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Post by garej on May 16, 2018 18:33:17 GMT 1
I haven't read it before Claire so if you want to do it as a recommended book then I am sorted. Unless you think that two Primrose Cumming books will be too much. But saying last year I did both Foal of the fjords and The Silver Eagle Riding School so perhaps not! Thankfully Primrose Cumming is a decent author I don't think that I will be saying the same if it was The Three Jays!
Ps my copy of The Mystery Trek has a completely different cover!
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Post by garej on May 18, 2018 14:00:48 GMT 1
My latest book came today and it's one for the challenge. It's called Siani Shetland and thankfully it's thin with lots of spacing. The author wrote 4 books with siani shetland in welsh though the first got translated into English. If you want help with information about the author Claire let me know as there's a Welsh Wikipedia page. AFAIK I am the only person who can translate it on this forum though saying that there's always Google translate.
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Post by Claire on May 18, 2018 21:54:39 GMT 1
Thanks for that Garej. I may take you up on that. Coincidentally I'm in Wales at the moment. Staying in Pembrokeshire for a few days while my dad is working on his new yacht he's just bought to get it ready to bring up north. I am off to visit shire horse centre tomorrow in Eglwyswrw - now there's a tongue twister if you don't speak Welsh!
Back to the reading challenge, yeah I would certainly be happy to nominate The Mystery Trek as a recommended book.
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Post by rallycairn on May 19, 2018 6:07:22 GMT 1
Wow, everyone is just brimming with ideas, and thanks for getting rosettes again, garej! The Gill Morrell books, including Pony Trek, are really excellent imo, and underappreciated. Her whole trilogy including Pony Trek is just great. As far as war horse books talked about a bit upthread, maybe not a combat horse, but Frog, the Horse Who Knew No Master is a good cavalry horse story. I think We Rode to the Sea is one of those CPT's, along with Ride by Night, where the author doesn't always describe a logical flow of events. [VAGUE/GENERAL SPOILER ALERT] As in, they all break up into subgroups but somehow find each other just fine later, in the same remote place in pitch darkness with no effort (and without giving away their presence to baddies who are very close by). Or they are all asleep in their tents but the bad guys show up and they are described as leaping on their ponies to give chase. And at first I'm wondering if they tacked up or jumped on bareback or what, but I'm assuming just a short chase is being described -- but NO, not only is it not mentioned whether they tacked up or not, but they are never even described as breaking camp, and they NEVER return to that spot either -- the chase goes on for another day or two. So, like, what? did they tack up, break camp, or just ride saddleless and bridleless into the dawn never to return, leaving a ghost camp behind? The flow of events just doesn't make logical sense, or there are gaps with the continuity broken that are never explained, when all it would take would be a quick phrase or sentence to indicate the time or setting change much more logically. It's hard for me to believe that the same author who wrote Ride by Night and We Rode to the Sea also wrote the Chill Valley Hunt books, which are some of my favorite horse books of all, with such good characters and great horsey feel and wonderful countryside depictions. I need to read more CPT for sure to get a better feel for her. The Black Pony Inn series is very appealing to me, so maybe I will add it or some of the Phantom Horse books to my summer reading list.
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Post by ginslinger on May 19, 2018 16:00:28 GMT 1
I love the Chill Valley Hunt books but the continuity isn't perfect there either (Not only do horses and hounds change sex but Sandy and Laurence's surname changes for the last book. However most errors are interseries rather than interbook and I think the characters and descriptions sweep you along enough for you not to notice until you become an ultra picky adult reader maybe. I don't know if you noticed my post about it at the time but I tracked down "Chill Valley Point to Point" a shorter story serialised in Pony Magazine in the fifties, last year after a couple of trips to the British Library. I photocopied it (legally) and Susanb very kindly typed it up. So if you would like to read it.
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Post by Claire on May 19, 2018 20:14:11 GMT 1
I agree the Gill Morell series is very good and under-rated. I wasn't a fan of those two CPT books, in general I am not overly keen on horse stories with a kind of adventure or thriller element.
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Post by garej on May 21, 2018 14:21:33 GMT 1
We Rode to the sea is CPT'S very first solo book so we can't expect it to be the best. I think that we were spoilt by Six Ponies and I Wanted a Pony that we forget that they were busy people who were running a riding school at the time so they didnt have full time concentration on a book. Also in most cases first books by authors tend to be poor.
