Black Beauty is a carefree colt, just beginning his training, when he is sold to the loving Gordon family. Here, Beauty meets a spirited young filly named Ginger and proves his heroism in a raging river. But good-natured stable boy Joe doesn't care for him properly and the horse becomes sick. Joe nurses Beauty back to health and later rescues him from a stable fire. Beauty and Ginger are sold and both horses (particularly Ginger) are abused by their new family. Scarred but still spry, Beauty eventually is bought by Jerry, a decent man who operates a livery cab. This life proves harder on Jerry than on his horse. Beauty is sold again, then nearly worked to death hauling grain. At last, he is rescued by Joe and put out to pasture to enjoy the last years of his life.