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Annie Owns a Pony
Bell, Jennifer
Hardcover
First published November 1, 1990
3 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Bell
70 books14 followersFor the author of The Uncommoners, see Jennifer^Bell.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 1, 2026
This is a non-fiction book wrapped up in fictional trappings in order to teach basic pony care. It combines elements of a graphic novel and the usual instructions from pony care books. It's aimed at a UK audience. Some terms and problems peculiar to the UK are mentioned, like sweet itch.
Annie gets a pony, Daisy, and the reader learns about pony care, tack and some riding tips, along with Annie. Before that, we learn about how to buy a pony, which was pretty complicated for a Pony 101 book. The pages on tack were also more complex. Most of the book is about Annie's week at stable management camp (or something like that.) At the end is a student horse show.
Although this could've turned into a saccharine book, it never does. It shows some of the less sweet side of owning a pony, including mucking stalls, dealing with a compost heap, knowing that many of the ponies at an auction will wind up in an abbatoir, and how exhausted you are from doing the daily chores are detailed.
The artwork is exceptionally good for a book of this type (which often uses poor photos). The details on using a drench, the differences in bits, and the two ponies with all of the conformation faults known are alone worth the price of admission. There are also two stable mice who help with comic relief, especially after particularly long lists of descriptions.
I did have a problem with how many of the pages were organized. Like a cartoon strip, the story is told in panels. However, the order of the panels changes without warning.
WARNING: Industrial strength level puns used.
Annie gets a pony, Daisy, and the reader learns about pony care, tack and some riding tips, along with Annie. Before that, we learn about how to buy a pony, which was pretty complicated for a Pony 101 book. The pages on tack were also more complex. Most of the book is about Annie's week at stable management camp (or something like that.) At the end is a student horse show.
Although this could've turned into a saccharine book, it never does. It shows some of the less sweet side of owning a pony, including mucking stalls, dealing with a compost heap, knowing that many of the ponies at an auction will wind up in an abbatoir, and how exhausted you are from doing the daily chores are detailed.
The artwork is exceptionally good for a book of this type (which often uses poor photos). The details on using a drench, the differences in bits, and the two ponies with all of the conformation faults known are alone worth the price of admission. There are also two stable mice who help with comic relief, especially after particularly long lists of descriptions.
I did have a problem with how many of the pages were organized. Like a cartoon strip, the story is told in panels. However, the order of the panels changes without warning.
WARNING: Industrial strength level puns used.
Displaying 1 of 1 review