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Post by garej on May 21, 2018 14:46:02 GMT 1
My latest book came today and it's one for the challenge. It's called Siani Shetland and thankfully it's thin with lots of spacing. The author wrote 4 books with siani shetland in welsh though the first got translated into English. If you want help with information about the author Claire let me know as there's a Welsh Wikipedia page. AFAIK I am the only person who can translate it on this forum though saying that there's always Google translate. I have had a look at the Welsh Wikipedia book page and it just says that as of 2017 it was in print. It doesn't give any information about the author or much about the plot just says that it's about siani and her owner Beca and that they get into all sorts of trouble but turn out to be the heroine. It's suitable for ages 9-11. According to the Wikipedia page the Welsh version has 104 pages but the English version has 84. So I don't know if the English version has been cut story wise or what.
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Post by garej on May 21, 2018 15:28:02 GMT 1
Ok having noticed that there's a separate page for the author there's more information about Anwen Francis. According to Wikipedia she was born in 17 January 1979 in Cardigan. She has worked for the bbc for 6 years as a presenter and as a regular columnist as well as writing children's pony stories. She now works as a Corporate Communications officer for Ceredigion County Council. She appears to have written one non pony book about rally driving.
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Post by Claire on May 21, 2018 19:20:45 GMT 1
Thanks for the info Garej. J
Just to add to the debate about We Rode to the Sea, I actually didn't think it was badly written it's just I prefer horse stories that are about horses rather than adventure type books with a few horses chucked into the mix. I think CPT was aiming for boy and girl market with this book which is perhaps why she spiced it up with a thriller type plot. I know my Uncle had this book as a child cos I ended up with his copy and he was not remotely interested in horses but obviously enjoyed the adventure!
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Post by susanb on May 25, 2018 11:21:03 GMT 1
Working on finalizing my list for the challenge...are we going to post recommendations soon? June is next week (eeek! where did spring go?) and people may need time to source something if they don't have it
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Post by garej on May 25, 2018 20:20:54 GMT 1
Yeah I agree with getting it sorted. I have 3 books for definite. Like I said before I know what to recommend.
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Post by Claire on May 25, 2018 23:14:10 GMT 1
Hi all, if you can please put your names down for taking part in the Challenge and also post your book recommendations here in the next 2 to 3 weeks so I can start up an 'official' thread.
The categories I have so far are:
BOOK RECOMMENDED BY A FORUM MEMBER BOOK TRANSLATED FROM A FOREIGN LANGUAGE BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AUTHOR WHO HAS DIED SINCE 2000 BOOK FEATURING HORSES IN WAR TIME (FICTION OR NON-FIC) BOOK FEATURING A TREKKING HOLIDAY OR SIMILAR MODERN PONY BOOK WRITTEN 2016 - 2018
As in previous years, you don't have to pick books for all the categories. There is also free choice for how ever many other books you would like to read, you can include non-horsy books if you so desire. You can choose up to 10 books to read over the summer (UK summer that is!)
Just to remind you that my recommended book is THE MYSTERY TREK by PRIMROSE CUMMING
Garej, hope you don't mind have changed the title of the thread so it doesn't get mixed up with any other Reading Challenge threads.
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Post by susanb on May 26, 2018 14:21:10 GMT 1
hmmmm.....I planned on reading Sheena Wilkinson's Grounded as my modern book. It was published in the UK in 2012, but didn't become available in the US till late last year (2017), close enough?
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Post by garej on May 26, 2018 19:03:02 GMT 1
I recommend Racing Manhattan by Terence Blacker. Be warned it's not a short read as it's over 300 pages long. It's available as a ebook as well as a physical copy. It was released in 2016.
It's the story of Jay Barton. She initially lives with her uncle as her mother has died of cancer and her father isn't on the scene. Her uncle is corrupt. It starts with pony racing before Jay runs off to Newmarket to start a racing job. She finds one and it deals with the toughness of being a female lad. There's corruption and a bit of nastiness. During which she bonds with Manhattan a difficult mare. It deals with both their racing career. Unusual twist near the end.
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Post by garej on May 26, 2018 19:07:47 GMT 1
Also on the subject of authors who have died since the year 2000 I can only think of the PTs, Patricia Leitch, Primrose Cumming, Dick Francis and Babette Cole. Can anyone think of any other authors?
