About the author
Suzanne Wilding wrote three horse books, which formed a trilogy based on heroine Robin and her family. Wilding is possibly unique in aiming each book at a different reading level. Dream Pony for Robin is for beginner readers, with short sentences and many illustrations. Big Jump for Robin is a middle grade reader/late primary level, and Harlequin Horse moves on to teenage territory, being an altogether darker read than the earlier books, with the focus shifted to Robinโs elder sister, Wendy.
Suzanne Wilding had two daughters; Robin and Wendy, so maybe she wrote the books for the reading level her daughters were at at the time. Besides the trilogy, she has also written and edited collections of horse stories.
Finding the books
As far as I know, the only book of hers to have been published in the UK was Ups and Downs – a First Guide to Riding and Horse Care. The books are all easy to find in the US. The only difficulty, as with so many American books, is finding ones which arenโt ex-library.
Links and sources
Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau for the information and photographs in this section.
Bibliography (horse books only)
Dream Pony for Robin
St Martin’s Press, 1962, illus Sam Savitt
Robin has to sell her pony Snooks because she knows her parents need the money. She does, however, get some satisfaction from helping the ponyโs new owner to show him well.
Big Jump for Robin
St Martin’s Press, 1965, illus Sam Savitt
Parentsโ Magazine Press, 1974
Harlequin Horse
D Van Nostrand Co, 1969, cover Sam Savitt
Robinโs sister Wendy leases Harlequin from Muriel. At first she wonders why Muriel wasnโt riding the horse, but then she finds out he has heaves, and that Muriel is on the edge of a breakdown.
Horses, Horses, Horses: ย A Collection of Stories
Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1970
Horses in Action
St Martinโs Press, New York, 1972
Horse Tales
(edited by Suzanne Wilding)
St Martin’s Press, New York,1976, illus Sam Savitt
