Pony book topics

In this section I’ve tried to categorise pony books by what they’re mostly about: obviously most pony books have their showing and gymkhana sections, but this doesn’t make them mostly about showing. The books listed via the links below have as their main subject the topic they are listed under: this isn’t an exact science, so you might not agree with what I’ve put, but if you’re looking for a book on eventing, for example, then the titles listed will at least give you something.

4-H

‘It … spends more time developing leadership skills than does Pony Club. I would think of it as a cross between Young Farmers and Girl Guides/Boy Scouts. A 16-year-old gal from our stable is currently president of the local 4-H horse club … and she has had to learn skills to preside over meetings and organize events as well as the horsemanship skills. In the same line, every 4H member has to learn public speaking skills, presentation/ showmanship skills, basic judging skills for their animals, and how to document everything that happens to their animal.

Locally, as well as the Horse Club, there is a Beef Club, a Dairy Club, a Sheep Club, a Rabbit and Guinea Pig Club, and even a club focusing on small engines and maintenance of the machinery used on farms and rural property – that’s to keep the boys interested as they get older.’ 

Barbara, Canada

Elisa Bialk: Jill’s Victory – Jill joins 4-H with her gelding Victory
Hetty Burlinghame-Beatty: Trumper – Mark tries to train his horse so he can enter the 4-H farm horse competition
Anne Colver: Lucky 4 – Jill asks a friend to help her with her 4-H project, her pregnant mare
Lavinia R Davis: Sandy’s Spurs – Sandy and friends prepare for a 4-H fair
Patsey Gray: 4-H Filly – Sandy thinks she might have to sell her filly
Priscilla D Willis: Jory and the Buckskin Jumper – Jory wants to turn his pony into an Olympic quality jumper

A world of their own

Some of the earliest pony books took readers into a fantastical world: in the 1930s, John Thorburn introduced the talking Hildebrand, and Primrose Cumming tapped pony-mad children’s dreams with Silver Snaffles, in which ponies could talk, and taught you to ride. In the decades since, there has been a steady trickle of flying horses, ghosts and supernatural talents, but in the last twenty years or so there has been a flood of equine fantasy. Some of it is very bad indeed; and there is a distressing tendency for unicorns (who are particularly popular with fantasy writers) to be creatures of such matchless goodness they render their creators devoid of all critical faculties. There are writers who have managed to avoid this trap, and winged horses fly over New York; the Crusades are visited with fantasy, and angels watch over horses.

Celtic Mythology

Patricia Leitch: The Horse from Black Loch – a family try to protect the water horse
Patricia Leitch: The Jinny series – some elements of fantasy occur throughout the series
Fay Sampson: The White Horse is Running, Finnglass of the Horses – Celtic mythology meets horses

Fantasy

Marion Dane Bauer: Touch the Moon – a china horse is much more than he seems
Sue Bentley: Magic Ponies series – a magical pony tries to find his sister with help from humans
Caitlin Brennan: Mountain’s Call series – gods take the form of white horses
Caitlin Brennan: Epona series – Sarama tries to protect the lands and people of EponaAlyssa Brugman: The Equen Queen – horse-like creatures have the ability to heal
Betsy Byars: The Winged Colt of Casa Mia – a winged horse is born on a ranch
Nancy Caffrey: Mig o’ the Moor – a mystical stallion helps Danny overcome his fear of racing
Lindsey Campbell: Horse of Air
Page Cooper: Amigo, Circus HorsePrimrose Cumming: Deep Sea HorsePeter de Cosemo: Led by the Grey – a teenage boy discovers he can talk to horses
Angela Dorsey: Horse Angel/Guardian series – a mystical girl is called to protect horses
Angela Dorsey: Whinnies on the Wind series – a girl can communicate with horses
Monica Dickens: Messenger series – occasional fantastic elements; not much pony content
Emily Edwards: The Trouble with Being a Horse – a girl wakes up and finds she has turned into a horse
Carol Emshwiller: Mister Boots – set in Depression era America, with a hero who is sometimes a horse, and sometimes not
Jamieson Findlay: The Blue Roan Child – wordless communication between human and horse in a fantasy world
Elizabeth Vincent Foster: Lyrico, the Only Horse of His Kind – girl gets a skewbald with wings
Phyllis Garrard: Plum Duff and Prunella
Harry Greenberg: Horse Fantastic – collection of short stories
Stacy Gregg: Pony Club Secrets series – mostly Pony Club, but some fantasy horses
Brian Hayles: Moon Stallion – the White Horse of Uffington goes mystical
Pamela Kavanagh: The Pony Swap, Hoofbeats on the Wind, Pony Farm Mystery, Taladdin, Dreamcatcher, Hoofbeats at Midnight
Joan Lamburn: The Mushroom Pony – a fantastic pony tale
Betty Levin: A Binding Spell – strange things happen at the barn
Elizabeth Lindsay: Magic Pony series – a miniature magical pony
Michael Maguire: Mylor and Mylor – the Kidnap – Mylor is mechanical, yet lives
Michael Maguire: Swiftly, Swiftly 2 – it’s a greyhound with mystical powers in this series
Magdalen Nabb: The Enchanted Horse – Irina’s little wooden horse is enchanted
Kate O’Hearn: Pegasus series – the Olympian Gods, Pegasus, and modern New York collide
Jenny Oldfield: My Magical Pony series – Krista is helped in her adventures by a mystical pony
Glenda Spooner: The Silk Purse – entirely normal showing novel which does surprising short lived excursion into fantasy
Mary Stanton: The Heavenly Horse From The Outermost West, Piper At The Gates

Ghosts and Haunting

Carolyn Henderson: The Grey Ghost – a ghostly horse helps the heroine save her riding school
Eleanor Jones: Dreams or Demons – Laura and her horse are pursued by a mysterious creature
Eleanor Jones: Echo of Hooves – has a robber’s ghost been riding Libby’s horse?
Eleanor Jones: Fears and Phantoms – a mysterious fire comes and goes
Angela Dorsey: Freedom series – a haunted barn
Janni Lee Simner: Phantom Horse series – Star is a ghost horse whom only Callie can see
Nancy Springer: Sky Rider – a ghostly horse helps out
Ann Wigley: The Red Horse Haunting – an old stable is haunted

Talking Horses

Rita Mae Brown: Sister series – talking horses
Primrose Cumming: Silver Snaffles – Jenny enters a magical world where ponies talk, and teach you to ride
Brian Fairfax-Lucy: Horses in the Valley – three horses talk about their owners
Priscilla Hallowell: Dinah and Virginia – Virginia the horse talks, but only to her owner
Janet Rising: Horse Whisperer series – Pia can talk to horses because she has found a statue of Epona
John Thorburn: Hildebrand – poor Hildebrand was cursed at birth with only being able to eat things that start with an “H”
C Northcote Parkinson: Ponies Plot – riding school ponies organise their own lives

Time Slip

Rita Mae Brown: Riding Shotgun – time slip mystery
Jean Slaughter Doty: Can I Get There by Candlelight? Time slip fantasy

Unicorns

Linda Chapman: Secret Unicorn series – Twilight the grey pony is in fact a unicorn
Babette Cole: Fetlocks Hall series – heroine Penny goes to an unusual school. Which has unicorns
Alan Garner: Elidor – the best unicorn story. It has no equals
Mary Stanton: Unicorns of Ballinor

Circuses/trick riding

Circuses, at least those with performing animals, are not as widely accepted as they once were, with some British councils refusing to allow circus acts involving animals to take place. Before the 1970s, circuses were widely accepted, and regularly advertised their forthcoming shows in the equine press. The circus proved attractive to some equine authors, either as a source of mistreatment, from which a horse needed rescuing, or as an opportunity for performance.

Kitty Barne: Rosina and Son – Rosina spends some of her life pre-rescue as a performing horse
Dora Broome: Circus Pony
Paul Brown: Crazy Quilt, Circus Pony – two circus ponies have a holiday
Alyssa Brugman: Hide and Seek – Shelby’s pony looks as if he’s a perfect trick-riding pony
M E Buckingham: The Great Carlos – Carlos achieves his ambition of riding in a circus
Anne Bullen and Rosemary Oldfield: Darkie the Life Story of a Pony – pony biography based on Bullen and Oldfield’s circus
J M Berrisford: Sue’s Circus Horse, Ponies All Summer, Sue’s TV Pony – Sue’s Ballita is a trained circus pony
Monica Dickens: Cobbler’s Dream – Callie rescues a horse from a circus
Anne Digby: The Quicksilver Horse – Emma and Silver are stars of a travelling circus
Walter Farley: The Little Black Pony Goes to the Circus – Little Black is taught circus tricks
Kathleen Fidler: Haki the Shetland Pony – Adam’s Shetland pony is sold to a circus
D Glyn Forest: Elmwood Hall – Terence and Bridget put on a circus to raise funds
Patsey Gray: Diving Horse – a girl trains her horse for a diving horse show
Patsey Gray: Heads Up! – Peggy befriends a trick riding family
Berta and Elmer Hader: Cricket, the Story of a Little Circus Pony
Catherine Harris: They Rescued a Pony – a mistreated skewbald is rescued from a circus by the dashing Marsham family
Clarence Hawkes: Dapples of the Circus: the Story of a Shetland Pony and a Boy – Dapples is a circus star
Denise Hill: A Pony for Two – the pony Falla has a remarkable history
Cecilia Knowles: Hua Ma the Flower Pony – Hua Ma works in American and British circuses
Mary Elwyn Patchett: Circus Brumby
Katharine Susanna Prichard: Moggie and her Circus Pony
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: A Job with Horses – a girl’s first job working with horses involves jousting, amongst other things
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: The Trick Jumpers – children work up a trick riding exhibition for a show
Allen Seaby: Sheltie, the Story of a Shetland Pony – Sheltie’s life includes time as a circus pony
Brenda Spender: O’ny Tony’s Circus – Tony performs in a travelling circus
Noel Steatfeild: The Circus is Coming
Carol Vaughan: Dancing Horse – Fleurette is injured and can’t ride her Arabian in the circus, but an unsuspected substitute is found

Creative/writing and painting

The process of writing a pony book crops up very occasionally in pony books; generally as a means of earning money – publishers in past decades being easier to persuade of the merit of publishing a pony book. Girls who draw horses crop up a little more often, but generally it is riding rather than creation that inspires books.

