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Post by Claire on Feb 20, 2009 11:43:24 GMT 1
Apologies for the delay in moving on to the 3rd book in the series. This is Radney Riding Club by JPT For those of you who haven't read Six Ponies and Pony Club Team, the main characters in this book, Noel and Henry met on a dressage course run by the Major (in Pony Cub Team) the previous summer. These holidays Henry has invited Noel to stay at his home Radney Manor where they form a riding club along with some other neighbourhood horsy kids. The book is almost a stand-alone as it has many characters not seen in the rest of the series, and apart from a brief appearance by Susan, John and Dick, Noel and Henry are the only characters from the previous 2 books. Discussion as soon as anyone wants. I am also adding poll.
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Post by darkhorse on Feb 24, 2009 14:33:11 GMT 1
It's a great book but I don't like it quite as much as the others in the series so voted very good. I think it is probably because the characters are different and I don't like them as much as the ones in the other books. I miss June, Mrs Cresswell and the Major who provide a lot of the funny bits in the other books. Also Eric, the 'bad guy' is a bit bland compared to June and Christopher in the later books. Does anyone agree? Also does anyone know why she moved away from the the West Barsetshire setting and the usual characters for this one?
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Post by Claire on Feb 26, 2009 23:13:59 GMT 1
Yes I agree that its not the best one of the series but it is still very good. Actually some of the characters seem to have taken over the roles of the West Barset ones. The Major has been transformed into General de Veriac (sp), Margaret's alter ego is Deb and Eric is the Radney version of June (with a little bit of Paulina thrown in too) The bit where Eric gets a hopeless expert in has been done in just about every other book about riding clubs, including Pat Leitch's Riding Course Summer and also I think Jill's Riding Club. I think Jo's was the original. In all the books this is really cringe-making story-telling! My fav characters in the book are the General and Oscar the pony. The general has some great names for the other characters. Doesnt he call Henry the Big Noise or the Big Cheese or something similar? When he instructs the ride its my fav bit in the book. And I love the bit where one of the kids calls him ever such an old old expert! Oscar the completely hopeless unloving pony is SO real. I had the misfortune to ride one exactly the same. You do feel sorry for Alex, especially when he has the day dream that he ends up winning the comp on Oscar instead of riding Trappist. Its nice to see that JPT shows the not so rosy side of owning a pony too.
As with the other Pony Club books (and indeed most of her novels) JPT continues the theme of people who are willing to learn triumphing. Once again this desire to learn to ride correctly comes out on top of experience, when the willing but novice Alex is chosen to ride in the team instead of Eric. Paulina is the most hopeless case of the lot. She really is a complete blot. Altho unlike Richard in Six Ponies she isnt nasty, just ignorant and self-satisfied. JPT presents a good contrast when he has Erics 'expert' pointing out Paulina as the best rider, compared to the truth of the matter which is exposed by the general!
A good humourous read!
Not sure why JPT decided to move away from her original characters and setting in this one. As I have said on another post (possibly on Pony Club Team) I would love to have known what was happening with the other characters that summer in West Barsetshire. I think it must have been quite an eventful summer as Christopher turns from a likeable scatterbrain into a very competant rider, and at the same time becomes conceited and full of himself. I think June too was starting to have a change of heart as she changes a lot in the next book, One Day Event.
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Post by zoe on Feb 26, 2009 23:30:05 GMT 1
I like the fact that this book moves away from the original setting as I think it adds interest to the series although, like Claire, I would like to know about what happened in West Barsetshire that summer. I wonder if the series might have become a bit "sameish" (don't think that's a real word haha) without this book?
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Post by fizz on Feb 27, 2009 19:40:06 GMT 1
This has to be my favourite out of the series, it is interesting that I read it first out of sequence and wonder if that may have a leaning on my decision. Also I read the first addition of the book with the Sheila Rose illustrations, I don't think the later versions are illustrated, but someone will be able to put me right on that.
