard the girl's voice saying,'Oh,that poor horse!It's all our fault!'

Someone loosened my bridle and collar,and another voice said,'He's dead,he'll never get up again.'I heard a police-man giving orders but I did not open my eyes.Cold water was thrown over my head,some medicine was put into my mouth,and I was covered with a cloth.

I don't know how long I was there,but a man with a kind voice persuaded me to try to get up and I managed it.Then I was gently led to some stables close by.

That evening,I was taken back to Skinner's stables,and the next morning the horse-doctor came to see me.

'He's been worked too hard,'said the doctor.'There's no strength left in him.'

'Then he must go for dog food,'said Skinner.'I have no fields for sick horses.It doesn't suit my business.I work them for as long as they'll go,then I sell them for what I can get.'

'There's a horse fair in ten days' time,' said the doctor.'If you rest him and give him food, he may get better,and then you may get more than his skin's worth.'

Luckily for me,Skinner took the doctor's advice and,after rest and food,I began to feel better.Ten days later, I was taken to the horse fair,a few miles outside London.