Paul Buddee: Ann Rankin and The Boy Who Painted Horses
Joanna Cannan: I Wrote a Pony Book – our heroine, who otherwise seems to have few talents, writes a pony book
Joanna Cannan: Gaze at the Moon – Dinah earns money through her drawing, and illustrates a pony book
Gillian Hirst/Marion Coakes: Sue Elaine Draws a Horse – Sue Elaine draws, and has a bond with a difficult horse
Patricia Leitch: the Jinny series – our heroine is a talented artist

Dealing in horses

Horse dealers often crop up in pony books: frequently as parents whose offspring have to cope with the fact they no sooner get fond of a pony than it’s sold from underneath them; Peter’s father in K M Peyton’s Fly-by-Night being a prime example. Books which have dealing as their main subject, however, are relatively rare.

Gillian Baxter: Bargain Horses – a mother and daughter team somewhat handicapped by mother’s dealing “talents”
Monica Edwards: Rennie Goes Riding – Rennie’s working experiences include working for a dealer
Lynn Hall: Megan’s Mare – Megan’s parents deal in horses
B L Kearley: Let’s Meet Again – Janet and Mr Wisp have formed a company dealing in horses and riding instruction
Pamela Macgregor-Morris: The Amateur Horsedealers – a family fallen on hard times take up horse dealing to make ends meet
Pamela Macgregor-Morris: The Blue Rosette – Terence Malone becomes involved in dealing
Patience McElwee: The Dark Horse – Irish horsedealers are disapproved of but prove their worth
Diana Pullein-Thompson: The Pony Seekers trilogy – a family take up horse dealing
Mona Sandler: The Young Horse-dealers, Steep Farm Stables – two girls take up horse dealing
Jane Smiley: Abby series – Abby adjusts to life with devout parents. Her father sells horses for a livingKate Thompson: Annan Water – a family are obsessed with their dealing business, leaving their children neglected

Dressage

Although dressage often features in horse novels, it is principally as part of a one day or three day event. Dressage as the sole sport in a book is still rare, despite dressage’s recent upsurge in popularity.

Caroline Akrill: Flying Changes – Oliver is obsessive, driven, and fatally flawed
Carolyn Banks: Death by Dressage series – a series of mysteries set in the dressage world
Gillian Baxter: The Stables at Hampton – Ginny moves from a horrible riding stable to a strict life in a dressage stable
Nancy Feldman: Collective Marks – early American essay into the dressage world
Sara Gruen: Flying Changes
Jessie Haas: Working Trot – James wants to work with horses, and do dressage
Marguerite Henry: The White Stallion of Lipizza – the story of Maestoso Borina
Patrick Lawson: Star Crossed Stallion’s Big Chance – an Arabian stallion finally finds his metier in dressage
Morgan Llywelyn: Star Dancer – Suzanne O’Gorman dreams of the Olympics
Carol Vaughan: Dancing Horse – dressage and circuses

Driving

This section includes anything in which a horse pulls some sort of mode of transport: from horse-drawn caravans to harness racing. Driving has been something of a minority sport since the widespread adoption of the car, and although horses are, particularly in wartime and post-war novels, often trained to harness, this is only a means of getting the heroes and heroines from place to place rather than a major plot device. Monica Edwards’ Romney Marsh stories, for example, have Tamzin’s pony Cascade, and Rissa’s Siani both being used to pull traps.

Caravans

Peter Clover: Sheltie the Hero – a weekend break in a horse-drawn caravan, but Toby the horse threatens the holiday
Monica Edwards: No Mistaking Corker – the Thornton family go on a caravanning holiday
Elinore Havers: The Great Pony Mystery – a caravan and ponies holiday
Kathleen Mackenzie: Vicky and the Pentires – a holiday in a caravan
Marjorie Mary Oliver: Ponies and Caravans: the children and the Fairfaxes travel by caravan to a Dartmoor pony sale
Jo Packer: Gymkhana Trek – children go on a tour of shows by caravan
E H Parsons: Quest for a Pony – a caravan adventure to search for a new pony
Christine Stewart and Julie Yager: Six Horses and a Caravan – Australian tour of horse shows by caravan

Driving

Gillian Baxter: Pantomime Ponies Series – performing ponies do driving
Hilda Boden: Little Grey Pony – a girl crippled in a accident is transformed through learning to drive
Irene Brady: Doodlebug (republished as A Horse Named Doodlebug)
Primrose Cumming: The Wednesday Pony – Jingo the pony spends most of his life as a delivery pony
Myrtle Green: Part Exchange Pony – Stephen’s parents take a pony in part-exchange for a car
June M Groves: The Milkman’s Cob – Happy is a milkman’s horse who comes good as a show jumper
Kathleen Mackenzie: Pony and Trap – Tamzin and John hire a pony and trap to explore the countryside
Mary May: Carol Lane Series – a girl learns independence through driving
Mary May: Defiance at the Inn – historical driving novel
K M Peyton: Right-Hand Man – Ned’s talents as a coachman are spotted
K M Peyton: Crab the Roan – Crab replaces the Duke’s driving pony, China, and turns out to be a horse in a million

Fire Horses

Hetty Burlingham Beatty: Blitz – Blitz is trained as a firehorse, but can no longer work after an accident
Diane Lee Wilson: Firehorse – a badly burned firehorse is rescued by a girl facing prejudice as she seeks to be a vet

Harness Racing and Trotting

Walter Farley: The Blood Bay Colt – Bonfire becomes a successful harness racer
Walter Farley: The Black Stallion’s Sulky Colt – Bonfire continues his racing career and aims for the Hambletonian
Marguerite Henry: Born to Trot – the story of fabled trainer, Benjamin Franklin White
John T Foster: The Gallant Gray Trotter – Lady Suffolk was a fabled 19th century trotter, and this is her story
Don Lang: Strawberry Roan – an old strawberry roan trotter has a second lease of life
Stephen W Meader: Red Horse Hill – Bud helps train the pacer, Cedar
Stephen W Meader: Cedar’s Boy – Shad hopes to drive Cedar’s Boy, Cedar’s grandson
Colonel S P Meek: Bellfarm Star – a story of taking part in the Hambletonian against immense odds
H M Peel: Dido and Rogue – Rogue is trained as a harness racer

Endurance

Endurance riding hasn’t (yet) made it as a major subject for horsy novels. Perhaps its time will come. There are however, some epically long rides in equine fiction (as well of course as classics of equine non fiction like Tschiffely’s Ride); rides generally undertaken for some purpose, rather than a trekking holiday.

Bonnie Bryant: Endurance Ride – a Saddle Club adventure
Mary Ellen Collura: Winners – Jordy returns to the Ask Creek reserve
Lynn Hall: Half the Battle – Loren and his blind brother enter an endurance ride
Hadley Irwin: Moon & Me – Moon helps EJ get her horse ready for a 100 mile endurance ride
Dorothy Lyons: Dark Sunshine – Blythe needs to learn to ride to strengthen her weak leg
Elizabeth van Steenwyk: Ride to Win – Nancy’s horse turns out to be best at endurance riding

Long Rides

Mary Elwyn Patchett: The Long Ride
Diana Pullein-Thompson: The Long Ride Home
Lucy Rees: Horse of Air

Eventing

Eventing burst upon the country in the 1950s, and has proved a fruitful source of horse and pony book plots ever since. It has variety; with the three different elements; dressage, cross country and show jumping, and plenty of excitement and danger.

Caroline Akrill: Eventer’s Dream Series – Elaine is set on eventing professionally, but has a long way to go
Samantha Alexander: Riders series – Alex Johnson’s great ambition is to event
Libby Anderson: A New Horse for Marny – Libby rides a horse previously condemned as dangerous to success
Gillian Baxter: The Perfect Horse – Ellen’s horse Minos never puts a foot wrong
Gillian Baxter: Bargain Horses – Gemma has to ride the terrifying succession of horses her bargain-hunting mother buys
Maggie Dana: No Time for Secrets/Keeping Secrets – Kerry has to overcome her guilt to ride in a one day event
Shirley Faulkner-Horne: Look Before You Leap – Jennifer Cherrington wants to train her horse to event
Dick Francis: Trial Run – Olympic eventing hope threatened by blackmail (eventing content minimal!)
Bryan Forbes: International Velvet – Velvet Brown’s niece wants to ride in the Olympic Three Day Event
Jerri Kroll: the Blues series – American girl moves to Australia and becomes hooked on eventing
Patricia Leitch: Cross Country Pony – Harold the pony is brilliant at cross country but otherwise lethal
Dorothy Lyons: Smoke Rings – Ginny sees an Olympic prospect in the runaway horse she rescues
Toy Martin: Odd Bods – Australian story in which a boy loses his confidence eventing
Barbara May: Five Circles – fictionalised true story of Canadian Olympic eventer, Cilroy
H M Peel: Gay Darius – Gay Darius is trained for dressage and eventing
K M Peyton: The Team – Ruth gets on the Pony Club Team for the One Day Event
Diana Pullein-Thompson: Janet Must Ride – girl groom Janet gets the opportunity to event her employer’s horse
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: One Day Event – the Pony Club puts on a One Day Event
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Pony Club Cup – team eventing contest
Chris St John: Blue Ribbons series – girls and eventing
Lyndon Stacey: Deadfall – adult mystery set in the eventing world
Fiona Walker: Well Groomed, Kiss & Tell – adult stories set in the eventing world
Joan Weir: Storm Rider/Three-Day Challenge – Janey has one chance at a place on the national team
Zita White: One Day Event – an Australian story of an outback team competing against private school teams
Elizabeth Wynne: Pony Quest – a girl events a riding school pony
John Richard Young: Olympic Horseman – Don trains his horses for eventing

