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!

I've been trying to remember the title of an old pony book I read as a child. All I remember is a rider who is put on a horse called Cloisonné in an indoor school. The horse naps and won't move at all. She is told to sit it out, but after a while nearly drops her crop and in trying to retrieve it, accidentally strikes the horse. Anyone any ideas what the book was?

I've taken name change inspo from this thread

Has anyone mentioned National Velvet? I read this so many times and of course watched the film and it's sequel, International Velvet.

Can anyone remember a book about a boy who had a Shetland pony and lived on the Shetland Islands?

I remember the one with a horsey (non horse owning, I think) girl went to stay with a family. The mum was always having the 'vapours' (?).

Lots of hunting and bloodying the cheek or something. The were out hunting in the fog one day and got separated and lost. I think they found a lost hound.

I always found that book so cosy (NB I hate hunting and always have)

The Pullen-Thompson family wrote loads of horse and pony stories. I can think of a similar story but eventing called "Janet Must Ride" not sure this is the one but good luck.

Really enjoyed this thread, not least because I am actually re-reading One Day Event right now. I'd also recommend Dream of Fair Horses by Patricia Leitch of Jinny fame. And for modern stories, all of Kate Lattey's stories set amongst young riders in New Zealand are wonderful.

Allington
Yes! It was that pony club series! I remember the ex jockey teacher and the girl who didn't have her own horse, and the one when they went on a treck and someone fell off.

It's made me really want to read all the pony books again. I wish I still had them like some of you.
The only thing worrying me is I was also obsessed with The Famous 5 and but I tried to read one as an adult and couldn't finish it as it was terrible! 😂

I moved on to Dick Francis when I was a teenager and ended up working in a racing yard when I grew up as a result.

MardiBras
I loved National and international velvet.
"IT'S THE FOAL, ITS THE FOAL!"
🤣🤣

KettleOn919 oh thank you for posting, I think I had the same book, red hardback.

I used to do a rising trot on my Raleigh Hercules.

International Velvet was great, I read that so many times.

@Lefkosia thank you! Gillian Baxter wrote the Magic and Moonshine series that I loved.

@JayAlfredPrufrock I think the books you’re thinking of are the Phantom Horse series by Christine Pullein-Thompson. They start off in the Blue Ridge Mountains then move back to England.

Thanks.

And the Jays? Were they another P-T sister?

Does anyone remember a book with a pony called Cassidy? Dreadful bucker. The girl tries to back him so many times but he’s seemingly untrainable. The girl has a friend, a boy who has a pet mouse called Erasmus who he carries around in his pocket.

LOVED so many of these.

But my all time favourite was Blind Beauty by K.M. Peyton - nobody remember that one?! Tessa the girl, her little mare Shiner with no eyes, the ugly foal it produces that grows up to be an amazing racehorse, Declan her drunken father and Maurice her evil, evil stepfather. I've not hated many in fiction as much as I hated Maurice, and if you've yet to read it I won't spoil it but I was fricking delighted at a certain point!

I loved 'Flambards' and have the book.
There are bookS, four of them.

I think the Jays were Pat Smythe.

I remember Blind Beauty - it's a good one, though not my favourite KMP. Nor is Flambards. I think it's going to be Fly-By-Night, though.

@SilentSarey Yes! I do. It was called Cassidy in Danger by Diana Pullein-Thompson I can’t remember a lot about the plot but I do remember the main character missing her stop on the train (one of the Birmingham station iirc).

Did anyone ever read The Hermit’s Horse? That was a bit of an odd one.

Oh I loved the Midnight Dancer series! Also Jinny and the saddle club.

Fun fact the Jinny books were recently reissued and the horse on the front page is actually called Shantih. She’s a chestnut Arab mare who’s owner also loved the books

Mercy Dulbottle!!!! Well it’s fair to say this has been the most successful thread I’ve ever started 😊

I’ve re-read Eventer’s Dream, am halfway through A Hoof in the Door, am having a lovely weekend!

I remember one where the girl was staying for the summer with her aunt and uncle and bought a horse at an auction (as you do)...however she bought it for the exact amount of money she had....and then realised horses are paid for in guineas not £s..so she sold the buttons from her coat to make up the difference.

She was always walking along country lanes singing “The Isle Of Capri”

@NationMcKinley thank you!! Yes I remember her missing her stop too! And didn’t her friend lose his mouse on that trip??

There are more important things in life than horses,
At least that’s what Miss (?) would have us know,
She never (something something.... went for rides on?) autumn mornings
Or felt the thrill of riding’s lovely glow.

(A bit in the middle, then)

There are more important things in life than horses
There are more important things in life than food
But somehow when I’m eating or I’m riding
There’s nothing else in life seems half so good.

By Jill 😁

The things you remember 😮😊

Yes the Three Jays were by Pat Smythe. I inherited that series second hand from my next door neighbour & the pages were starting to fall out even then!
But it was the best series ever. The one about the Prince Phillip cup was my absolute fave.

Does anyone remember a book where a riding school was being closed and a girl was desperate to buy her favourite pony. She had to do loads of jobs to raise the money but ended up buying one of the other ponies as he looked so small and scared. She only had a small amount of money left but she remember that her fave pony was terrified of dog whistles so blew it a few times which made the pony go wild and look dangerous. Our heroine then managed to buy her for the exact amount she had left. Hurrah!

Anyone?

Does anyone remember books about twins and a girl called Peter who rode on the moors?

Duchessofealing, would that be the Lone Pine/Witchend series by Malcolm Saville? Set mostly in Shropshire, as well as Peter (Petronella) there was a boy called David and his really annoying younger twin siblings, Mary and Dickie. And a dog called Macbeth. Plus various other characters who appear in some of the books.

Totally my favourite thread on MN

Went to check if I have any of my old pony books ... turns out I do! That’s this evening sorted then!