I especially like the setting and the detailed characterisation of the children, adults and ponies. In this book we are informed of Henry's upper class status when we are introduced to Radney Manor, where Queen Elizabeth I left a shoe, we meet his mother who is an interesting character. I particularly like the reference to the discussion with a visitor about the reintroduction of rural crafts into country homes; which seems very patronising to rural working class people & sums her up; however I do not think I, or any other child would see this allusion & it makes me think that JPT was also writing this series for adults, even for & about some adults she knew. Is this section where Noel first arrives at Radney Manor in the later additions as I know some are edited? Eric takes on the mantle of June and I do think that his parents are more poisonous than June's mother. Mrs Lawson sounds a very hardbitten character, sporty, ambitious for Eric & very unsympathetic; she has similarities with a minor character in DPT's I Wanted a Pony, the woman with the hairnet that has the jumper Topper for sale. The reappearance of these character types suggests the sisters knew such people; it would be interesting to find out if they were based on live characters. In spite of being "types" these characters are not one dimensional in any way, they are remarkably well developed for minor players in the plot of a children's book. This is what lifts JPT's writing from being ordinary "pony story" to something more complex, and that she should be more recognised as a major writer for children, though I suspect the PC brigade would consider the novels none inclusive and dated.
There are some wonderful moments of humour in this book. The disastrous rally organised by "Daddy Lawson" is one of the funniest episodes, I especially like the way Mr Lawson & the Colonel are described as "Shooing him over, waving their arms and a shooting stick like madmen" whilst all the other children sit around in silent amazement. That Oscar kicks Mr Lawson adds to the humour. Henry's comments after the rally are typical of him and how he introduces humour: "I shall hang myself and leave a note for the coroner giving the reason for my dismal death. That would strike a blow for horsemanship; it might make that idiotic Sanderson hold his tongue if he knew his drivel was responsible for my death" p92. I particularly liked the bit: "We need someone who has studied equitation, not a bucolic hunting type with the brains of a mentally defective rabbit". when I was a child, it made me look up bucolic in a dictionary any way. The whole chapter still makes me laugh. Other areas of humour are where they are learning French phrases, a bit of licence from JPT as I've yet to find a phrase book that mentions "My friend is a good judge of horses" and the arrival of the "Expert".
I also enjoyed all the references to aspects of the period when it was written, such as "meat ration", "League of Nations", Concentration camp" and "Trappist looking like a communist". Have these been changed in later editions? It would be a shame if they had because they might get young readers to engage with some of our country's recent history.
I wonder if JPT's intention was to show the differences between the development of riding in Barsetshire with the stagnation in Radney district? Or to introduce new characters. There are links to the Barsetshire characters in this when John, Susan & Dick come to judge the gymkhana & update on the activities of their peers. In Pony Club Camp Henry mentions that Christo has been doing an instructors course at Porlock. Like Claire I would like to know what was happening in Barsetshire, but I am also keen to know what happened to Eric, Alex, David and the others in this book.
I think it's a great read, as fresh and funny to me at 50 as it was when I was 13 and I have given it "Fantastic".
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Post by susanb on Feb 27, 2009 23:03:24 GMT 1
Radney Riding Club was my favorite of all the books as well. I think, for me, the fact that Noel and Henry are more on their own, and have to take charge of their club, makes the book more interesting...it allows them to grow in a way that they can't as the Major's pupils. The added fun of children running something, whether it's a riding school or a pony club, is appealing all by itself...some of my favorite stories revolve around that type of plot (Gillian Baxter's Horses and Heather, Judith Berrisford's The Ponies Next Door).
It also slims down the number of characters a bit, which gives more space for the remaining characters to be developed....you'd need a scorecard to keep track of all the children (riders), children (siblings), parents, other adults, ponies, pets, etc in Six Ponies!
And having Noel and Henry being a bit more grown up and responsible also seems to have diminished one glaring defect in the series...at the beginning of EACH book the children are completely incompetent, but by the end those that listen and learn are winning ribbons. Fine for the first book in the series, but how exactly have they become completely incompetent AGAIN by the beginning of the next book? By the end of the series Henry is planning on a career in the army and Noel has left school, and the Major is still yelling at them for the some of the same riding flaws....if I'd been the him I'd have long since taken away their ponies and given them bikes!
