Black Beauty goes to a horse fair to be sold; there are many horses of various ages and conditions. Many different men inspect Beauty, and he pays attention to the prospective owners, hopeful that he will be bought by a kindly man. Fortunately, a kind man named Jerry Barker decides to buy Beauty. Jerry takes Beauty back with him to London, and to his modest home, where they are greeted by Jerry’s wife Polly and their two young children. The whole family seems to treat each other, and their new horse, with care and kindness, and Beauty ends his eventful day on a hopeful note, “thinking I was going to be happy” (120).

Beauty’s first impressions of his new family are quickly confirmed: Jerry and Polly have a very loving relationship with one another, and their children, Harry and Dolly. Jerry drives a cab; his other horse is named Captain. They decide to call Beauty “Jack”, and Jerry treats him with great care. On the first morning that Jerry takes his cab out with Black Beauty, the other cab drivers comment on him with interest and curiosity; some are suspicious as to how such a fine-looking horse came to be sold for a low price.