Ex-pats

M E Buckingham: Phari, Zong – pony adventures set in Tibet
Major C M Enriquez: Khyberie, Khyberie in Burma – Raj period adventures
Brian Fairfax-Lucy: The Horse from India – Richard’s parents are in India; he is in Leamington Spa and wants to be a jockey
Shirley Faulkner-Horne: Pat and Her Polo Pony – Pat is sent to England from her Indian home
Rudyard Kipling: The Maltese Cat – polo during the Raj
Jeri Kroll: Blues series – an American girl moves to Australia
Decie Merwin: Holiday Summer/Somerhaze Farm – an American girl stays in England
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Phantom Horse – Jean and Angus move to Virginia from the UK and find a wild horse
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Riders from Afar – an American family come to take over a British family’s castle for a holiday
Lady Kitty Ritson: Tessa in South Africa – Tessa and her father move to South Africa
Naomi Wainwright: The Island Pony Club – Bermudian Pony Club adventures

Faith and ponies

There are surprisingly large numbers of evangelistic pony books, with the pony presumably meant to sugar the pill. In pony books of the 1930s to 1960s, characters often go to church – Jill goes on Christmas Day in Jill’s Gymkhana, and Augusta in Diana Pullein-Thompson’s I Wanted a Pony gets into dire trouble after selling the buttons from her best-coat-for-church. Their faith, if they have one, is seen as more of a social event: you go to church because that is what people do. There are moral dilemmas in the books, but the ponies are the focus, not religious faith. Several Christian publishing houses took a more robust view, and produced books in which, more or less overtly, Christianity is combined with ponies.

Patricia Baldwin: Ricky at the Riding School – a career novel, in which Ricky is convinced everyone is against her
Doreen Bairstow: Rosettes for Helen – Jo and Claire dream of a pony of their own
Elizabeth Batt: A Pony to Stay – Lal tries to help her friend keep her pony
Elisabeth Batt: The Wilde Riders – do the wealthy heroes of this story really have everything?
Deborah Bennett: Susan’s Conquest – Susan has to go and stay with an aunt when her mother is ill
Deborah Bennett: Jean’s Black Diamond and Son of Diamond – Jean meets and masters a beautiful black mare
Beryl Bye: Nobody’s Pony, Pony for Sale, Belle’s Bridle – Cathy and her friends learn about ponies
JoAnn Chitwood Collier: A Horse Called… series
Sally Fielding: Kate and the Mystery Ponies and Kate and the Horrible Horse – Kate has adventures on her grey mare Shasta
Sue Garnett: The Ponies of Swallowdale Farm –Cassie is heartbroken when her family have to move to the Lake District
Ambrose Haynes: Helpful Penny, Inquisitive Penny
Jeanne Hovde: A Horse Named Cinnamon/A Horse for Cassie – Cassie is desperate for a riding horse
Marsha Hubler: Keystone Stables series – foster child Skye finds peace through horses and her foster parents
Isobel Knight: Surefooted – Doris loves her pony, even though he isn’t smart
David Lewis: The Horse in the Hills – Andy’s secret leads him into danger in the Welsh hills
Dandi Daley Mackall: Winnie the Horse Gentler series – Winnie has an ability with horses
Elsie Milligan: Golden Girl – a girl dreams of owning a horse
Diana Pullein-Thompson: The Boy Who Came to Stay – a boy learns to ride
Fiona Satow: A Horse Called Krow
Rose-Mary Silvester: Cousins at the Manor School – two South African girls find life in an English school restrictive
Jane Smiley: Abby series – Abby adjusts to life with devout parents
Marion P Stroud: Rainbow’s End – Penny wants to learn to ride
Marion P Stroud: If Wishes Were Horses – two girls wish for things it doesn’t look as if either of them will get
Constance White: Ponies at Westways – Susan finds out that people are not necessarily what they seem
Gail Vinall: Roughshod Ride – Two girls get a holiday job with rides thrown in

Filming/TV/theatre

Film

Caroline Akrill: Make Me a Star, Stars Don’t Cry, Catch a Falling Star – an aspiring actress has to learn to ride
Gillian Baxter: Tan and Tarmac – a London riding school gets involved in filming
Gillian Baxter: Stables at Hampton
Judith M Berrisford: Trouble at Ponyways
Primrose Cumming: The Chestnut Filly – Randall trains his filly for film work
Wendy Douthwaite: Polly on Location – Polly is used in a film
Monica Edwards: The Summer of the Great Secret – the Romney Marsh people do a pageant and are used in a film too
Alice B Emerson: Ruth Fielding at Silver Ranch – Ruth is writing a scenario for a film shot at a mining camp
Dick Francis: Smokescreen – actor Edward Lincoln comes across skullduggery in the South African racing fraternity
Eileen Hill: The Mystery of the Blue Pelican – Robin and her friends are appearing as extras in a film
Patricia Leitch: Chestnut Gold – Jinny, Shantih and the trekkers become involved in a film
Emma Raven: Twilight series – stunt riding and ghosts!
Pat Smythe: A Spanish Adventure – Carol and Peter become involved with a film when they’re in Spain
 K M Peyton: Swallow the Star – Swallow stars in a film about the jockey Fred Archer
Carol Vaughan: Two Foals for Matilda – Matilda the Percheron becomes a film star

Television

Judith M Berrisford: Sue’s TV Pony – Sue’s pony gets to appear on TV
Patience McElwee: The Merrythoughts – the Merrythought children are very reluctant TV stars
Olive Norton: Bob-a-Job Pony – in which a girl tries to raise money for a pony through winning a TV competition

Theatre

Gillian Baxter: Pantomime Ponies series – two ponies are used in theatres
Joan Selby-Lowndes: Mail Coach – historical novel in which a family are involved with Astley’s Circus
Joan Selby-Lowndes: Family Star – the family pony becomes a star in a pantomime

Historical

The past, and in particular war, have provided a rich seam for the equine author to plunder.

British

Catherine Cookson: The Nipper – mining story set in 1800s North East England
Primrose Cumming: The Great Horse – the history of a line of great horses from Tudor times to the 1930s
Eleanor Helme: Dear Busybody – adventures in Victorian Somerset
Marguerite Henry: King of the Wind – story of the Godolphin Arabian, set in 1700s Morocco, France and England
Victoria Holmes: Rider in the Dark – Helena, magistrate’s daughter, experiences smuggling from both sides
Victoria Holmes: The Horse from the Sea – Nora rescues a Spaniard shipwrecked when the Armada sank off Ireland
Victoria Holmes: Heart of Fire – a 1920s identity mystery
Mary May: Defiance at the Inn, A Pocketful of Silver
Derek Nicholls: The Blue Riband, With Magic in Her Eyes, Heirs to Adventure – adult historical racing series
K M Peyton: The Right Hand Man – a coachman is employed to win a wager
K M Peyton: Roman Pony series – Minna lives in a Britain now settled by the Romans
K M Peyton: Greater Gains, Small Gains – Trotters and trouble in 18th century Norfolk
K M Peyton: Dear Fred – the story of jockey, Fred Archer
K M Peyton: Paradise House – being illegitimate in Victorian England is hard.
The Pullein-Thompsons: Black Beauty’s Family series – a range of historical stories about horses before and after Black Beauty
Meg Rosoff: The Bride’s Farewell – a girl escapes marriage
Joan Selby-Lowndes: Mail Coach – historical novel in which a family are involved with Astley’s Circus

American

Judy Alter: Callie Shaw, Stable Boy – set in Depression era America
Judy Alter: Maggie series – 19th century America and the Wild West
David A Appel: Commanche – the story of Comanche, the only creature to survive the Battle of Little Bighorn
Jean Bailey: Cherokee Bill, Oklahoma Pacer – the Cherokee strip is to be opened up for homesteading
Jessie Haas: Chase – set post Civil War, a boy witnesses a murder and flees for his life
Alison Hart: The Gabriel series – An African-American and his experience of the Civil War
Dorothy Childs Hogner: Stormy, the First Mustang – story of the horses released by the Spaniards onto the coast of Mexico
Deborah Kent: Blackwater Creek – a Hungarian immigrant and her family prospect for gold in 19th century California
Deborah Kent: Riding the Pony Express – a girl rides the Pony Express
Diane Lee Wilson: Firehorse – a girl fights prejudice as she tries to learn to be a vet
Diane Lee Wilson: Black Storm Coming – early days of the Pony Express
Nancy Faulkner: Side Saddle for Dandy – Victorian era story in which a girl struggles to conform
Sally M Keehn: Moon of Two Dark Horses – two boys address conflict during the fight for independence from the British
Helen Oakley: Freedom’s Daughter – the beginnings of the state of Virginia
Scott O’Dell: Carlota – Carlota fights in the Mexican-American war
Gus Tavo: Ride the Pale Stallion – set post Civil War, a boy battles with a father scarred physically and emotionally by the war

Asian

Jean Merrill: The Superlative Horse – a Chinese ruler sends a boy to search for the Superlative Horse
Diane Lee Wilson: I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade – Oyuna and her experiences with her Mongol tribe

