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Pony Books:
SHE WANTED A PONY
(MUSEUM PRESS 1951)
Reprinted in hardback by Andrew Dakers which is by far the easiest edition to find.
SUMMARY: Ruth and Monica go to the same school but are world's apart. Ruth is rich and spoilt and decides she wants a pony simply because it is the fashion and her parents can afford it. Monica longs for a pony but her family is poor and cannot afford one, so borrows one from a local farmer. When she becomes friends with a girl called Pat who has two ponies of her own, Pat becomes keen to have Monica own one of them.
BLACK FURY
(LUTTERWORTH 1953)
Published in the USA with 2 other pony books by other authors in an omnibus edition entitled Three Great Horse Stories. (See below for more info)
SUMMARY: The story of Nick and Shillagh, a boy and a thoroughbred mare who are both lonely and neglected. Together they find friendship and happiness.
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES
RIDING FOR RIDGE ABBEY
(LUTTERWORTH 1954)
ILLUSTRATED BY BOWE
SUMMARY: Pony cum school story. Ridge Abbey is a school whose favourite subject on the curriculum is riding. Even the headmistress is horse-mad! The girls at the school are hoping to do well at the upcoming show and win the jumping for the third time, keeping the prize cup for the school. But then a snooty riding establishment opens nearby with lots of expensive well-trained ponies which threaten the girl's chances. To make matters worse the school's star jumping pony goes lame. Can the girls train the temperamental Boxer in time for the show and he will jump well enough to keep the cup for the girl's beloved school?
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORSESHOES
HOOFBEATS
(PHOENIX HOUSE 1955)
ILLUSTRATED BY PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES
Also Children's Book Club edition.
SUMMARY; Fictionalised autobiographical account of the author's youth with ponies and her friend.
TRIPLE BAR
(LUTTERWORTH 1956)
ILLUSTRATED BY GEOFFREY WHITTAM
Reprinted by original publisher a few times in the 1950s and 1960s.
SUMMARY: When Cobber is born he is to be Lida's very own horse to love and train. His mother is her father's ex-showjumper and she hopes jumping will be in his blood. Lida and Cobber soon form a deep bond and it also becomes clear he has inherited his dam's talent as a jumper. But when her father has an accident both Lida and Cobber's world changes forever…
PONYMAD VIEW: Along the line of Black Beauty this is a riches to rags to riches story of a horse. Partly pony, partly human viewpoint. It is however much better than the average book of this sort and is quite heart-warming. Lovely illustrations
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES
MUSICAL RIDE
(LUTTERWORTH 1958)
SUMMARY: Gerry loves her school as it includes riding on the curriculum! It is has always been the tradition of one of the older girls to teach riding to the younger ones and head girl Carole, an excellent rider, is a popular teacher. But after an accident to one of the girls the Headmistress decides they must employ a proper riding mistress. Miss Tanner is unpleasant, seems to know little about horsemanship and upsets all the girls. But could she be even worse than they imagined? Gerry finds out the unpleasant truth and must sacrifice her role in the long-awaited musical ride to save her beloved school.
PONYMAD RATING: 3-4 HORSESHOES
CORN AND CARROT TOPS
(EPWORTH 1960)
ILLUSTRATED BY NINA SCOTT LANGLEY
SUMMARY: Quirky story of a pony who sets off to London to seek his fortune as a poet!
Other Editions:
THREE GREAT HORSE STORIES
(With Mildred Pace & Henry Larom)
(WHITTLESEY HOUSE {USA] 1955)
ILLUSTRATED BY WESLEY DENNIS & ROSS SANTEE
Published in the USA only.
SUMMARY: A compilation of 3 pony books including the authors Black Fury, along with Old Bones by Mildred Pace and Mountain Pony and the Pinto Colt by Henry Larom
Collectors Info:
Although not exactly common, most of the books can be found reasonably easily in the UK. Can be harder to find with good jackets however. As the author is not as well known or as fashionable as some of her contemporaries, the books are usually reasonably priced. Corn and Carrot Tops is the hardest to find of them and usually the most expensive.
In the USA the only one commonly seen is Black Fury and this is mainly in the 3 in 1 compilation edition. The others are fairly hard to find and can be expensive. Many of the books can be found in Australia, but again may be expensive.
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