Earlier this week a little package arrived in the mail for the kids from their Grandpa.
These are the Thelwell cartoon books I used to read as a child. I think they were originally at my grandmother's house. They are, in any case, well thumbed and were the source of much mirth to me as a child. I suspect these are not so funny if you (a) have never owned a horse and/or (b) know nothing of the English brand of 'horsiness'.
You see, while not a great horsewoman by any sense, I did once own one of these ponies. His name was Luke Skywalker and he was a trifle wide in the barrel. He would puff out his tummy when I did up the girth and was terribly amused when the saddle, and me with it, slid off him during a ride.
I never did have much control over this animal. He being more interested in food than taking me for a ride.
And as for showjumping...well, lets just say that Luke and I were the entertainment at pony club as he would canter up to a jump, screech to a halt and send me careering between his ears over the jump. By myself.
Love these little books. And now my kids are getting a laugh out of them too. Thanks Dad!
And as for showjumping...well, lets just say that Luke and I were the entertainment at pony club as he would canter up to a jump, screech to a halt and send me careering between his ears over the jump. By myself.
Love these little books. And now my kids are getting a laugh out of them too. Thanks Dad!
9 comments:
Oh thank you for reminding me of these books! From the ages of 10 to about 15, I used to spend school holidays 9 hours away from Sydney at my cousins' country home where she raised Shetland Ponies. I had the complete set of these books and could imagine myself in all of the scenarios and most certainly recognised "my" ponies in most!
Now... I wonder if I still have my copies of them somewhere....
I love those illustrations. And I may have had a giggle or ten at the image of you both sliding to the side, saddle and all AND sailing over your pony's ears. I have a book called "The Little Old Woman Who Used Her Head". It was written in the 30's and my grandmother used to read them. I can't wait to share them with my two.
I loved Thelwell - and it is a rite of passage to have your pony pull a few Thelwell tricks, isn't it?
My nephew's horse was very much of that character, right down to the nibbling of fingers and shoulders.
We used to love Thelwell too. Not sure they'd rock my boat now, seeing as I am no longer the least bit horsey.
Lovely to have such a tangible link to your past.
(AND... because I can't keep up with you... dancers look gorgeous, t-shirt is fabulous)
thank you for reminding me of these books
Hehe, I used to have Thelwell jigsaw as a child and absolutely adored it. I wasn't a horsey kid, though.
Fast forward 20 or so years and I moved to the UK and eventually got to work on a very famous very horsey magazine (that shall remain nameless, but you should be able to figure it out if I say "notting hill") and we got to commission Thelwell to do some pictures for us... Sadly, he died three or four years ago.
As a fellow former pony clubber I remember the books and ponies just like yours all too well.
Did Luke Skywalker (!!) respond well to a quick knee in the belly as you were doing up the girth? It always worked for any of mine that did that puffing up bit.
OMG !! Flashback !!
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou for the reminder - I *loved* these books .. no doubt another casualty of the divorce, another thing lost .. *sob* ... I wish I had them today - I might have to look them up on eBay or something.
I would love to read these again - I used to get so lost in them, and they were very funny :)
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