European

Anthony Fon Eisen: Prince of Omeya – set in Arabia and Spain in the 8th century
Arthur Gladd: The Saracen Steed – Hugh looks after a rider-less Saracen charger
Diane Lee Wilson: Ravenspeak

Prehistory and prehistoric horses

Jean Slaughter Doty: Yesterday’s Horses – ancient horse virus threatens modern day equines
Vian Smith: Moon in the River – domestication of the first horses
Linell Nash Smith: Molly’s Miracle – a mare adopts a strange little horse
Judith Tarr: Epona series

War

Fairfax Downey: Army Mule – a stubborn mule helps the Americans fight the Indians
Fairfax Downey: Cavalry Mount
Fairfax Downey: A Horse for General Lee – two boys care for the General’s horses
Helen Griffiths: The Last Summer – a boy’s world falls apart with the start of the Spanish Civil War
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Black Swift – Civil War story
Katherine Roberts: I am the Great Horse – Alexander the Great’s horse tells his story

American Civil War

Clarence Hawkes: Pal o’ Mine – a horse’s experiences on the race track and in the Civil War
Deborah Kent: Chance of a Lifetime – Jaquetta rescues her family’s Morgan horses from being used in the Civil War

American War of Independence

Sybil Ludington

Marsha Amstel: The Horse-Riding Adventure of Sybil Ludington: Revolutionary War Messenger
Erick Berry: Sybil Ludington’s Ride – Sybil makes a 50 mile ride on her 2 year old to warn of the British advance
Drollene P Brown: Sybil Rides for Independence
V.T. Dacquino: Sybil Ludington: Discovering the Life of a Revolutionary War Hero
Margery Hall: See the Red Sky
Judy Hominick: Ride for Freedom: the story of Sybil Ludington
Karen Winnick: Sybil’s Night Ride

Marguerite Henry: Justin Morgan Had A Horse – set around the period of the American Revolution
Deborah Kent: On the Edge of Revolution – Eliza’s twin joins the armed resistance against the British
Ann Rinaldi: A Ride Into Morning – Tempe Wick hides her horse to prevent Revolutionary soldiers taking him

WW1

Walter Brooke: Gladeye the War Horse – true story of a war horse
Brian Carter: Jack – a boy, his horse, the Somme – World War One story
Mary Grant Bruce: Captain Jim – Nora is left a Surrey house, and wants to help the war effort
Nicholas Kalashnikoff: Jumper – the story of a Siberian horse during the Russian Revolution and WW1
Michael Morpurgo: War Horse – Joey tells his experiences with both sides in World War One
Elyne Mitchell: Light Horse to Damascus – Karloo, his master Dick, and their experience with the Australian Light Horse
Lord Mottistone: My Horse Warrior – non fiction account of Lord Mottistone’s horse
Kate Seredy: The Singing Tree – Hungary during WW1

WW2

Vernon Bowen: The Emperor’s White Horses – the story of the Spanish Riding School during WW2
Anne Colver: Pluto – Brave Lipizzaner Stallion – a boy wants to work with the horses forced to flee from Vienna
Primrose Cumming: Owls Castle Farm – experiences working on the land during WW2
Margaret Donaldson: Journey into War – the story of Janey, abandoned in France when the Germans invade during WW2
Fairfax Downey: War Horse – the story of Barbara, used during WW2
Eleanor Helme: Shank’s Pony – wartime on Exmoor
Alice Molony: Lion’s Crouch – Mary, her dog and her pony fight spies during WW2
Karin Novak: Cantering On – children living in a hostel during WW2 get the riding bug
Kate Seredy: The Chestry Oak – Hungary during WW2
Mary Treadgold: We Couldn’t Leave Dinah – set on a fictional Channel Island invaded by the Germans during WW2
Mary Treadgold: No Ponies – aftermath of WW2 in France

Horse healing/alternative

Horse whispering, as with alternative therapies for humans, has become fashionable in the last twenty years or so. The possession of special healing abilities, allied to the regular popping up in horse and pony books of a special relationship with a horse, was always going to prove irresistible to pony authors.

Lauren Brooke: Heartland Series – a girl runs a stable rehabilitating horses
Nicholas Evans: The Horse Whisperer – adult novel in which American horse whisperer heals wrecked horses (and humans)
Pippa Funnell: Tilly’s Pony Tails series – Tilly can communicate with horses
Dandi Daley Mackall: Winnie the Horse Gentler series – a girl uses her special talents for the good of horses
Janet Rising: Pony Whisperer series – pokes gentle fun at the horse healing genre
Judy Waite: Horse Healer Series – a gypsy boy has a gift of healing horses

Horse/animal welfare

The Cinderella theme finds full expression in the pony book, but it’s usually the horse or pony that is Cinderella, misused or neglected, and in need of the book’s heroine to save them and give them a better life.  

Samantha Alexander: The Hollywell Stables series 
Kitty Barne: Rosina Copper
Hilda Boden: Pony Girl – Irish girl moves to London and finds a pony to rescue
Hilda Boden: One More Pony – girls rescue a pony and do archaeology
Paul Brown: Hi-Guy – fictionalised true story about a horse rescued from a pound
Joanna Cannan: London Pride – a sad London pony is rescued and kept (briefly) in a London garden square
Monica Dickens: the Follyfoot series – a home of rest for horses and its tribulations
Monica Edwards: Cargo of Horses – Tamzin decides the horses goes for meat illicitly must be rescued
Catherine Harris: We Rescued a Pony – Puchinello (and his rider) are rescued from bad treatment at a circus
Alison Hart: Shadow Horse – excellent horsy mystery set on a rescue farm
Marion Holland: The Secret Horse
Sue Howes: The Bay Mare
Jenny Hughes: A Horse by Any Other Name
Carol Iden: Sidney’s Ghost – American police horse set for slaughter is rescued
Patricia Leitch: To Save a Pony – the rescue sandwiches the majority of the story, which is about a riding school
Patricia Leitch: First Pony – a girl decides her first pony will be Tarka, who needs saving
Mary Oldham: A Dream of Horses – Diana saves for a horse and buys one who has been raced too early
K M Peyton: Poor Badger
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Park Farm Animal series
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Horsehaven series
Christine Pullein-Thompson: A Pony In Distress
Christine Pullein-Thompson: The Empty Field – a group of riding school children try to save three heavy horses
Diana Pullein-Thompson: Cassidy in Danger/This Pony is Dangerous
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Save the Ponies!
Lady Kitty Ritson: Molly the New Forest Pony – Dick rescues Molly, the New Forest
Anna Sewell: Black Beauty
Vian Smith: Come Down the Mountain– Brenda, alone of the people in her village, is determined to rescue the decaying racehorse
Jane Wardle: Prince Brownie series – a rescue pony becomes a star
Arthur Waterhouse: Dark Champion – a farmer buys a neglected black horse at auction
Diane Lee Wilson: Firehorse

Humour

The Jill series by Ruby Ferguson, and the Noel and Henry series by Josephine Pullein-Thompson are both amusing, as is the Eventers’ Trilogy by Caroline Akrill. Books more overtly humorous are listed below.

Lois Castellain: the Adolphus books – the cartoon adventures of a carthorse and his friend
Susan Chitty: My Life and Horses – in which our heroine brings her own distinctive approach to working with horses
Eric Hatch: Year of the Horse – in which a father attempts to impress his daughter
Denise Hill: Coco the Gift Horse – Coco proves to have his own opinions about many, many things
C Northcote-Parkinson: Ponies Plot – ponies plot to decide their future
Janet Rising: Pony Whisperer series – Pia can hear ponies talking when she is touching a statuette of Epona
Thelwell: Angels on Horseback, A Leg at Each Corner, Thelwell’s Riding Academy, the Penelope series, Thelwell Goes West: matchless equine cartoons
Doreen Tovey: Making the Horse Laugh

Hunting

I’d be very surprised if hunting featured in a story published today in the UK; it would have to be hedged around with so many caveats. Before hunting with dogs became illegal, the hunt was a regular part of many children’s books.

Richard Ball: Hounds Will Meet
Rita Mae Brown: Sister Jane series – hunting in America
Moyra Charlton: Tally Ho
Moyra Charlton: Echoing Horn
Frances Duncombe: High Hurdles
Peter Emmens: Time to Kill – anti-hunting story
Antonia Forest: Peter’s Room – not a pony book but brilliant on the ambivalence the main character feels, as well as her nervousness. Buster the Thruster is a splendid portrait of a pony too
Esme Hamilton: Speedy
Eleanor Helme: Jerry: the Story of an Exmoor – a good hunt at the end
Janet Herron Hughes: The Frosty Filly
Elizabeth Harrover Johnson: The Old Quarry Fox Hunt – Charlie learns to ride and hunt
B L Kearley: Let’s Go Hunting – an instructional story about hunting
B K Kearley: Let’s Meet Again – dealing, horse rehabilitation and hunting
Dorothy Lyons: Pedigree Unknown
Jane McIlvaine: Cammie series
Christine Pullein-Thompson: A Day to Go Hunting – a day in the life of a hunt
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Chill Valley Hounds series – children start a pack
Sir John Smyth: Ann Goes Hunting – Ann and her brother fit hunting into their adventures
Veronica Westlake: The Intruders

Illness/disability

Looking at what ails the horse and pony mad child is instructive: before the Salk vaccine, polio was a real and present threat, and its after effects left many children permanently affected. These problems could be helped by riding, and there are many stories where a child is helped overcome the physical and mental affects of polio through horses. Not all children are cured: there are some who gain mobility and confidence, but remain disabled. Some novels deal with mental disabilities: Monica Edwards’ Rennie Goes Riding is an example of a girl who is physically affected by mental trauma.

