Riding With The Lyntons

Is the latest pony book I have read, having now run of of Trebizan titles. I have had a copy of this since I was a child (I think it was my mums) but don't actually re-call ever reading it. The story was certainly not familiar so if i had, I had only read it once. Maybe it's the uninteresting cover that put me off, as I discovered I have 3 different copies and all have pretty uninspiring covers in particular the 'photo' edition. I haven't been able to get hold of a first edition but the cover (as with all books of this era) is stunning and looks like possibly a Sheila Rose? The Collins Pony libs, come to think of it, all have uninspiring covers without any exceptions I can think of whereas the crown pony library books have stunning jackets (I especially like Grey Arrow). Maybe it is because the Collin's were made as 'cheapies' and of course the matt boards the covers were made from didn't help the pics one bit. Thinking about it some of the Collin's Seagull libraries had pretty dire covers too!

On the other hand I bought Mary Gervaise's Belinda books on the strength of the covers and look where that got me!!!

I've gone off on a tangent now so back to the Lyntons. Lesley, pony mad but pony less, and her family move to the country. Maybe based lightly on Diana's own upbringing - having an author as a mother , then moving to the country and having a pony at last? - For Lesley's father is an, initially struggling, Author who strikes gold, so to speak, right at the end of the story. Lesley thinks it will be lonely in the country until she realises the nearest house is home to pony mad family the Lyntons. All is well and after finally meeting them she ends up riding out happily, for a short while, with the family. However disaster strikes when Lesley feeds two of the ponies, who then shortly after escape onto the road where 1 is hit by a car and PTS. Of course the Lyntons blame Lesley (I'm sure I would to be honest in same situation), who is not sure herself if she shut the gate and that is the end of that friendship shall we say. Lesley's parents then buy her her own pony, who develops strangles but turns out to be a right little cracker, and by and by some history surrounding the mysterious Lyntons emerges as does a very important fact...Jangle (or was it Jingle...I only finished it last night and have already forgot) can open gates with her teeth. The Lyntons, who are a decent bunch really, all apologise and the story ends with them all riding out together and the sale of the TV rights of Lesley's father's book.

Not I feel one of Diana's best books (this honour is firmly reserved for Janet Must Ride) but much better than the covers would suggest. As ever it is well written although at times I did wonder if parts of the story were really necessary as they had no real impact on the story such as the mystery around the Lyntons and the changing of their name and even the pony developing strangles. All in all very readable and more enjoyable than I expected, which is always a bonus as so many of the very 'hyped' up books just don't 'offer the goods'.