Help me find this horsey fiction book - please

[WhoahThereCrazyHorse]

It’s a bit niche. There were 3 young women who were looking after a hunting /eventing yard and I think one of them had to ride in a point to point race to win some money. Possibly on a horse with one eye who may or may not have been a racehorse in his youth.

The name Henrietta rings a bell.

Please help me with my nostalgic hankering for books from my youth!

Ah this thread has brought back many happy memories. Friday after school I was taken either to the library or (if my mum had had a really good week) the town second hand bookshop to spend hours choosing my pony book for the week. It was the best hour of the week.

Had never occurred to me that the Jinny books might be available on Kindle - I'm going to have a lovely weekend rereading them.
Thank you.

Wow I loved the Jinny and Shantih series and the Eventer's Trilogy too; that's a blast from the past. I remember Legend got hit by a car so she had to ride the trusty old horse in the event, and they won!

It's so weird how things stick in your mind; I can still remember specific lines from those books now and I haven't read them in 20 years.

Some of the Jinny books are rather strange, although I adore them.

I think the author had been on whatever Ken was growing

I had a friend who also worked with the Prince of Orange! I devoured books as a child but some of the ones I remember are Darkling by K.M Peyton, A Swallow Tale (part of a series), again K.M Peyton, The Brumby by Mary Elwyn Patchett and Black Swift by Josephine Pullien Thompson - so so many others that I can't remember, makes me feel so nostalgic

Have just reread the Jill books, they are amazing! They manage to make the most everyday situations interesting and funny

Rightonedge maybe Pony Club Cup by J P-T? Followed by Pony Club Challenge and Pony Club Trek?

I got rid of so many pony books, and now I regret it.

I wasn't much of a Jinny/Shantih fan, but The Horse From Black Loch is one of my all time favourites from the same author, and Dream of Fair Horses as well

And all of KM Peyton - Fly-by-night, The Team, the Pennington books (though he needed a good slap), plus 'Who Sir? Me Sir?' and the sequel

and especially Flambards

and 'Dear Fred'! about Fred Archer, with Laura and Tiger...

I loved the Jinny and Shantih books. Also the Saddle Club, Darkling and there was a series called riders about a girl called Alex and her Dun pony called Barney.

Oh my god, this is the best thread ever! Haven’t heard some of these titles/characters for over 30 years!

What book was it where one if the characters had 2 horses called Truant and Tranquil?

Does anyone remember another book about a family who bought an old farm and tried to turn it into an animal park? They rescued a badger from badger baiters IIRC?

@Sexnotgender that was already taken! I've been this for ages by the way. Jinnyandshanith was also taken or I'd be that!

I loved the Jill books! They were actually really funny... I remember one that featured a large long-legged girl called Mercy Dulbottle, and when Mercy’s aunt stood at the back door shouting for her to come in it sounded like she was being attacked 😁

deareloise I read an interview with Patricia Leitch from not long before she died, and Ken was sort of the voice of her own conscience. She was a vegan back in the 70s before it was really a thing. Apparently she toyed with the idea of writing some more books set a few years later, with Jinny at art school, and Shantih was going to have a foal. I'm sort of glad she didn't, as I would have been too intrigued not to read it but I don't think I would have liked an adult Jinny and it might have marred the rest of the series for me.

So many memories....

A book (or story?) about a girl who took over running a riding school with her friend because the owner had to go away to tend a sick relative.... I think the main horse that belonged to the owner was called Falcon??

Ooh it’s coming back to me now... I think the girl bought a knackered old pony at auction to save it from slaughter... and then ended up saving a dog from a well and the owner was so grateful he gave her a lovely pony called Woodpigeon.... anyone help?!

And one where a girl had a nasty fall while jumping and lost her nerve but then had to jump a stile while riding for help to rescue a dog from being squashed by some boxes in a garage.... I think it involved a poodle called Penny who the family found wandering on the downs after getting lost... and later her real owner (a spoiled girl) tracked her down but they managed to persuade her to get a Siamese cat instead...

The family had loads of animals, ponies... another Poodle called Scuttle (nicknamed Scootpoot) and a Cocker spaniel called..... what was it called..... Peter something? Peter Popplewell...? Aargh it’ll drive me crackers! Anyone??

I have a hard back Eventers Trilogy
I also have Jill's Gymkhana and a couple of later ones
Six ponies - loved that too and it went on to other books with "The Major"
And the ones with Hanif and his pony that was hard to control ?

I use to devour all the pony books and then I read
King of the Wind. The book had a bright blue cover with a boy on his horse. It opened up such a different world.
It must have been an Armada Lion book. Anyone remember?

I love all of these. When I was young I really wanted an Arab, purely because I loved the sound of Shantih. Up until someone pointed out purebreds weren't usually a first choice for jumping. The whole unsuitable, highly strung mare thing really resonated.

One that hasn't been mentioned yet, Misty of Chincoteague (sp?)

Oooh talking of other worlds - Silver Snaffles!!!

I remember buying that one from WH Smith with my pocket money!

If you want some more grown up books with horses in, I highly recommend dick/Felix Francis, hen's teeth and nightmares by Manda scott, the horse whisperer ( way better than the film!) Secretariat, Jenny pitman trilogy, Charlotte dujardin autobiography, one about the lipizanner horses in the war ( non fiction) can't remember title as have lent it to someone. Can you tell what fills my shelves?!

What were the ones about a girl who won a pony? I think that was called Misty too?

I used to do the WH Smith “Win A Pony” compétition every year! 😁

Extremely vague long shot: does anyone remember a book about a horse who was stabled at some point in a boat shed? Think someone who ran away with a horse?

Silent - I've just googled that the plot line and it came up with Jackie Wins a Pony I also entered those competitions!

I loved the "my friend flicka" ones too - set in the US I think

Ah yes, Trainspotting, also remember Sea Star.. the orphan.

Reading this thread brings such a wonderful wave of nostalgia. All my pony books are in my parents' loft and I really hope if I have children they love reading them!