Recovering from Illness (Equine)

C W Anderson: Salute – racehorse breaks down and is nursed back to health
C W Anderson: The Crooked Colt
Diana Tuke: Long Road to Harringey – traumatic tale of recovery from a car accident
Vian Smith: King Sam/Tall and Proud – horse and human recovery

Recovering from Illness (Human)

Hilda Boden: Little Grey Pony – a wheelchair-bound girl finds freedom through driving a little grey pony
Nancy Caffrey: Pony Duet – a calm mare helps Cathy regain her confidence
Sheila Chapman: Pony From Fire – a girl traumatised after an accident fights back
Primrose Cumming: Flying Horseman – Morgan has to forget being a pilot after suffering polio, but learning to ride helps
Maggie Dana: Best Friends/Timber Range Riders series – one of the heroines uses a wheelchair
Monica Dickens: World’s End in Winter – Carrie and Lester help a girl learn to walk again
Wendy Douthwaite: All Because of Polly – Jess is helped by her friend Beckie, who is in a wheelchair
Monica Edwards: Summer of the Great Secret – Lesley Frampton is helped to overcome her accident
Monica Edwards: Rennie Goes Riding – Rennie, traumatised after an accident, slowly overcomes her problems
Patsey Gray: Show Ring Rogue – a girl left lame by polio is helped by horses
Myrtle Green: A Pony, Doctor’s Orders – Mick is lame, and is helped by horses
Lynn Hall: Half The Battle – the hero is legally blind
Nancy Hartwell: A “Blue” For Illi (republished as Blue Ribbon Winner) – a war refugee is a companion for a girl with polio
Beth Kincaid: Back in the Saddle – Sharon is recovering from an accident, and resents the other girls’ pity
Ann Knowles: The Stirrup and the Ground – Cathy’s neighbour Mark is a permanent invalid, and immensely difficult to get on with
Dorothy Lyons: Dark Sunshine – Blythe needs to ride to strengthen the leg left weak through polio, but she doesn’t want to
Alan Marshall: I Can Jump Puddles – autobiographical story of a boy left lame through polio
Kathleen Mackenzie: Pony and Trap – a boy left very weak after polio gains mobility through driving
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Show Jumping Secret – Charles, left lame by polio, manages to learn to ride and show jump
Hope Ryden: Wild Horse Summer – blindness
Vian Smith: King Sam (US Tall and Proud) – Vian Smith (polio)
Joyce Stranger: Stranger Than Fiction – the biography of Elspeth Bryce-Smith – who suffered from polio
Sharon Wagner: Gypsy from Nowhere
Diane Lee Wilson: I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade 

Riding for the Disabled/Coping with Disability

Fern B Brown: You’re Somebody Special on a Horse – Marni pleads to keep her horse so she can do a disabled riding programme
Audrey Constant: Hidden Prizes – Paula wants to organise disabled riding sessions
Monica Dickens: World’s End in Winter – Carrie and Lester help a wheelchair-bound girl to ride
Marsha Hubler: The winning Summer – blindness
Nancy Wright Grossman: A Leg up for Lucinda – Lucinda wants to join Pegasus, a riding programme for disabled children
Alden Hatch: Bridle-Wise – a boy with a paralysed leg learns to ride
Toy Martin: A Bird in the Hand – amongst other events, Elizabeth teaches a disabled boy to ride
Mary May: Carol Lane series – a girl left disabled experiences horses again through driving
Frances Murray: White Hope – Chas Bentinck wants to be a jockey, despite his disability
Reginald Ottley: Black Sorrow
Vian Smith: Martin Rides the Moor – Martin has become deaf, and his parents buy him a pony to help him
Nancy Springer: Colt – Colt has spina bifida and until enrolled in a riding for the disabled programme, his response to everything is no

Horse Coping with Illness/Disability

C W Anderson: The Blind Connemara
Jeanne Betancourt: The Blind Pony
Fern G Brown: Hard Luck Horse – horse is disabled, plus girl’s father uses a wheelchair
Kathryn Cocquyt: Little Freddie’s Legacy – blindness
Terri Farley: Free Again – blindness
Mary Oldham: The White Pony – the pony is nearly blind
K M Peyton: Blind Beauty – a blind horse
Glen Rounds: Blind Outlaw
Glen Rounds: The Blind Colt
Glen Rounds: Stolen Pony – blindness
Virginia Vail: Gift Horse – a horse is nearly blind due to cataracts
Frances Wilbur: A Horse Called Holiday – the horse is deaf

Olympics

The Olympics are the summit of many riders’ ambitions, and so they do of course feature in horse and pony literature, though not as much as one might think. This is probably a reflection of the age of most pony book characters: a 14 year old doing Olympic level sport is not terribly likely.

Jilly Cooper: Riders – shenanigans, sex, horses and the Los Angeles Olympics
Brian Forbes: International Velvet – Velvet Brown’s niece is determined to ride son-of-Pie in the Olympics
Dick Francis: Trial Run – Randall Drew is sent to Moscow to investigate a threat to an Olympic rider’s safety
Barbara May: Five Circles
Dorothy Lyons: Smoke Rings – American Olympic trials story
Lauraine Snelling: High Hurdles series – helped by God, a teenage girl wants to ride in the Olympics
Lyndon Stacey: Deadfall – Lincoln Tremayne is determined to ride in the Olympic Three Day Event
Alison Estes: Gold Medal Mystery – the twins’ trainer is riding at the Olympics
Alice O’Connell: The Blue Mare in the Olympic Trials – Pam wants to try out for the Olympic team
Pat Smythe: Three Jays Go to Rome – the Three Jays hit Rome during the Olympics
John Richard Young: Olympic Horseman – Don trains his horses for eventing

Overcoming nerves

There can be few riders who have not felt a flicker of fear at some time during their riding career. For some, that fear is all-encompassing, and the attempt to overcome it, and do what they love most, makes the struggle of the heroes and heroines of the following books more than ordinarily attractive.

C W Anderson: Afraid to Ride – after an accident Judy is afraid to ride
Nancy Caffrey: Pony Duet
Sheila Chapman: Pony from Fire – Yoland is petrified of horses after an accident show jumping
Primrose Cumming: The Mystery Trek – Leonie has her grief to overcome (not nerves, but still…)
Angela Dorsey: Freedom’s Echo – Haily is afraid of horses until she meets Freedom
Monica Edwards: Rennie Goes Riding – Rennie longs to have a career with horses, but has a lot to overcome before she can
Jane Eliot/Patricia Leitch: Afraid to Ride: until she meets Diggory, Jill is petrified of horses
Shirley Faulkner-Horne: Pat and her Polo Pony – Pat is initially frightened of horses when she goes to stay with her horsy aunt
Janice Gray: A Credit to the Family – Nikki is terrified of horses, but her family are not
Adele de Leeuw: Blue Ribbons for Meg – Meg is afraid of horses
Patricia Leitch: To Save a Pony – Jane has to overcome her fear of jumping if she is to save a neglected pony
Alice O’Connell: Pamela and the Blue Mare – Pamela is afraid of horses, though her family are heavily involved with them
Pamela Rogers: The Rag and Bone Pony – Brian is afraid, but Brownie the rag and bone pony helps him overcome his fear
Joyce Stranger: Midnight Magic – Mandy has lost her nerve after a fall
Sharon Wagner: Gypsy from Nowhere

Polo

Playing polo at the top levels is extraordinarily expensive, even in the horse world, where competing in any discipline is tricky for those without much money. Although polo is played in some Pony Clubs, it is nowhere near as widespread as other equine sports. There seem to be more American books which feature polo as just one amongst a number of things a horse does.

Jane and Paul Annixter: The Runner – Clem believes a roan colt can be trained as a polo pony
Kitty Barne: Rosina Copper:  – a former star polo pony is rescued
M E Buckingham: Phari: the Story of a Tibetan Pony – Phari the Bhutan pony plays polo (amongst other things)
Jilly Cooper: Polo – shenanigans and sex in the world of polo
Shirley Faulkner-Horne: Pat and her Polo Pony – Pat is determined to train her pony to be a star polo pony for her father
Howard L Hastings: Top Horse of Crescent Ranch – a colt numbers polo amongst his many talents
Clarence Hawkes: Patches, a Wyoming Cow Pony – Larry’s pinto plays polo, races and rounds up cattle
Selma Hudnut: Irish Hurdles – Rosemary’s uncle teaches her to play polo
M A James: Rollo, a Pony – an orphaned colt becomes a top notch polo pony
Rudyard Kipling: The Maltese Cat – the uber polo story, a horses’ eye view of the match
Dorothy Lyons: Red Embers – a horse van breakdown means more people to play polo with
Colonel S P Meek: Frog, the Horse that Knew No Master – Lieutenant Scott turns the outlaw horse into a polo pony
Paddy Miles and Rosemary Griffin: The Ponies Loved it Too – polo played with hockey sticks (minimal polo content!)
H M Peel: Dido and Rogue – Dido turns out to have talents as a polo pony
Joan Penny: Melka – Melka plays polo and jumps
James Robert Richard: Joker the Polo Pony
Sir John Smyth: Ann series – minimal polo content: island paradise on which they live includes polo grounds
Duane Yarnell: Polo Boys

Pony biographies & autobiographies

The pony biography, or autobiography, was the earliest style of pony book, and it held sway until the 1930s. It retained some popularity amongst younger authors, but is rare today.

