Pony Books in the 1970's

[Errin Paddywack]

Kitty Barne.

There was a lovely sequel too, Rosina and Son about her colt. I was surprised to find years later Rosina was a real pony and the book was a true story.

Lovely book based on fact but the sequel was a fabrication. I still have Rosina Copper in my 'library'.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Has anyone ever read Tam the Untamed?

I read most of her books about her life growing up, all based on fact I believe. Particularly liked Tam the Untamed and Ajax the Warrior. Used to get them out of the children's library

 

[Indy]

I read most of her books about her life growing up, all based on fact I believe. Particularly liked Tam the Untamed and Ajax the Warrior. Used to get them out of the children's library

I got Tam out the library too!

 

[Time for Tea]

One of my favourites was Son of Black Beauty, by Phillis Briggs. Anyone remember that? He was called Stardust. I’m not sure Black Beauty ever had any offspring, but as a kid didn’t worry about that sort of thing!

 

[Time for Tea]

Ooh and Smoky by Will James, the story of the wonderful cowboy’s horse who was stolen and turned into a bucking bronco

 

[Kunoichi73]

One of my favourites was Son of Black Beauty, by Phillis Briggs. Anyone remember that? He was called Stardust. I’m not sure Black Beauty ever had any offspring, but as a kid didn’t worry about that sort of thing!

Loved that one too.

I think my favourites overall were the Black Stallion books. I still occasionally dream about having a black Arab stallion.

 

[Snowfilly]

One of my favourites was Son of Black Beauty, by Phillis Briggs. Anyone remember that? He was called Stardust. I’m not sure Black Beauty ever had any offspring, but as a kid didn’t worry about that sort of thing!

My copy is on my shelf right next to me!

The Pullein-Thompson sisters wrote several books about Beauty’s family as well, I remember a bit from one where the horse ended up playing Black Bess in a circus.

I still occasionally like to think that Beauty himself was wrong when he saw the dead chestnut horse in the cart, and that Ginger found a happier end to her days.

 

[Time for Tea]

My copy is on my shelf right next to me!

The Pullein-Thompson sisters wrote several books about Beauty’s family as well, I remember a bit from one where the horse ended up playing Black Bess in a circus.

I still occasionally like to think that Beauty himself was wrong when he saw the dead chestnut horse in the cart, and that Ginger found a happier end to her days.

Oh yes, perhaps. A lovely thought. I cannot read Black Beauty now, it is such a sad book, though I read it so many times as a child

 

[teacups]

Loved that one too.

I think my favourites overall were the Black Stallion books. I still occasionally dream about having a black Arab stallion.

Love this thread.

Also, me too: I loved the Black Stallion books. A black arab would be amazing and sadly beyond my (current) skill level - but anyone can dream! : ))

 

[Kunoichi73]

Love this thread.

Also, me too: I loved the Black Stallion books. A black arab would be amazing and sadly beyond my (current) skill level - but anyone can dream! : ))

Likewise! I'd actually settle for a hairy black cob type if necessary! Not quite the wild Arab stallion in my dreams though!

 

[Orangehorse]

I remember reading Lucky Purchase, gosh I cried and cried over that. My poor Mother wondered what on earth was wrong with me.

 

[Orangehorse]

Ooh and Smoky by Will James, the story of the wonderful cowboy’s horse who was stolen and turned into a bucking bronco

That was another sad one. Great book.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Ooh and Smoky by Will James, the story of the wonderful cowboy’s horse who was stolen and turned into a bucking bronco

Just about my all time favourite, still have my paperback copy. Nearly bought a hardback copy but couldn't justify the expense.

 

[Merry Maxmas]

I sooh wish I'd never got rid of my old pony books; especially now as you can get a good'ish price for them.

OP it might be worth a look on "My Old Pony Books" on FB, you might find what you are looking for there?

What was so very "innocent" about those books was the way in which Jill, or whoever it was, could just rock-up at someone's place (whoever had horses) and just ride in exchange for helping out. Isn't that just so different from the way things are now, sadly, with insurance, H&S, "Liability", and all that stuff. Those were such sweet innocent days weren't they. You also had to take along a couple of 1d coins for a phone-box in case you were stuck anywhere! I remember that. Good grief, showing my age here.

Also "Jill" and her generation never seemed to be up to their backsides in mud in the winter - it was always glorious radiant summer. She never had to haul water buckets for miles, or take haynets out to horses miles across swampland. Or pay vets or farrier bills. It was all such gloriously jolly good stuff wasn't it.

A lot of my old pony books vanished over the years but I have slowly been buying a lot of them back, I've bought a few from My Old Pony Books on fb and Abe Books have quite a good selection or Ebay, it's been wonderful rediscovering all those old memories

 

[JackFrost]

A question:

Is there a market for new books of this genre? I love these pony stories that offer a simpler, kinder view of the world, and have wondered about writing some, but I'm not sure if there are still enough children or adults who want to read them. Thoughts, anyone ....?

 

[Snowfilly]

A question:

Is there a market for new books of this genre? I love these pony stories that offer a simpler, kinder view of the world, and have wondered about writing some, but I'm not sure if there are still enough children or adults who want to read them. Thoughts, anyone ....?

I don’t think there’s a traditional publishing, market for standalone pony books sadly. I’ve got three I’ve written and the advice was always the same: there’s no demand for them, modern kids aren’t interested in the same way and there isn’t enough of a market to make it worthwhile for adults.

