Summer Pony

Ginny & Mokey #1

by Jean Slaughter Doty, Sam Savitt (Illustrator)

Disappointed with the half-starved and unkempt pony she has rented for the summer, Ginny hesitantly tries to do something with her.

Genres: Horses, Fiction, Animals, Childrens, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Juvenile

121 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Jean Slaughter Doty was born in New York. She was married to the cartoonist Roy Doty, and lived in Connecticut with her husband, children and numerous horses, dogs and Siamese cats. Her equine experience was wide: she hunted in England and Ireland, and was well known for breeding Welsh ponies at Rockrimmon farm, as well as Keeshond dogs. She was a show judge at numerous shows, including the National Horse Show at Madison Square Gardens. Almost all of her books are stories about horses for middle readers or young adults.

Reviews

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In yet another of my "read over and over as a kid and lost but now found" review series, I bring you Summer Pony. In this amazing book, a young girl's parents rent a pony for her for one summer. They go to a totally run down farm where 20 ponies are being kept in horrible conditions (which in a story today would culminate in the farm owner being charged with animal cruelty, but whatever it was the 70s). She chooses a shabby, dirty, neglected pony with two different colored eyes and then proceeds to be the BEST PONY OWNER EVER.
I hate to spoil this for you because it's some serious non-stop action and drama. PONY DRAMA, people. It really doesn't get much better than this if you are an 8 year old in 1985.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best girl and her misfit pony-who-is-really-a-diamond-in-the-rough kind of story. Also Jean Slaughter Doty's best story. My old, scribbled in paperback (bought from those wacky Scholastic order forms) disappeared over the years. Back in 2005, I was in a free library (one of those "take a book leave a book" deals) and found a library edition of Summer Pony.

It's as close as I've ever come to winning the lottery.

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

🍎
Jean Slaughter Doty wrote one of my very favourite books, Can I Get There By Candlelight? and I have been wanting to read her other books for over ten years. Thanks to TradeMe, I have finally found two, including this one, which I loved. Thankfully it held up to many years worth of expectations! It's very much typical of this kind of book but in the best possible way. It's a fairly simple chapter book, probably a great one to use to introduce readers to slightly longer stories that they could read confidently on their own, while still being short enough that you could read it aloud in one or two sittings.

It is beautifully illustrated by Sam Savitt.

This is another book that puts something that happens near the end of the story in the description on the back. I always find it such an odd choice on the publishers part as I see no purpose to it. Do parents require the knowledge of how the book turns out before they are willing to give it to their child? It's the only explanation I can think of, and it doesn't really feel that plausible. It's not as significant as the one for Can I Get There By Candlelight? but it still feels unnecessary.

To counterbalance the annoyance of the back cover, there is the pleasing discovery that the horse on the front cover of the book matches the one from the story inside. This probably shouldn't seem like a thing worth noting, but I have lost track of how many horsey books I have read where the cover, while pretty, has nothing to do with the book it is representing.

[Dark Owl Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite horse book of all time. I dreamed of owning a black and white mare with blue eyes after reading this book, and amazingly, I was blessed with owning her for nearly 20 years of my life (she passed away this fall). I also learned a lot about horsekeeping and horse safety from this book that I have used in my real-life horse world. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a re-read of one of my favorite childhood books- It gave me all the wonderful horse girl nostalgia I was looking for in one neat little package. 🥰

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book has a good premise and decent story line, I didn't think the writing was all that well done. It doesn't go down as a classic, but it is a good choice for girls who like horses and want an easy to read book. My 6 year old enjoyed me reading it aloud to her and I think next year she'd be able to read it to herself. I liked the characters and the lessons.

[Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

N (age 9) gives this story 5 stars! After reading it myself, I rate it lower due to the disappointing and frequent usage of words like 'nitwit' 'idiot' 'stupid' and 'dumb', as well as some really unkind attitudes. I did like that the main character made friends with one of the girls she had initially misjudged.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was read by my 11 year old daughter and this is her review :


Summer Pony is about a girl named Ginny who has always dreamed of having a horse of her own. Her parents finally agree to rent a horse for her for the summer. When she arrives at the SweetBriar Pony Farm, it is not what she imagined. There are many dirty, stinky, and underfed horses. But one horse catches Ginny's eye. The horse is similar to the others but different in so many ways. Ginny chooses her and shortly thereafter, she begins to wonder if she has made the wrong choice. Mokey is constantly up to mischief and Ginny finds herself asking "When will the summer end?" However, when Ginny meets new friends and they get to see Mokey shine, Ginny changes her tune. Instead, she finds herself saying "I hope the summer will never end!" But she knows, that with every beginning there comes an end. Which is exactly what Ginny wants to avoid. Through the adventure, she made new friends, owned a horse and had the greatest summer of her life.