Richard Ball: Broncho – the story of an ex war horse turned show jumper
Richard Ball: Penny Farthing – the story of a racehorse
Phyllis Briggs: Son of Black Beauty – sequel to Black Beauty
Walter Brooke: Gladeye the War Horse
Anne Bullen and Rosemary Oldfield: Darkie the Life Story of a Pony – Darkie does circus tricks, amongst other things
Garland Bullivant: Little Lass, Fortune’s Foal – early pony biographies
Peggie Cannam: Corn and Carrot Tops
Golden Gorse: Moorland Mousie, Older Mousie – an Exmoor pony tells his story
Esme Hamilton: Speedy – the story of an Irish pony
Marguerite Henry – most of her titles tell the story of a horse
J Ivester Lloyd: Joey, the Tale of a Pony
Cecilia Knowles: Hippo – a Welsh cob’s story
Cecilia Knowles: Hua Ma the Flower Pony – a China pony has a very varied life
Joan Lamburn: The Mushroom Pony – a fantastic pony tale
Joyce Mary Lennon: Misty, the Grey Pony
Pamela Macgregor Morris: Exmoor Ben – story of an Exmoor pony
Pamela Macgregor Morris: Topper – a Welsh pony’s story
Pamela Macgregor Morris: High Honours – a show jumper’s tale
Diana Pullein-Thompson: A Pony for Sale – Martini is broken in, and goes through several owners before finding happiness
Pullein-Thompson sisters: Black Beauty’s family series
Jean Rooke: Rufus the New Forest Pony
Anna Sewell: Black Beauty – the ultimate horse story
Glenda Spooner: Royal Crusader – a horse’s progression after being loaned out
John Thorburn: Hildebrand – mad story of a horse with attitude
Daphne Winstone: Flame – the story of an Exmoor cross

Pony Club

The Pony Club is the source of many children’s experiences of ponies, and figures in pony books, though not as widely as you would expect. Perhaps this is because of the involvement of adults: the way the Pony Club is structured means there is always an adult on hand, which immediately lessens the possibility of children having adventure on their own.

V E Bannisdale: Riders from the Hills – adventures of a West of England Pony Club
Gillian Baxter: The Team from Low Moor – unsmart Pony Club does the Prince Philip Cup
Nancy Drew: The Riding Club Crime – Nancy sorts out shenanigans at the Pony Club
Jane Eliot: Pony Club Camp – a Pony Club in trouble gets help
D Glyn Forest: Martello Tower – second half of the book Pony Club orientated
Stacy Gregg: Pony Club Secrets series – the adventures of the New Zealand Chevalier Point series
Bernadette Kelly: Riding High series – Australian series about Annie Boyd and her local Pony Club
Patricia Leitch: Pony Club Rider – Sally dreams of being in the Pony Club team
Rolf Lengstrand and Pierre L Rolén: The Long Pony Race, Pony Club Through Smoke and Fire, The Long Pony Trek – the Pony Club in Sweden
Patience McElwee: Match Pair – Jane Howell finds the Pony Club something of a challenge…
Toy Martin: Taronga Road Riders series – series centred around the Pokey Creek Pony Club
K M Peyton: The Team – a Pony Club one day event
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Noel and Henry series – the adventures of the West Barsetshire Pony Club
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Woodbury Pony Club series
Diane Redmond: Pony Club series – Polly’s adventures as she moves from volunteer to accomplished rider
Lady Kitty Ritson: John and Jennifer’s Pony Club
Pamela Rogers: The Rag and Bone Pony – from rag and bone pony to Pony Club competition
Naomi Wainwright: The Island Pony Club – the Pony Club in Bermuda
Dorian Williams: Wendy at Wembley – Wendy takes part in the Pony Club Jorrocks display at Wembley

Prince Philip Cup

The Prince Philip Cup is competed for by Pony Club teams, who compete at ferocious speed in a series of gymkhana events.

Gillian Baxter: Team from Low Moor – the Low Moor Pony Club are poor relations on the Pony Club scene
Bernagh Brims: Red Rosette – Susan, David, Clare and Martin are aiming for the Prince Philip Cup
Pat Smythe: Three Jays go to Town – the Three Jays do the Prince Philip Cup

Pony trekking

There is so very much that can go wrong on a pony trekking holiday, and go wrong it does in the pony book.

M E Atkinson: Horseshoes and Handlebars – are bikes or ponies better?
Judith M Berrisford: Jackie and the Pony Trekkers – Jackie and Babs spread their inimitable cheer at a pony trekking centre
Judith M Berrisford: Pony Trekkers Go Home! – Pippa is spending three weeks at her Aunt Carol’s trekking centre
Hilda Boden: Pony Trek – a mother and her children trek from Wales home with two new ponies
June Crebbin: Riding High – Amber is on a three day pony trek
Primrose Cumming: Four Rode Home – four friends ride from the New Forest home to Kent
Primrose Cumming: The Mystery Trek –grief stricken Leonie is persuaded to lead a trek
Lucy Daniels: Foal in the Fog – Mandy goes trekking in Devon and gets lost in the fog.
Ruby Ferguson: Jill’s Pony Trek – Jill and friends go on a pony trek
Jo Furminger: Blackbirds’ Pony Trek
Sue Garnett: The Ponies of Swallowdale Farm – a trekking stable helps a girl who is miserable when she has to move
Mary Gervaise: The Secret of Pony Pass – not a lot of trekking (in fact none) but the book is set at a trekking centre
Catherine Harris: To Horse and Away – the Marsham family have an adventurous ride back to their farm from Wales
Elinore Havers: The Great Pony Mystery – caravanning and riding
Veronica Heath: Come Pony Trekking with Me – fictionalised advice on pony trekking
Bernadette Kelly: Pony Trek – Australian story of pony trekking
Patricia Leitch: Highland Pony Trek – a family start a trekking centre
Patricia Leitch: Chestnut Gold – Jinny and Shantih go on a pony trek and get mixed up in filming
Rolf Lengstrand and Pierre L Rolén: The Long Pony Trek – a Swedish Pony Club does trekking
Jane MacIlwaine: Pony Trekking Summer – children help out at the local trekking centre
Margaret MacPherson: Ponies for Hire – a family start a small trekking operation to keep their farm going
Diana Mitchener: Pony Trek Adventure
Gill Morrell: The Pony Trek – Jess’s friend Rosie takes her on a pony trek
Jenny Oldfield: Wild Horses – Kirstie is leading a trek, but it doesn’t go well
MM Oliver and E Ducat: Ponies and Caravans – horse-drawn caravans as well
Jo Packer: Gymkhana Trek
E H Parsons: Quest for a Pony – caravan and riders
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Ride by Night
Christine Pullein-Thompson: We Rode to the Sea
Diana Pullein-Thompson: Ponies on the Trail
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Fear Treks the Moor
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Pony Club Trek
Lady Kitty Ritson: Tessa and the Rannoch Dude Ranch
Mary Sharp: Second-Best Pony – Becky’s trekking holiday should have been wonderful, but she lost a valuable pony.
Pat Smythe: A Swiss Adventure
Ann Stafford: Five Proud Riders: five children go on a trek to teach them self-reliance

Racing

Racing has produced a hefty share of children’s literature, as well as being the go-to of choice for many equestrians who embrace the literary world. 

Flat (UK)

H M Peel: Night Storm the Flat Racer – another in the Leysham Stud series, in which Ann and Jim produce a flat racer
K M Peyton: Dear Fred – historical story based around jockey Fred Archer
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Race Horse Holiday – rare excursion into adventure for the author
Rikki Patterson: Winner’s Luck

Flat (US)

C W Anderson: Another Man o’War
C W Anderson: A Filly for Joan
Glenn Balch: The Midnight Colt
Dana Faralla: The Magnificent Barb
Dana Faralla: Black Renegade
Walter Farley: the Black Stallion series
Logan Forster: Desert Storm
Logan Forster: The Mountain Stallion
Logan Forster: Tamarlane
Logan Forster: Revenge
Logan Forster: Run Fast, Run Far
Doris Gates: Little Vic
Patsey Gray: Doggone Roan
Patsey Gray: The Flag is Up
Marguerite Henry: Black Gold
Dorothy Lyons: Copper Khan
Dorothy Lyons: Blue Smoke – quarter horse racing 
Mary O’Hara: Green Grass of Wyoming
Mildred Pace: Old Bones, the Wonder Horse
Blanche Chenery Perrin: Born to Race
Newton Wilde: The Horse that Had Everything 

National Hunt

Samantha Alexander: Winners series
Enid Bagnold: National Velvet
Michael Callan: Jockey School
Moyra Charlton: Midnight Steeplechase
Ginny Elliot: Winning
Ginny Elliot: High Hurdle
Ginny Elliot: Race Against Time
Michael Hardcastle: The Saturday Horse
Marguerite Henry: King of the Wind
Ivor Herbert: Point to Point
Susan Millard: Against the Odds
H M Peel: Pilot the Chaser
H M Peel: Pilot the Hunter
K M Peyton: Blind Beauty
K M Peyton: The Sound of Distant Cheering
K M Peyton: The Last Ditch (US – Free Rein)
Vian Smith: Minstrel Boy
Vian Smith: The Lord Mayor’s Show
Vian Smith: The Horses of Petrock (US – A Second Chance)
Vian Smith: Pride of the Moor
Vian Smith: Green Heart

The Grand National

Samantha Alexander: Winners series
Enid Bagnold: National Velvet
Enid Michael: The Runaway National
K. M. Peyton: Blind Beauty
K. M. Peyton: The Last Ditch (US – Free Rein)

Point to Point

Mary Garland Bullivant: Fortune’s Foal
Esme Hamilton: Speedy
Pamela Macgregor Morris: Clear Round
Elizabeth Waud: Easter Meeting – a family of children stay at a stud farm and go to a point-to-point

Steeplechase (US)

C W Anderson: High Courage
C W Anderson: Bobcat
C W Anderson: Horse of Hurricane Hill
C W Anderson: Great Heart
C W Anderson: Phantom, Son of the Gray Ghost
Nancy Caffrey: Mig o’ the Moor
Jane McIlvaine: Copper’s Chance
Marjorie Reynolds: Dark Horse Barnaby
Sam Savitt: A Horse to Remember

Riding clubs

Riding clubs seem to be started (by British children at least; I haven’t tracked down many of the American variety yet) by children in despair at the dreadful quality of their riding. As the Pony Club is so ubiquitous, that probably explains why these stories are relatively thin on the ground, the Pony Club providing organised and adult-led improvement.

