Anyone remember this Pony book....?

[NancyS]

I was wondering whether anyone could help me with the title/author of a book about a young girl who moves to the country from London and is given(?) a pony called 'The Toastrack' as a hopeless case but ends up winning a class in a gymkhana or similar. I've probably got some of the detail a bit squiffy but if this sound familiar to anyone do please let me know.

no - sorry

Could it be Jill's Gymkhana - there was a series of them.
I can definitely remember that she lived in Chatham.Can't remember the name of the pony though.
I don't think she had a dad.

It's not the Jill series is it? She moves to the country from the town and is desperate to ride but has no money. Buys a pony for a really small sum and teaches herself to ride, seriously mocked by all the wealthy riding school girls, but succeeds.
I can't remember the name of Jill's pony. Books are in a box in DDs room and she's just gone to bed.

There is loads on a thread somewhere about the Jill books - pretty sure Toastrack wasn't mentioned though!

Author Ruby Ferguson. Amazon synopsis "Jill unexpectedly finds herself the proud owner of Framer Clay's piebald pony. But that's when her problems begin because ponies are expensive. Where will she find the money?"

ooh that sounds very familiar. Thinks...

It's "A Pony for Jean"

by Joanna Cannan

wow - impressive memory. I was thinbking along the lines of Christine Pullein-Thompson.

There are sequels - another pony for jean and more ponies for Jean.

Not memory - Google!

And Christine PT is her daughter One of twins.

Do you think our daughters will find those ruddy awful fairy books so memorable?
"Daisy Meadows" Pah.
Petra the Puce Fairy etc.

No substance.

(My DD did discover the joys of reading through them though )

Thanks for that SoupDreggon - I'll try and get hold of a copy of "A Pony for Jean" I recently bought "I Wanted a Pony" from ebay as I thought it was what I was looking for but sadly I was disappointed,

Thanks again

spooky-have just managed to get a copy after months of searching. read dd an extract of this from a compendium of pony stories and just had to get the book was hooked after the first chapter where she falls off a pony and they leave her unconcious on the sofa while they have tea-Fab!
Put a search on ebay that notifies you when one comes on and be prepared to wait. its quite rare and grotty paperbacks were going for £10 ish-managed to get one for about £4 after a while-worth the wait!

Forgot-they are great for reading aloud, lovely short chapters, nice easy flowing language and doesnt want to make you slap their faces (unlike magic unicorn et al!)

£15 on \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0340039973/ref=sr_1_olp_21/026-9744494-8242815?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1175107776&sr=8-21\Amazon]

Amazon

BTW, I'm basing my guess as to what the book is called from this where it refers to "Jean Leslie was given a thin neglected pony, called Toastrack, romatically dubbed The Cavalier, and triumphed in the jumping class..."

£15-Hah!
Try ebay (would offer mine but cant bear to be parted from it now!)

Update - I just found a copy on ebay, it's cost me £12 and it's coming all the way from Australia but I know it will be worth it and worth the wait. Thanks everyone for pointing me in the right direction. Nancy.

Jill lived in Chatton (I think - defo not Chatham though, she'd have been sailing instead!)