For Want of a Saddle

David and Pat

by Christine Pullein-Thompson

127 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

The Pullein-Thompson sisters — Josephine Pullein-Thompson MBE (3 April 1924-[1]), Diana Pullein-Thompson (born 1 October 1925) [2] and Christine Pullein-Thompson (1 October 1925–2 December 2005[2] — are British writers of several horse and pony books (mostly fictional) aimed at children and mostly popular with girls. They started at a very young age (initially writing collectively) and they were at their peak in the 1950s and 1960s, but their popularity has endured. They have written a collective autobiography Fair Girls and Grey Horses.

All 3 sisters have written at least 1 book under a different name; Josephine wrote 1 under the pseudonym of Josephine Mann, Diana 3 books under her married name of Diana Farr and Christine wrote 2 books under the name of Christine Keir.

Their mother, Joanna Cannan (1898–1961), sister of the poet May Cannan, wrote similar equestrian stories, but is better known for detective mysteries.

Reviews

[Lydia Willcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Dark-Draco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is quite a sweet little story - brother and sister move to the country where they have the chance to ride a pony. Only they don't really have a clue what they are doing and don't own the stuff needed - mainly a saddle! Luckily, they have some help, first in the guise of the pony's current rider and then with an old friend who steps in to help. Through a few misadventures, they finally get what they need.

Strangely, this hasn't actually aged too badly. I completely understood the kids frustration as little things go wrong and get blown up into huge consequences - at least in their heads. The ending is a bit too nice - but for a children's book you can forgive it just a bit.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fancied a nostalgic pony book, so bought this from Amazon Marketplace cheap and will give it to my son to read now. It's sweet enough, a reasonable story and not TOO old-fashioned :-) 6 out of 10

[Carina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me be clear, at 27 I am really not the target audience for this book, in fact I'd say I'm around 20 years being past the target audience age... and honestly it shows.

The children in this book aren't particularly likeable to an adult perspective, and although they help the parents out they are rather selfish and self-centred. For some children though I can see that this would be a wonderful story of children enjoying the countryside and having simple adventures.

This isn't a book I recall enjoying as a child, and as I am giving it to charity it wouldn't be one that I recommend to friends with younger children.