Many thanks to Hannah Fleetwood, who wrote this section.
A not so well known pony
book author, Jo Furminger has 8 pony books to her credit, forming the popular, but
often scarce, Blackbirds series.
Jo Furminger was born in Coventry in 1932. She began riding at the quite mature age
of 12, when she had A Pony For Jean by Joanna Cannan for a birthday present and read
it 9 times! She regularly cycled 16 miles one day a week to ride her favourite pony
but never owned her own.
She wrote her first full length pony story at 14, which was kindly criticised by
a sympathetic publisher and she had to wait some years more before she got one into
print. After leaving school she went to college and trained as a teacher. She taught
until the birth of her daughter, Justine, in 1962, and then returned to part time
teaching some 5 years later, teaching KS 1.
Her daughter inherited her love of horses, not to mention talent as a writer, and
competed regularly as well as becoming an accomplished author herself at a young
age. Justine read Modern European History at university and also found time to write
and get into print her first pony book, Bobbie Takes The Reins in 1981 and its sequel
Bobbie’s Sponsored Ride in 1982.
Jo Furminger wrote several other children’s books, although none of them were horsy.
The Blackbirds Series
“Claire Forrester had once been pony mad. But that came to an abrupt stop when she
and her mount parted company on a trek. So the discovery that her new home came complete
with a resident pony was NOT good news. But suprises are in store for Claire, particularly
when she finds herself a founder member of the Blackbirds pony group.” [From the
DW of Pony At Blackbird Cottage]
This and the following 7 books followed the adventures, trials and tribulations of various members of the group.
Finding the books: the first 3 titles were reprinted in pb by Knight in 1980 and
are relatively easy, and cheap, to source. The other 5 books, to my knowledge, were
never re-
A Pony at Blackbird Cottage
Hodder & Stoughton, 1975, illus Susan Hunter
Reprinted
in pb, Knight, 1975, 120 pp.
Claire Forrester was pony mad until she and her pony
parted company on a pony trek in Wales.
Then her family moved house, and she found
that the new house came with an unusual added
extra: a pony. Then Claire becomes
a founder member of the Blackbirds Pony Group.
Blackbirds Ride a Mystery Trail
Hodder & Stoughton, 1976, illus Susan Hunter’
Reprinted in pb, Knight, 1976, 121 pp.
Philippa doesn’t have a pony of her own, and it’s taking her a long time to earn
enough
money to buy one. Then the Blackbird Pony Group invite Philippa
to join them. They
help out at the local riding school, and in return get free
lessons and can borrow
the ponies.
Blackbirds’ Pony Trek
Hodder & Stoughton, 1977, illus Susan Hunter
Reprinted in pb,
Knight, 1981
The Blackbirds Pony Group do very badly at the local gymkhana, and to improve themselves,
and show
their critics they can ride, they decide to do a pony trek. All does not
go as planned, however...
Blackbirds and the Gift Pony
Hodder & Stoughton, 1978, illus Susan Hunter
Sally’s parents were going to the USA, and she had to stay behind. The only compensation,
she thought, is
that she would be allowed to ride Neill's pony. However, Neill is
vile, and unless his mother is watching, Sally’s
not allowed near the pony. Then
Sally meets a strange lady who gives her a pony, and this leads her to
the Blackbirds
Pony group (Neill's sworn enemies). There’s doubt though about whether the pony
is really hers.
Neill certainly doesn’t think so.
Blackbird’s Own Gymkhana
Hodder & Stoughton, 1979, illus Susan Hunter
Many thanks to Sarah Beasley for the picture.
“The Blackbirds feel they can't wait nine whole weeks for the next gymkhana -
own. Easier said than done, for their are a number of
problems to surmount -
about judges? And Prizes? there
are also other difficulties. A young and inexperienced neighbour is determined
to
tag along too, and the Blackbirds encounter the formidable Mrs Tavener, who is set
on ruining their carefully
laid plans. However, a dramatic event suddenly turns the
jinxed gymkana into a big success.”
Saddle up Blackbirds
Hodder & Stoughton, 1980, illus Susan Hunter
Phanton, the Mainwarings’ pony, is found lame and muddy. It’s obvious someone’s borrowed
the pony, and
the Blackbirds are furious. They decide to solve the mystery, but have
no idea that their investigations will
in the end mean they try to buy some land
for a riding school.
Blackbirds at the Gallop
Hodder & Stoughton, 1980, illus Susan Hunter
Many thanks to Annette York for the picture.
Joanna, who is not the most popular member of Blackbirds, is horrified when her horse
injures a judge’s foot
at the local gymkhana. The Blackbirds try to make up for it
by offering to help the judge at her own riding stables,
but of course it doesn’t
go to plan. There is a lost child, and Joanna, who is a bit accident prone, is blamed
for
everything that goes wrong. However, in the end she saves the day.
Blackbirds and the Midnight Horse
Hodder & Stoughton, 1984, illus Susan Hunter
Susan is terrified when she looks out of the window on a dark and stormy night, and
there, in her garden, is a
ghostly grey horse. There is no sign of it next morning.
Is it a ghost? And if not, who is the owner?
Bibliography -
The Blackbirds Series
A Pony at Blackbird Cottage
Blackbirds Ride a Mystery Trail
Blackbirds’ Pony Trek
Blackbirds and the Gift Pony
Blackbird’s Own Gymkhana
Saddle Up Blackbirds
Blackbirds at the Gallop
Blackbirds and the Midnight Horse