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Post by Claire on Feb 27, 2009 23:12:41 GMT 1
Susan I always thought the same about them being hopeless at the start of each book again. One can only surmise that as soon as the Majors eagle eye has left them they develop all their old faults again! However I dont think this book has cured Noel and H cos in the next one Henry is having terrible trouble with his dressage. Hence all the trotting without stirrups!
Fizz I am pretty sure there was editing done on the later eds. I have never read the first unfortunately and I am sure I dont recognise some things. I will check my (pb) copy. Yes this is a very funny book and its a witty sort of humour. I agree that JPT often wrote on 2 levels with some humourous remarks which only adults would get. And, as you say, and we have said many times before, her adult characters are some of the best in all pony books. Apart from the books where adults are the main characters, they are prob the most realistic rounded adult characters in the genre.
Thanks for reminding me about the bit where they are practising French remarks. Its one of my fav bits too.
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Post by darkhorse on Mar 8, 2009 16:27:21 GMT 1
I hope I'm not being a pest but are we going to do One Day Event soon?
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Post by Claire on Mar 9, 2009 18:54:09 GMT 1
Hi darkhorse yes I will try and sort out the thread for One Day tonight some time.
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Post by kunuma on Mar 9, 2009 20:31:54 GMT 1
Has any pbnerd with too much time on their hands worked out if all the ages etc match up with the timeline of the series? One of the downsides of loving series, (and I think I am even guilty of liking the sameness running through them - see it is a real word now zoe, as two people have used it! )is that I get pedantic about things happening in 'real time' The biggest culprit is Jill, who manages to be 14 for two summers, but I think in this series it all works out. I loved the way the ponies changed hands within the pony club circle, (very true to real life) and yes, I loved Oscar, having tried attending pony club on something very similar!! The way you are treated does tend to revolve around the capabilities of the mount you manage to scrounge up! I went back briefly much later on a supersonic pony, and discovered that for myself - sadly I was by then 17, so a bit past it even with said superstar. I had a very late gymkhana career!! I am still waiting to find someone with a field full of Anglo Arabs they don't want though, I was very jealous of Noel!
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Post by Claire on Mar 9, 2009 20:53:03 GMT 1
Oh glad I am not the only one who has a thing about ages in books. I am always looking to find out how old the characters are. Was most annoyed by Monica Edwards Punchbowl Farm series which not only had the ages flutcuating it actually had Lindsey as older than Dion at one point then she became younger! That sort of thing keeps me awake at nights But why worry about Jill being the same age for 2 summers when Jackie was the same for at least 10!!! Yep I am pretty sure the ages are right in the Pony Club series tho, even the minor characters seem to work out judging by the ages of Marga and James in the last book in series when compared with what they were in Six Ponies.
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Post by haffyfan on Mar 9, 2009 21:22:41 GMT 1
I didn't think much of this a child and having re-read fairly recently it hasn't really grown on me. It's okay as far as pony books go but I don't like the Radney characters (any of them!) and do wonder why she deviated away from the West Barsetshire set?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2011 12:57:06 GMT 1
I didn't think much of this a child and having re-read fairly recently it hasn't really grown on me. It's okay as far as pony books go but I don't like the Radney characters (any of them!) and do wonder why she deviated away from the West Barsetshire set? I've only just read this for the first time recently. I tend to agree with those who didn't like it quite as much as the others in the series. Still a good read though so voted good.
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Post by foxglove on Oct 13, 2011 15:50:16 GMT 1
I also read this for the first time recently (being new to the series as an adult reader) and enjoyed it. I think it was interesting to take Noel out of her home setting and make her a guest, and I found Henry very amusing. I was half expecting a Horse Whisperer character to turn up and help Oscar, but I guess the fact that that was unresolved is much more realistic. The world is full of slow ponies who can't jump and are bad tempered, and I seem to have ridden more than my share of them.
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