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Post by susanb on May 26, 2018 22:04:59 GMT 1
A few come to mind:
Barbara Holland, author of The Pony Problem, died in 2010 Phyllis Whitney, who wrote The Crimson Ghost, died in 2008 Betty Cavanna: Spring Comes Riding, Spurs for Suzanna, Lasso Your Heart, Wanted: A Girl for the Horses, died in 2001
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Post by garej on May 27, 2018 15:29:40 GMT 1
Hi all, if you can please put your names down for taking part in the Challenge and also post your book recommendations here in the next 2 to 3 weeks so I can start up an 'official' thread. The categories I have so far are: BOOK RECOMMENDED BY A FORUM MEMBER BOOK TRANSLATED FROM A FOREIGN LANGUAGE BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AUTHOR WHO HAS DIED SINCE 2000 BOOK FEATURING HORSES IN WAR TIME (FICTION OR NON-FIC) BOOK FEATURING A TREKKING HOLIDAY OR SIMILAR MODERN PONY BOOK WRITTEN 2016 - 2018 Ok I have the following books Siani Shetland by Anwen Francis (translated book) Silver Eagle Carries On by Primrose Cumming (war book) We Rode to the sea by CPT (horsey holiday ) The Mystery Trek by Primrose Cumming (recommended book) Plus one more.
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Post by susanb on May 27, 2018 20:37:11 GMT 1
An ambitious list for me, we'll see how it goes 1.) Racing Manhattan/Terrence Blacker - recommended 2.) Wanted! A Horse!/Babbis Friis - book in translation (translated from Norwegian) 3. ) Empty Field/Christina Pullein-Thompson - book by author who has died since 2000 4.) Top Kick/Helen Orr Watson - war horse 5.) Five Proud Riders/Ann Stafford - holiday/trekking 6.) Grounded/Sheena Wilkinson - modern (yeah, I know, it came out earlier in UK, but here only last year ) 7.) Thudding Hoofs/Blanche Chenery Perrin 8.) Days of Gold/Ann Spence Warner 9.) A Time to Dance/Regina Woody - non–pony book 10.) Phantom Trailer by Mildred Wirt - non–pony book Book to recommend: The Secret Horse by Marion Holland
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Post by trixiepony on May 29, 2018 6:36:30 GMT 1
I feel like Im missing out on so much pony mad book lovers stuff, but Im in a pony book slump right now. and I remember last time how hard it was to read the ones I had picked.
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Post by haffyfan on May 29, 2018 12:47:04 GMT 1
I'd like to join in please but not had chance to think about any titles yet.
How does the recommended one work? Is there a list somewhere of tittles to pick from?
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Post by ginslinger on May 29, 2018 19:31:40 GMT 1
I think you nominate one and pick one someone else has.
I would like to participate but maybe won’t be so ambitious this year. either fewer or shorter books.
If it is ok may I nominate KM Peyton’s Prove yourself a hero. I know many will have read it but it never seems to have been formally discussed. I think it has enough horse in it to count and I think it is an excellent read on many levels If nothing else it is interesting because it is the only book in th Maybridge serieswhich shows events from Peter’s point of view and is an interesting depiction of male friendship though how authentic it is I don’t know.t
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Post by garej on May 29, 2018 20:58:39 GMT 1
Ginslinger I struggle with reading 10 books so I only initially pick 5. You can always add books at a later date.
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Post by susanb on May 29, 2018 21:48:57 GMT 1
trixie, why not pick just a few to do? I know it's billed as a "challenge", but it is after all just for fun...nobody is back in school and there isn't any quiz at the end of it Look for a few books your 10 year old self would have loved to laze about with
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Post by susanb on May 30, 2018 1:54:50 GMT 1
Ok, decision time, I'm recommending The Secret Horse by Marion Holland (brief overview below). If anyone wants to do it and can't find a copy, I'll send one on, as it only had a US publication.
In The Secret Horse, a girl is left behind when all her friends go off to summer riding camp, (except one who is visiting a relative with a farm who actually raises horses!), because termites have eaten the porch. Yes, you read that right....the cost of replacing the porch ate up all the funds that would have paid for camp!