Gabi Adam: Diablo – the Bequest – the Western riding club should have been fun…
Vivian Dubrovin: A Chance to Win – when the only Riding Club is English-Style, Vickie starts her own Western one
Ruby Ferguson: Jill’s Riding Club – Ann suggests Jill starts a riding club, so she does
Catherine Harris: We Started a Riding Club – a family of children start a riding club to improve their riding
Elinore Havers: The Surprise Riding Club – Sarah and her friends start a club to improve their riding
Carolyn Keene: The Riding Club Crime – a Nancy Drew mystery
Leslie King: A Horse from the Moor – a group of children start a riding club
Patricia Leitch: Riding Course Summer – two girls in despair at their dreadful riding start a riding club
Christine Leslie: Four Start a Riding Club – in which four young riders start a riding club
Kathleen Mackenzie: Minda – Minda joins a riding club, but it causes trouble when she turns out to be the best rider
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: The Radney Riding Club – Noel and Henry start a riding club
Ann Sheldon: The Riding Club – a Linda Craig mystery
D A Young: Ponies in Secret – two children find the local riding club not particularly welcoming

Riding stables

Ah, the riding school. If you weren’t going to achieve the glories of pony-owning, you could still dream of an actual riding lesson. There is a little subset of these stories where the children have to take over the running of the school after disaster overtakes the owner.

Samantha Alexander: Riding School series – series set at the Brook House Riding School
Patricia Baldwin: Ricky at the Riding School – working at a riding school
Gillian Baxter: Bracken Farm series – Bobby and Guy and the Bracken Farm stables
Judith M Berrisford: Ten Ponies and Jackie – Jackie and Babs help teenage Terry with his riding school
Claire Birch: Galloping Detective series – detective series set in a riding school
Joanna Cannan: More Ponies for Jean – Jean grows up and starts a riding school
Primrose Cumming: Silver Eagle Riding School series – the Chantry girls start a riding school
Christine Dickenson: Dark Horse – a riding school set in an urban location
Jean Slaughter Doty: The Crumb, The Monday Horses – American riding school life
Lilias Edwards: A Stable to Let – Cherry learns useful lessons for life at the riding school
Anne Emery: Scarlet Gold – a mother and her daughters set up a riding school to make money
Allison Estes: Short Stirrup Club series – series set at a riding school training children for competition
Jo Furminger: Blackbirds series – a group of children have a club centred around a local riding school
D Glyn Forest: Elmwood Hall – Terence and Bridget put on a circus to raise funds
Patsey Gray: Jumping Jack – children working in riding stables
Catherine Harris: If Wishes Were Ponies – Prue is thrilled when a riding school starts up locally
Veronica Heath: Susan’s Riding School – career novel, in which Susan works in a riding school
Carolyn Henderson: Grey Ghost – Corinne’s riding school is threatened with closure
Joan Houston: Jump Shy and Horse Show Hurdles – two girls’ adventures in a riding school
Selma Hudnut: A Horse of Her Own and Irish Hurdles – children work in riding schools
Dorothy VS Jackson: Bold Venture (aka The Bluebird) – Joanna works at a stables to afford keep for her horse
Patricia Leitch: To Save a Pony – a family move to Scotland and start a riding school
Jill Maughan: Deceivers – a riding school owner who is a tad unhinged
Barbara Morgenroth: Nicki and Wynne – Nicki spends a summer at a riding stable
C Northcote Parkinson: Ponies Plot – a riding school is to close and the ponies plot their future
K M Peyton: Swallow series – a struggling riding school
Katie Price: Perfect Ponies series – girls’ adventures in Vicki’s Riding School
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Riding School series – children’s adventures based around a riding school
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Riders on the March/We Rode to Victory – a riding school based around a comprehensive school
Christine Pullein-Thompson: The Second Mount – David and Pat start a riding school
Janet Randall: Saddles for Breakfast – Robin takes a holiday job at her cousin’s riding academy in California
Alexa Romanes: The Gift Horse – Kelsie trains to be a riding instructor
Sylvia Scott-White: Ten Week Stables, Pony Pageant – two girls start up a stables
Don Stanford: The Horsemasters – a group take the Horsemasters course
Kim Ablon Whitney: The Perfect Distance – daughter of the stable manager struggles
Margaret Stanley Wrench: The Rival Riding Schools – a smart new riding school’s arrival threatens an established stable 

Children Running a Riding School

Gillian Baxter: Horses and Heather – the riding school owner has been taken into hospital, so the children step in
Elinore Havers: Dream Pony
Ruby Ferguson: A Stable for Jill – Jill and friends start a riding stable
Ruby Ferguson: Jill Has Two Ponies – Jill and friends run Mrs Darcy’s riding school while she is ill
Justine Furminger: Bobbie Takes the Reins – an aunt is taken into hospital and the children step into the breach
Patricia Leitch: Afraid to Ride – an aunt is taken into hospital, so her nieces and nephews step in

Schools and ponies

Schools and ponies are a sometimes uneasy joining of genres.

Gillian Baxter: Jump for Joy – Bobby is sent away to school with her cousin
Lauren Brooke: Chestnut Hill series – the adventures of a group of girls at a smart American school
Jessica Burkhart: Canterwood Crest series – American series set at an elite academy where pupils train for national teams
Peggie Cannam: Riding for Ridge Abbey, Musical Ride
Joanna Cannan: I Wrote a Pony Book – Alison, while at school, writes a pony book
Fiona Citroen: Applegate – girl inherits and runs riding school
Babette Cole: Fetlock Hall series – school plus unicorns
Victoria Eveleigh: Midnight on Lundy – Jenny must leave the island and the ponies she loves to go to school on the mainland
Phillis Garrard: Hilda series – not a lot of pony content; a New Zealand girl’s experiences at school
Mary Gervaise: Georgia series – Georgia goes to The Grange, a school where you ride
Mary Gervaise: Farthingale series – another school plus ponies series
Mary Gervaise: Belinda Rides to School – Belinda takes on school
Stacey Gregg: Pony Club rivals series – a girl’s adventures at an elite American equestrian academy
Alison Hart: Riding Academy series – set at a boarding school with equestrian sports
Joan Houston: Crofton Meadows – Sheila is offered a scholarship to a smart school
A D Langholm/Alan Davidson: Queen Rider – Bonnie is proud of being thrown out of school after school
K M Peyton: Who Sir? Me Sir? – a comprehensive school tries to do the Tetrathlon against considerable odds
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Riders on the March, They Rode to Victory – a comprehensive school has a riding school attached
Nancy Saxon: Panky series – adventures of a girl at an American riding school
Rose-Mary Silvester: Cousins at the Manor School – two girls from South Africa struggle to adapt to an English school
Constance White: Ponies at Westways, Nutmeg Comes to Westways – Susan’s adventures at a school which has ponies
Ursula Moray Williams: No Ponies for Miss Pobjoy – a pony-mad school resists change

Showing

Showing your horse or pony is something which crops up often in pony books. It is a rare pony book in which our heroine does not at least try to win the 12.2 and under class. Books about showing yards or based entirely around showing are rather less common.

Caroline Akrill: Showing trilogy – Caroline’s cousins run a showing yard
Linda Chapman: Showing series – an orphan girl arrives in her uncle’s showing yard
Jean Slaughter Doty: The Crumb – abuses in the showing world
Jean Slaughter Doty: Monday Horses – abuses in the showing world
Jill Krementz: A Very Young Rider – non fictional photo essay on the American showing world
Patricia Leitch: A Dream of Fair Horses – Perdita is Gill’s dream of bliss
Dorothy Lyons: Harlequin Hullabaloo/Bluegrass Champion – Judy’s skewbald is not a conventional Saddlebred
Patience McElwee: The Dark Horse – a grandmother is determined her grandchildren will win at showing
Amélie Rives: Trix and Over the Moon – early 20th century novel on disastrous breeding
Glenda Spooner: The Silk Purse – a showing mother and reluctant daughter, with manic fantasy half way through
Diana Tuke: A Long Road to Harringay – long, long road by a mare back to showing success after horrific injury

Show jumping

Show jumping has never really recovered the place it had in the public’s affection in the 1970s, when television featured the big shows every night they were on. This does seem to be reflected in pony books, with very few pony books in the last couple of decades featuring the sport.

Richard Ball: Broncho – the story of a post World War I show jumper
Gillian Baxter: Jump to the Stars
Gillian Baxter: Ribbons and Rings
Judith M Berrisford: Jackie’s Showjumping Surprise
Peggie Cannam: Riding for Ridge Abbey
Catherine Carey: Show Jumping Summer
Audrey Constant: Hidden Prizes – show jumping and faith
Anne Digby: A Horse Called September – Mary and Anna’s friendship does not look as if it will withstand Anna’s new school
Peter Grey: Kit Hunter series
June M Groves: The Milkman’s Cob – the milkman’s cob has an amazing talent for show jumping
Veronica Heath: Come Show Jumping With Me
Joan Houston: Jump Shy
Jenny Hughes: The Horse in the Mirror – is Jonah really out to help Ellie with her show jumping?
Patricia Leitch: Jump to the Top
Pamela Macgregor-Morris: Clear Round
H M Peel: Easter the Showjumper
Nigel Robinson: Luke Cannon show jumping mysteries
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Showjumping Secret – a boy disabled by polio learns to ride and show jump
Delphine Ratcliff: A Clear Round for Katy
Mary Sharp: Second Best Pony
Duncan Stuart: Moon Jumper series – Nicky wants to become a top show jumper

Side saddle

Side saddle is something of a minority pursuit, which is reflected in how few horse and pony stories feature it. Nevertheless, if you search, there are some.

