Black Beauty is a stallion who, as a foal in England c 1856, is born in front of a boy named Joe to whom it is given by his father. He is taken by a brutal Squire#Village leader, who takes over Joe's family farm when the bank forecloses on the loan. After the squire is killed, he is acquired by gypsy (term). After a horse race and fist fight to determine leadership, Black Beauty runs away but is captured by a horse trader who then sells him to a Spanish circus.