Lucky for Nikki, two things happen right away: Gail, her parents and younger brother move in next door with Gail's grandparents while her dad looks for a new house in the area; then, while at an animal shelter picking out a kitten to adopt, Nikki and Gail spot an abandoned horse that needs stealing rescuing.
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Post by rallycairn on May 31, 2018 3:48:41 GMT 1
Ok, I'm going to take up some books praised earlier in the thread as my recommendation: The Pony Holiday trilogy by Gill Morrell. The first book is The Pony Vacation (reportedly also published as The Pony Holiday); the second is The Pony Trek; the third is The Pony Winter. Pick one, two, or all three! These are really great books with good horse-y details and info and really well done relationships among the characters.
I HAVE AN EXTRA COPY OF THE PONY TREK I would be happy to give to anyone who wants it. Just message me your address!
For my books to read list, I am going to do The Pony Holiday trilogy by Gill Morrell; the 3 David and Pat CPT Books (The First Rosette, The Second Mount, Three to Ride), and instead of 10 I am going to only do 7 books this year. Debating between The Winged Colt of Casa Mia, which has been solidly praised on the forum by many, and a re-read of Frog, the Horse Who Knew No Master, which I only read once about 18 years ago.
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Post by tintin on May 31, 2018 18:01:33 GMT 1
Here are my books:-
BOOK RECOMMENDED BY A FORUM MEMBER - Three Jays Over the Border - Pat Smythe BOOK TRANSLATED FROM A FOREIGN LANGUAGE - Jumper, the life of a Siberian Horse - Nicholas Kalashnikoff BOOK WRITTEN BY AN AUTHOR WHO HAS DIED SINCE 2000 - The Empty Field - C Pullein-Thompson BOOK FEATURING HORSES IN WAR TIME (FICTION OR NON-FIC)- Leopard the Story of My Horse - Colonel Sir Michael Ansell BOOK FEATURING A TREKKING HOLIDAY OR SIMILAR - Ponies and Caravans - MM Oliver MODERN PONY BOOK WRITTEN 2016 - 2018 - Double Clear - Kate Lattey
Pretty Kitty Herrick, the Horsebreaker - Mrs Edward Kennard Man Overboard - Monica Dickens (non-Horse book by Horsey author, which was suggested as a category) Reminiscences of Hunting and Horses - Mrs Philip Martineau Reminiscenses of a Sporting Artist - Lionel Edwards
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Post by Claire on Jun 2, 2018 14:31:25 GMT 1
Hi all some answers to your questions and general infomation - PLEASE READ ! The 'Recommended Books' will be all listed on the 'Official' 2018 Reading Challenge thread which has not yet been set up (coming in the next few days) It will be on-line at least 2 weeks before the Challenge actually starts so give you plenty of time to pick which recommended book to choose. It's great that people are so keen but those who have posted their lists already are jumping the gun a bit. This is still the disucssion thread - so can everyone else who hasn't already posted their lists please wait until the official thread and post them there, just so I don't get confused (easily done nowadays) or miss anyone's out. I know I posted the categories early but it was just to give folk a little more time to get themselves sorted. I DON'T NEED FULL LISTS YET! You've still got at least 3 weeks to get sorted. Trixie - or anyone else - you can pick as few or as many books as you like and they don't even have to be pony books although one or two would be nice. Extra books can be added later, though I would prefer it if folk can try and get their full lists up front at the beginning just to save me a little time. It is quite a time consuming job keeping all the lists up to date on the web-page as it is and adding books afterwards can mean moving everything around. However I'd rather you added some later than didn't take part at all! I hope this explains everything. If you would like to know anything else however post your queries here. Lastly I'll let Susan sum up the spirit of the 'Challenge' as you're all probably sick of my rules and regulations: I know it's billed as a "challenge", but it is after all just for fun...nobody is back in school and there isn't any quiz at the end of it Look for a few books your 10 year old self would have loved to laze about with
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Post by susanb on Jun 2, 2018 21:45:29 GMT 1
Ooops...sorry I got a bit ahead of the game, Claire! I'll post my list again in the official thread when it gets set up, so you'll have 'em all in one place!
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Post by trixiepony on Jun 3, 2018 4:30:02 GMT 1
well as I do have some I do need to read books and ones I have newly got I can read those, I will ad when you are ready for them Claire. not there how meany will fit in the list but we will see.
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