Caroline Akrill: I’d Rather Not Ride – Caroline has to learn to ride side saddle to ride a hack
Bonnie Bryant: Side Saddle – the Saddle Club does side saddle
Christine McKenna: Why Didn’t They Tell the Horses? – the star of Flambards describes learning to ride side saddle
K M Peyton: Flambards – Christina learns to ride side saddle
Alexa Romanes: The Gift Horse – Kelsie struggles to learn to ride her ex-circus horse

Stud farms/breeding

What could be better – endless ponies and foals? The stud farm is really the ideal setting for a pony book.

Akrill, Caroline: the Showing series is set on a stud farm
Judith M Berrisford: Jackie and the Phantom Ponies – Jackie and Babs spend a holiday at a Fell Pony Stud
Judith M Berrisford: Five Foals and Philippa – two girls help out at a stud which is threatened by a neighbouring operation
Judith M Berrisford: Jackie and the Pony Rivals – pretty much same book as Five Foals and Philippa
Ursula Bruns: Snow Ponies – Dirk and Dalli visit a German stud farm
Kit Ehrman: Cold Burn – mystery set on a stud farm
Lynn Hall: Dragon series – story of the foundation stallion of the Pony of the Americas
Elinore Havers: The Merrymarch Ponies – Simon and Phillipa discover the Merrymarch Stud whilst on holiday
Eleanor Hoffman: The Tall Stallion – horse and cattle breeding in California
Patrick Lawson: Star Crossed Stallion and sequels – an Arabian stallion at stud
Anne McCaffrey: The Lady – the story of stud owner, Michael Carradyne
Elizabeth Bleecker Meigs: Blue Palomino – Susannah (eventually) opens a stud farm
Mary O’Hara: Flicka and Thunderhead series – the trials and tribulations of earning a living breeding horses
H M Peel: Leysham Stud series – Ann and Jim have a super-successful stud with all kinds of riding horses
Joyce Stranger: Breed of Giants – problems with a Shire breeding operation
Joyce Stranger: Zara – Zara the Thoroughbred mare is supposed to restore the fortunes of her owner’s stud
Eli B Toresen: Dangerous Summer – based on a family stud farm
Carol Vaughan: The Dancing Horse – adventure comes to a family’s stud farm
Elizabeth Waud: Easter Meeting – four children holiday on their aunt’s stud
Mel Wayne: The Horse on Ben Awe – two brothers try to start a breeding operation in Scotland

Tetrathlon

K M Peyton: Who Sir? Me Sir?
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: Pony Club Challenge – the Woodbury are challenged by the Cranford Vale to a Tetrathlon

True stories/fictionalised true stories

Paul Brown: Hi-Guy – fictionalised true story about a horse rescued from a pound
Jill Krementz: A Very Young Rider – a year on the American showing circuit
Barbara May: Five Circles – fictionalised true story of Canadian Olympic eventer, Cilroy
Joyce Stranger: Stranger Than Fiction – story of Elizabeth Bryce Smith, paralysed by polio but who rode as a jockey
Tschiffely: A Tale of Two Horses – Mancho and Gatto tell their story

Western/ranch

The books here are only a fraction of the stories available in America, where the ranch story was tremendously popular.

Glenn Balch: Tack Ranch series
Dorothy Potter Benedict: Pagan the Black
Dorothy Potter Benedict: Fabulous
Dorothy Potter Benedict: Bandoleer
Olive Rambo Cook: Serilda’s Star
Reg Dixon: Pocomoto series
Logan Forster: Desert Storm
Logan Forster: Mountain Stallion
Logan Forster: Tamarlane
Logan Forster: Revenge
Patsey Gray: Star Lost
Patsey Gray: Star Dream
Patsey Gray: Lucky Star
Patsey Gray: Star the Seahorse
Patsey Gray: 4-H Filly
Patsey Gray: Loco the Bronc
Patsey Gray: Horse in her Heart
Patsey Gray: The Horse Trap
Virginia Clark (Patsey Gray): The Mysterious Buckskin
Dirk Gringhuis: Saddle the Storm
Howard L. Hastings: Top Horse of Crescent Ranch
Will James: Smoky the Cowhorse
Henry Larom: Mountain Stallion series
Adele de Leeuw: Blue Ribbons for Meg
Dorothy Lyons: Bright Wampum
Dorothy Lyons: Dark Sunshine
Dorothy Lyons: Blue Smoke
Dorothy Lyons: Golden Sovereign
Dorothy Lyons: Red Embers
Albert Miller: Fury series
Walt Morey: The Year of the Black Pony
Rutherford Montgomery: Golden Stallion series
Rutherford Montgomery: Big Red a Wild Stallion
Mary O’Hara: My Friend Flicka
Mary O’Hara: Thunderhead
Mary O’Hara: Green Grass of Wyoming
Sam Savitt: Vicki and the Black Mare
Ann Sheldon: Linda Craig series
Elizabeth van Steenwyk: The Best Horse Barrel Horse Racer)
Jo Sykes: Saddle a Thunderbolt
Jo Sykes: Trouble Creek
Jo Sykes: The Stubborn Mare
Harlan Thompson: Outcast, Stallion of Hawaii
Harlan Thompson: Star Roan
Armine von Tempski: Bright Spurs (Hawaiian ranching)
Armine von Tempski: Pam’s Paradise Ranch (Hawaiian ranching)
Judy van der Veer: Hold the Rein Free
Sharon Wagner: Gypsy series
Richard Wormster: Ride a Northbound Horse
John Richard Young: Arizona Cow Horse
John Richard Young: Arizona Cutting Horse
John Richard Young: Champion of the Cross 5
John Richard Young: Olympic Horseman

Wild horses

Joseph Chipperfield: Banner
Joseph Chipperfield: Fury
Joseph Chipperfield: Ghost Horse
Thomas Fall: Wild Boy
Rene Guillot: The Wild White Stallion
Marguerite Henry: Misty
Marguerite Henry: Stormy, Misty’s Foal
Marguerite Henry: Sea Star, Orphan of Chincoteague
Pamela Macgregor-Morris: Exmoor Ben
Elyne Mitchell: Silver Brumby series
Elyne Mitchell: Moon Filly
Rutherford Montgomery: Golden Stallion series
Mary O’Hara: My Friend Flicka
Mary Elwyn Patchett: The Brumby
Mary Elwyn Patchett: Come Home Brumby
Mary Elwyn Patchett: Brumby Foal
Mary Elwyn Patchett: Circus Brumby
Mary Elwyn Patchett: Rebel Brumby
Mary Elwyn Patchett: Stranger in the Herd
Mary Elwyn Patchett: The Long Ride
Mary Elwyn Patchett: Tam the Untamed
H M Peel: Fury, Son of the Wilds
H M Peel: Jago
H M Peel: Untamed
Christine Pullein-Thompson: Phantom Horse series
Gerald Rafferty: Snow Cloud, Stallion
Julia Wynmalen: Holly the Story of a Pony

Winning a pony

I have happy memories of poring over the WH Smith Win a Pony competition when the leaflet arrived, tucked into my copy of Pony. I never won a pony, but I dreamed.

Judith M Berrisford: Jackie Wins a Pony – Jackie wins Misty in a magazine competition
Gunnel Linde: A Pony in the Luggage – a boy and girl win a pony in a raffle and smuggle it into their hotel room
Kathleen Mackenzie: Prize Pony – in which a vicar’s daughter wins a pony in a raffle
Frances Priddy: Barbie – Barbie wins a Shetland pony

Dorian Williams: Wendy Wins a Pony – Wendy wins a pony in a competition, and goes on to work with horses.

Working with horses

It was the dream of most horsy children to work with horses – it certainly was mine. I suppose I have succeeded, in a rather roundabout way. The pony book did sometimes show the reality of working with horses. It certainly wasn’t all a dream.

Gillian Baxter: The Stables at Hampton – a girl works at a dressage stable
Susan Chitty: My Life and Horses – in which our heroine brings her own distinctive approach to working with horses
Monica Edwards: Rennie Goes Riding – a girl struggling with stress and poor health works with horses
Ruby Ferguson: Pony Jobs for Jill – Ann and Jill experience the world of horsy work
Jessie Haas: Working Trot – James’ parents want him to go into business; he wants to work with horses
Veronica Heath: Susan’s Riding School
Viola Heathcote: Fiander’s Horses – a girl’s experiences working with horses
Patricia Leitch: A Horse for the Holidays/Janet, Young Rider – Janet has a job to persuade her mother horses are good
Pamela Macgregor-Morris: Clear Round – Fiona, horse-mad, learns horse management (as well as flower arranging. And romance).
Kathleen Mackenzie: Jumping Jan – 16 year old Jan gets her first job, working with the Jervis family
Diana Pullein-Thompson: Janet Must Ride – Janet gets her chance at cross country after working for a family
Josephine Pullein-Thompson: A Job with Horses – a first job at a castle
Don Stanford: The Horsemasters – a group of students take the Horsemaster’s Certificate so they can work with horses
Dorian Williams: Wendy series – Wendy works with horses so she can keep the pony she won