A Pony Of Gold, Avril C.R. Knott

From the DW,

This is the most absorbing story of Fairest, a beautiful little golden chestnut pony, and her devoted 15 year old mistress.

Sorry but couldn't think of a better introduction for this book than the one it was given at publication.

The story begins with Sandra returning home from being abroad, convalescing, and her pony fairest being stolen by Gypsy's (of course!). Fairest's first new home is short lived as tormented by Kenneth, she turns on him and is branded vicious......thus sending her to a new home and job as a hireling. Bad riding and management turns the sweet mare into a difficult and moody animal and an accident involving a client puts her on dicey ground home wise again. Fortunately Sandra, home and heart broken, manages to trace her mare and buys her back for a song. Fairest remembers her old mistress and quickly forgets her unpleasant experiences. Sandra sets about schooling her once more and getting her fit to hunt. It is during a fittening hack that Sandra and fairest stumble across an orphan foal, later named Pixie, and take the little fella home with them. He is weak but pulls through and when his owner is traced he gifts the foal to Sandra, to her utter delight! Meanwhile Sandra and fairest have some wonderful hunts, including one eventful day where she Perseus a loose horse for many miles but makes a new friend. This new friend later first puts the idea in Sandra's head that her little mare, despite being under 15hh is fast enough and a good enough jumper to Point to point. An idea Sandra embraces with relish! After a successful day at a local gymkhana, Sandra sets her sights a little higher, on the open jumping and Ladies race (point to point) at an upcoming horse show and begins training in earnest. Initially she keeps it a secret from her parents, afraid of their reaction, but a fall during training, arouses suspicion in her Father who later gives his permission to enter. He also allows her to drop her studies in favour of the intensive training she will need to partake in to get fairest fit and ready. A potentially fatal incident occurs during a beach trip but gallant Fairest saves the day and the storey culminates on the glorious show day when Sandra not only wins the open jumping but also the ladies race against renown and very experienced competition.

Quite absorbing and beautifully written. You won't be surprised to hear the author was only 15 years old when she wrote this and it shows in the story, I would hazard a guess that this book was all of Ms Knott's horsey dreams come true? Not many people are lucky enough to trace their stolen animals, let alone have the good fortune to find and be given a foal (who incidentally has no relation really to the story at all, apart from I would guess the young author wanted a foal). The hunting, showing success, jumping and point to point win are also all very much a youngsters idealistic dream of owning a horse. And being able to give up her studies...well wonderful as a child...but as an adult you quickly realise how important education is! So this just has to be another childhood dream?

One thing that really does jump out at you is how times have changed. Sandra goes off to persue a runaway, out hunting, and finds herself invited to stay over, when darkness fell, at a fellow followers family home. This overnight stay the following day turns into a few days. Can you imagine in this day and age a child stopping at the home of a complete stranger overnight let alone for several days. Also she is taken home and dried off after her beach escapade by another complete stranger (male...sadly in this day and age I am sure it would be only too sinister to consider) and again this is considered quite the norm. In fact the character is shocked she has not stopped and knocked on anyones door to get dried off etc.....imagine now even knocking on a door in your street and the response you would most likely get.

The book is further enhanced by one of my personal favourite dust wrapper illustrations. The pony is exquisite, it is a shame the rider, very nicely drawn, is rather ham-fistedly holding the reins incorrectly with her foot right at home in the stirrup. Unfortunately the inside illustrations are rather a let down more often than not and it's hard to believe the same person is responsible for them all......illustrator is uncredited in my (presumed) 1st ed so i would be interested if anyone can shed any light on to whom deserves credit (or not)?