When you read this book, you will think it's a real page turner. You won't want to put it down. This book is for all ages, regardless of the age rating. It is guaranteed to put a smile on anyone's face. Perfect for reports, an after tea and cookies book or for everyday reading enjoyment.

Now that I have read one of Jean Slaughter Doty's books, I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, pleasant read that I remember from childhood. I think I might hang onto this one and try to find a copy of the sequel, Winter Pony. Ginny gets to "rent" a pony for a whole summer but her dreams of elegant purebred ponies come to an abrupt end when a thin, shaggy, ,patchwork pinto is all that is available for her. But she comes to love Mokey, gets her into better condition and has one summer adventure after another, from a minor injury to a runaway pony to a sick pony to a ribbon-winning show pony, and gets some new friends in the bargain, as well. All while counting down to the sad ending of summer when she knows she must give the pony back to its neglectful owner.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I got it at this little shop in a tiny town in Colorado, and sat down to read it almost immediately. It's warm and colorful, and has the perfect amount of unrealistic events. This is the hallmark of a bad horse book, because even though it is a bad horse book, it is still good. It is more enjoyable than you could ever imagine. Let the charm of this book make you giddy.

[Westveil Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book quite by accident, but I'm glad I did! My mother was ordering "horsey" books for my daughter and couldn't tell what reading level this listing was for when she ordered it. My kiddo is 3. This is the sort of book I was reading at 6 or 7. I opened the Amazon envelop, laughed at the obviously too-old book for my daughter, flipped to the first page out of curiosity, and suddenly found myself on page 40, still reading. At that point I figured I might as well finish and review it, right?

Summer Pony is every horse girl's dream come true, but not without the nasty surprises of horse ownership along the way. Ginny learned to ride at summer camp last year, and instead of send her to camp again this year her parents have decided to lease a pony for her to ride at home. Ginny has visions of pretty, pedigreed show ponies, but she's deeply disappointed to find out that the choice mount available to her at the barn willing to lease at her parents' price point is a shaggy mess of a spotted who-knows-what with two-toned eyes. Meanwhile the only other horse girl in the neighborhood, Pam, has an elegant chestnut Thoroughbred x Welsh show horse. Ginny doesn't think Pam will want to be her friend and ride with this shaggy little mess she names Mokey, but she underestimates Pam's longing for absolutely any horsey friend at all, and so begin Ginny's summer of horse ownership with a lot to learn and many friends to be made.

I very much appreciate the fact that this 139-page chapter book doesn't sugar coat horse ownership. Mokey girls rope burns, break out of her pasture, overeats and colics, isn't the most natural jumper right away, and desperately need a kind owner like Ginny to sort out better hoof care and feeding than what she's had before. Young readers who aren't so lucky as to have their own horse to care for (yet) will learn a lot of valuable lessons from all of the realistic troubles Ginny encounters. My only critique in terms of horse care presented here is a sign of the times (this book was published in 1973) but please, PLEASE do not trim a horse's whiskers! If you're the parent of a horse-loving kid and you're considering doing what Ginny's parents did for her in this book, please educate yourself on horse care as well.

I don't know how I missed this book myself as a kid, considering it was published 15 years before I was born and I was all about horsey books of this level and length in the early 90s. This makes me miss my Pony Pals and Saddle Club books! What really charmed me in the first few pages and made me suddenly find myself on page 40 is the fact that my own childhood mare shares so many traits with the two main ponies in this book, and Ginny's leased pony shares a nickname with one of my high school friends. My own childhood mare Brew was a sleek, show-bred Thoroughbred x Welsh like Pam's Firefly, but with two-toned eyes and a tendency to eat herself sick and hurt herself in silly ways if left to her own devices like Mokey. After my parents' divorce when I was 6 we had to move to the suburbs and boarded Brew, but I too dreamed of being able to keep her in the garage and graze her in the back yard. Darn those zoning bylaws, right?

I can't wait to read this along with my daughter when she reaches this level, and I'll be looking for the sequel (Winter Pony) at that time... if not sooner, because I need to know!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a young girl we got to order from the Scholastic book club every so often and as I poured over the choices I kept coming back to this book. It was the perfect story for this horse crazy girl; a sweet pony that was leased and then ultimately became part of the family. I loved it then and just as much now when I discovered it and the sequel in our mailbox. My sweet sister knew how much I loved them and sent me new copies to read, treasure and share with our grands ❤️

[Samar Samir · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading with my little angel :) goodnight story :)

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me preface by saying that I was obsessed with horses growing up so any story revolving around horses was at the top of my list. I don’t know whether that made me love them more or if I was more critical. Hopefully, any review pertaining to horse stories will alert you to the options available if nothing else.

Another great story for children who love horses is Summer Pony. This novel follows a young girl named Ginny who dreams of owning a horse. When her family rents a farmhouse with a stable for the summer, Ginny is excited to spend time with horses but is initially disappointed with the pony provided. Despite her initial feelings, Ginny builds a strong bond with the pony and learns about the responsibilities involved in caring for it.