A couple of recent-ish series have focussed on schools like Chestnut Ridge where the friendship drama has been as much of a thing as the horses.

The ones I’ve come across recently have all been self published, mostly via Amazon and I love reading them but I’m far too lazy to do the legwork on that as an option!

But you should definitely write them, there’s nothing as fulfilling as writing your own book.

 

[kathyhoround]

I don’t think there’s a traditional publishing, market for standalone pony books sadly. I’ve got three I’ve written and the advice was always the same: there’s no demand for them, modern kids aren’t interested in the same way and there isn’t enough of a market to make it worthwhile for adults.

A couple of recent-ish series have focussed on schools like Chestnut Ridge where the friendship drama has been as much of a thing as the horses.

The ones I’ve come across recently have all been self published, mostly via Amazon and I love reading them but I’m far too lazy to do the legwork on that as an option!

But you should definitely write them, there’s nothing as fulfilling as writing your own book.

Yeah, I’ve noticed that too, newer pony books seem to focus more on school and friendship drama than just pony adventures. It’s a shame traditional publishing isn’t backing the old-style ones, but great that some are still being self-published.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I was hoping to track down the pony books I used to read as a child. For the life of me i cannot remember what they were called, but the story began with a girl moving to a new village and find a pony in a field down the lane from where she was living. She was lucky enough to be given the pony and so her horsey life begins. Would love to get copies of these books for a friends daughter if anyone cann tell me what they were called. Thanks in advance.

sounds similar to this previous post https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...me-remember-this-childhood-pony-story.731653/

 

[spotty_pony2]

I read my mum’s old Jill books as a child and loved them

 

[TheOldTrout]

"Jill" books?I think the first was Jills Gymkhana? Cant remember the author

That was my first thought too

 

[TheOldTrout]

Did anyone else read the Jackie books? The first book is about a young girl who wins a competition and gets to choose from a selection of ponies but she chooses a driving pony instead. The other ones are about various adventures they go on with her cousin.

Yes, I read those. Jackie's pony was a grey mare called Misty, as far as I remember.

 

[Time for Tea]

That was my first thought too

Ruby Ferguson

 

[cauda equina]

Jane Badger Books is a mine of pony book information

Jane Badger Books

The Encyclopedia Pony book authors, illustrators, magazines and much more Explore Step back into childhood If you missed the exhibition at the Museum of the Horse, I'm slowly putting together an online version. See how far I've got by clicking the button below SEE THE EXHBITION Book here (goes...

janebadgerbooks.co.uk

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I was hoping to track down the pony books I used to read as a child. For the life of me i cannot remember what they were called, but the story began with a girl moving to a new village and find a pony in a field down the lane from where she was living. She was lucky enough to be given the pony and so her horsey life begins. Would love to get copies of these books for a friends daughter if anyone cann tell me what they were called. Thanks in advance.

This just came up on Facebook, some old books

https://www.facebook.com/munchkinsponies/posts/pfbid02UvDFy9murJRc3dLnoujjo7gxuo8XU9hU7EQXtK3jpzCQx7naBgBW7hREhKDc5yU3l

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I have recently re-read the Jill books I had as a child. Love them. Jill goes to try a pony and pops over a fence about four foot !

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

A lot of my old pony books vanished over the years but I have slowly been buying a lot of them back, I've bought a few from My Old Pony Books on fb and Abe Books have quite a good selection or Ebay, it's been wonderful rediscovering all those old memories

Same, I could have written your post word for word. My old pony book radar is always on, car boots and charity shops, and I've got quite a big collection now. They're comfort reading.

 

[Merry Maxmas]

Same, I could have written your post word for word. My old pony book radar is always on, car boots and charity shops, and I've got quite a big collection now. They're comfort reading.

They really are comfort reading, I can forget the world and just disappear into carefree pony days

 

[Lois Lame]

Like someone up thread said, I love this thread. So, here's something that someone might want to know about.

A long time ago I read a novel called Jump to the Stars by Gillian Baxter. I loved that book. Just now when I was looking to see if it qualified for this thread (when was it published?) I found that there's an online version for sale for $8 Australian. Since our dollar is rather pathetic since it got devalued whenever it was, it is probably quite a good price in your pounds.

Anyhow, here's the blurb for anyone who wants to know...

Bobby has lost her parents, her school and the chance to show-jump Shelta, the mare she loved.

Now she must live with her aunt and uncle and go to a new school. No showjumping here. The only riding is a weekly potter on Captain Roberts's tired and unenthusiastic horses. But there is another stable nearby, Bracken, owned by Guy Mathews. He is despised by Bobby's smart [new] school. To them, he's just a dealer.

Bobby is determined to do more than just potter, and she starts riding at Bracken. [And I'm not going to copy any more of the blurb because I think it's better to keep some surprises.]

This was one of my favourite horse novels when I was a lot younger.

 

[asmp]

We were recently asked at work for our four favourite children’s books. I was an avid reader as a child but could remember loving a book about a pony called Adonis. A bit of internet searching came up with this!

 

[brighteyes]

If you can find a copy of Brownie, by Jane (Munro-)Gaymer, you’re in for a treat. It’s a bit like Black Beauty, in that it’s through the pony’s eyes, but it’s a delight and beautifully illustrated by Jane herself.

There’s a massive thread exists on here by Badger Books where there are lots of titles. I think I read them all!

Was never a fan of the Jill series though.