H M Peel (Hazel Mary Peel) is one of the lesser known pony book authors, probably because only two of her books were printed in paperback in the UK (Jago and Fury, by Armada in 1973). Both these stories are set in Australia, and are tales of racing and wild horses. Jago in particular is a powerful story which gives a strong sense of what it is like to be a horse. Jago, who starts life as a race horse, is made into a rogue by thoughtless treatment. He breaks out and starts to live life in the wild. His conversion into a horse in harmony with his harsh new environment is brilliantly described.
H M Peel’s other titles form a series (though they do in fact join up with the Jago
story in Untamed). The Leysham Stud series features a grown-
The first book featuring Ann is Pilot the Hunter, in which Ann buys the piebald Pilot at auction. He is, as she says, “difficult at first”: in fact most of the horses in the series are difficult, but for very different reasons.
Finding the books: the hardback books are very hard to find (though the two Pilot
books were also printed in America -
You can read an interview with Hazel Peel here.
Hazel Peel writes now as Wallis Peel, and this link will take you to her website.
Acknowledgements: many thanks to Sarah Beasley for the pictures of Pilot the Chaser and Dido and Rogue.
Harrap, London, 1959, 152 pp, illus by Joan Kiddell Monroe (centre)
Franklin Watts, New York, 1959 (left) -
Armada, pb, 1973 (right)
Fury is a Thoroughbred/Brumby cross, born into the Australian outback.
He is captured and tamed by Jim and Mary, survives a fire which almost ruins
the station, and then saves them all by winning the Melbourne Cup and then
standing at stud.
Harrap, London, 1962, 172 pp, illus Keith Money
Franklin Watts, New York, 1962
Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau for the picture to the left.
Ann’s family think she is mad when she buys Pilot, a mean-
piebald, at a sale. She thinks he has possibilities, and with the help
of Jim Henderson, she trains Pilot to be a hunter.
Harrap, London, 1964, 151 pp, illus Keith Money
Franklin Watts, New York, 1964
Ann has now married Jim and they have bought a farm they want to
turn into a stud, but at first they concentrate on teaching Pilot
to be a chaser.
Harrap, London, 1965, 180 pp, illus Michael Lyne (left)
As The Show Jumper
Franklin Watts, New York, 1965 (centre)
Fidra Books, Edinburgh, 2009, 179 pp
Many thanks to Jacquie Thomas for the UK picture.
Easter is Pilot’s piebald sister Ann wants to show jump her,
but Easter is tricky, to say the least, either refusing or bolting
despite her undoubted ability. Then their lovely colt Night
Storm is let out of his field by Magic the Shetland, and disappears.
Harrap, London, 1966, illus Sheila Rose
Armada, paperback, 128 pp, 1973
Giete, 2011, pb
Jago is a Thoroughbred racehorse, intended for the track, but he has a wild spirit and is sold on to
an outback station. There he kills a man who tries to tame him, and Jago escapes into the bush.
There he eventually learns to live as a wild horse.
Harrap, London, 1966, 176 pp, illus Clyde Pearson
Night Storm is Easter’s foal, now recovered from his ill treatment while he was stolen. Night Storm is sent
for training to Henry Matthew’s training stables, which have just opened up near the Leysham Stud. If Night
Storm is a winner, he will be kept by the Stud as a stallion, but his temperament makes him difficult to
race, and then before the St Leger, for which the colt is entered, there is a plot to dope him.
Harrap, London, 1967, illus Phyllida Legg, 174 pp.
Rogue is one of Ann and Jim’s breeding, but he is horribly vicious and they are almost
in despair over what to do with him. Eventually they decide to harness race him, which
seems to suit his temperament. The mare Dido becomes a polo pony.
Harrap, London, 1968, illus Robert Hodgson, 175 pp.
Gay Darius is a welcome addition to Ann and Jim Henderson’s stock at the Leysham Stud Farm, but
beautiful though the palomino is, he creates problems. He’s a star gazer, which doesn’t meld particularly
well with Ann’s desire to train the horse for dressage. Added to the equine problems, O’Hara, father of
their groom, has now escaped from prison, and is intent on the revenge on the person who put him there:
Ann.
Harrap, London,1969, 133pp, illus Mortelmans
Ann and Jim have gone to Australia. They see the wild and beautiful horse Jago, and eventually
Ann forms enough of a bond with the horse for the couple to think of using the horse for breeding.
Tabb House, 2000, illus Michael Bowkett & Susan Cutting
(Previously printed as Pocket Dictionary of the Horse, Abson 1978 -
Thanks to Hazel Peel for sending me the scan of this book, which is still in print.
Leysham Stud
Pilot the Hunter
Pilot the Chaser
Easter the Showjumper
Night Storm the Flat Racer
Dido and Rogue
Gay Darius
Untamed
The Jago Pair
Jago
Untamed