[Lynne Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a child and adored it, both for the story and because it was one of the few horse books I could find at the time with a female protagonist. It's an entertaining story that keeps up the pace and is well plotted. Lovely.

[Erma Talamante · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, this was a book that I read as a kid. I remember the cover, I remember the title, but that's about it. I had it on my personal shelf, I read it, but I couldn't tell you much more than that. I will have to go back and re-read this eventually. But for now, eh.

[Desiree Frias · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an enjoyable read, but I did not appreciate the values taught by Ginny's surly and spoiled manner.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up hoping for a cozy bedtime read. I really wanted to enjoy it but I couldn't. In the first place, Ginny is always angry, depressed, on the verge of tears or sure she's being laughed at--which is normal in some adolescents, but she never seems to be happy or content for very long, and is not the sort of character I want in a relaxation read.

People say "Write what you know", and perhaps that's what the author did, particularly considering the dedication to her father, who apparently built a paddock for her own pony some time. However, I was more than a little surprised that Ginny's parents just threw themselves into "renting a pony for the summer" without doing any homework at all. They apparently didn't check out the stables before coming to an agreement with the owner--surely given the expense involved in keeping a horse for several months, you'd want to have more than one option, and not just rush blindly along? They know next to nothing about keeping horses, which okay, we all have to start somewhere, but even in pre-Internet days they should have discussed it with someone who knew more than they did. The garage/stable was fine (though it sounded very poorly lit to keep an animal in) but apparently they didn't find out the best way to picket a pony to keep it from hurting itself, or worry when the paddock ran out of grass. I know there are many, many ignorant owners of horses and ponies out there who do their animals more harm than good, but I certainly didn't enjoy reading about them.

I understand also that the book was written for younger readers, but even so it was awfully superficial. We never learn why Ginny's family moved to the country, her parents are background scribbles, she never seems to interact with classmates or teachers, and the only inner thoughts we see seem to be the angry, depressed and anxious ones.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different covers imply different age of main character. Narrative and interior illustrations indicate no more than eleven.

More importantly, it's a good story, very educational if one has even the slightest interest in horses, with engaging characters and a satisfying ending. Just a happy book. I read it because I wanted more by the author after Can I Get There by Candlelight? and am glad that I did. Even though I'm not 9 and not horse-crazy, I will look for the companion, Winter Pony, and whatever else I can find in libraries by the author.

[Gloria ~ mzglorybe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought for a gift for a 6yr old who loves horses and whose grandparents ride and are encouraging her. It’s a cute story but at this point beyond her reading skills. It will have to be read to her for now but in the future she will enjoy reading this herself.

“Mokey” is a pony that Ginny’s parents have rented for her for the summer. This is her first experience in taking care of a pony. The pony has been obviously neglected, and in need of care and nourishment.

As the story continues we see the change in this spotted pony when she’s well cared for.

This is a heartwarming story and the black and white illustrations make it easy for the reader to visualize the scenes.

Happy to recommend.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

The ponies in this book, especially Mokey, were so adorable and I just loved them. I also really loved Michael the horse trainer because he was so kind about taking care of the animals. However, the main character was spoiled and selfish and annoyed the living crap out of me. She also said several cruel things to and about the pony that were totally uncalled for. It also drove me nuts that several things the little girl did in ignorance caused great harm to the poor pony. The evil man who owns the ponies neglects and abuses them and the family should have reported him to the authorities IMMEDIATELY when they saw the horrific conditions these poor animals were living in. For the little girl to see the horrific state of that decrepit white trash barn and see her poor starving pony and then whine and moan that her pony wasn't "pretty enough" made me absolutely disgusted. I give it a 4 though because the book was well written and the art was beautiful. The parts about taking care of the pony and grooming her and riding in the horse show were fantastic though. I enjoyed all of that immensely.

[Anna Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun to revisit this book that I read a hundred times over as a kid. ❤️ And yes, it still makes me want a pony. Though a horse would probably be a better fit for me now. Do you think I could find one to rent for the summer? 😉

[K.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

really sweet traditional Pony book about a girl that gets a scruffy Pony for the weekend and makes good!

[Tanya Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I read multiple times over the summer. 13 times actually. I wanted to be Ginny. Awesome read for young kids that love animals.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember reading this book over 30 years ago. Loved it!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid classic bedtime read for a little girl who adored it.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the more realistic children's horse books. I love Jean Slaughter Doty!

[Em's Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my alltime favourite books, the summer pony started my love of horses and ponies which up till then I had never been particularly interested in.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite childhood book!

Still just as entertaining as I remembered it. This girl was me, to a T. Glad to see there's a sequel. Reading that one next.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very simple and cute story for beginning readers that love horses!