Pony Jobs for Jill

Jill's Ponies #8

by Ruby Ferguson

Pony Jobs for Jill is the most controversial Jill book by a long way. Earlier on in the series, Captain Cholly-Sawcutt offered Jill a job when she left school. That’s not quite what happens when Jill and Ann do leave school. They’re kicking their heels, unsure of what to do next, and fighting off their mothers’ attempts to send them off to do something useful. Domestic science, say. Or floristry. And then Ann finds an advertisement from someone who wants people to help them break and school ponies. It sounds ideal. It’s the answer to everything. Or so they think. If you haven’t read it, do, and you’ll see just why the book has shocked generations of pony book readers.

Genres: Childrens, Horses, Fiction, Juvenile

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Ruby Constance Annie Ashby Ferguson
aka
Ruby Ferguson and R.C. Ashby

Reviews

[Manny]

This book's title promises more than it delivers.

[Amena · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, don't get me wrong with the rating. I love, love, love the Jill books. I loved the old ones I got from my mom when I was a kid, and I was thrilled to find that there were more than those I had, and so far, all of them fully met my expectations: They are basically carefree books that speak of love of horses, what it takes to be a good rider (with a good deal of moralizing thrown in, but I never minded as a kid, because it was all so authentic coming from Jill, who has her faults like any of us), good food (it's then that you realize how old these books actually are, and that the author lived through two World Wars) and the perfect feel of everlasting holidays and endless fields to gallop on.
What happened?
For some reason, the author seemed to have noticed that Jill was fast outgrowing her carefree pony world after finishing her GCSEs. However, instead of going what would have been the obvious way, having Jill enter the equestrian world professionally, she has her do the silliest jobs: breaking in the wild ponies of harebrained Captain Sound and "teaching" two girls how to ride who turn out to be professional riders in their native Australia, and more advanced than Mrs Ferguson has allowed Jill to become so far. In between, she organizes a musical ride with her cousin Cecilia, who is this book's surprise goddaughter, as the trick obviously worked well with Mercy Dulbottle before.
The stories in themselves are just as charming as those told in the previous books, if a bit erratic, but the end is a total let-down: Captain Cholly-Sawcutt, who is, after all, the owner of a profitable stable himself and who has always admired Jill's talent and pluck, suddenly sides with her mother, saying that Jilla and her friend Ann "can't be kids forever, playing around with [their] ponies", to which they sensibly agree.
I ask you again, what happened?
What happened to the Captain Cholly-Sawcutt who once said that Jill simply had to have a "horsy" job one day? And who actually offered her a job after school in "Jill Enjoys her Ponies"???
What happened to her mother, who once, on Careers' Day at school, told the teachers that Jill would make her own choices?
Her mother is an author, for crying out loud - hardly the most orthodox career. Why then does she not support Jill's efforts to become a writer, as it is hinted several times in the text that Jill has actually written her pony books herself?
Why do all the horsy dreams Jill had, and was ready to pursue with the same courage and perseverance as all her other aims before, get smashed on the last page, and with it the dreams of many of her readers?

W h a t h a p p e n e d ? ?

I don't know, but I hope that the last book in the series, "Jill's Pony Trek" will make up for this disappointing ending.

[Emma Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is one of the best books in the series! Ann and Jill’s parents desperately want them to start a career but all the girls are obsessed with is horses so Jill answers an ad for a job that turned out so hopeless and hilarious it reminded me of the Eventers trilogy. Village people take pity on them though and it all turns out wonderful in the end.

The ending is a bit sad, everyone tells them they need to move on from ponies but I hope they find a career in horse riding somehow in the last book!

[Lainey Grieve Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pony jobs for Jill was first published in 1960 by Hodder and Stoughton

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Jill books this is the one which I love in most areas, but it does disappoint me in others.

Pros:
A lovely delightful Jill story, I really enjoy reading about her and Ann going out into the world on their own and working at their slightly odd jobs! They're both very self-reliant and manage to solve whatever they get themselves into.

Cons:
As said before, the sudden attitude change from Jill's mother and from Captain Cholly-Sawcutt comes completely out of nowhere. During every other book the possibility of Jill going into a horsey career is very likely, she is encouraged by others and her mother seems quite supportive of whatever she does.
But during this book her mum is suddenly of the opinion that messing around with horses is the worst idea in the world and wouldn't it be nice if she went and learnt some domestic science?
And of course the Captain telling her that her riding must be a hobby and she must get a proper career, seems a bit hypocritical coming from someone who runs a successful stables and employs other young ladies as grooms.

But I digress, still a good read if you ignore the ending.

[Noora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muutama sana koko sarjasta. Sarja alkaa hyvin, mutta jossain vaiheessa Lauran kaikkitietävyys alkaa ärsyttää, samoin kummastuttaa esteiden korkeus, pienellä ponilla puolitoistametristen esteiden yli...? Jossain aiemmassa kirjassa kerrotaan myös, että kapteeni Cholly-Sawcutt pyytää lauran tallilleen töihin kun laura on päättänyt koulun, mutta tässä viimeisessä lukemassani kirjassa asia kääntyy päälaelleen ja kapteeni kehottaa Lauraa ja Annia lopettamaan leikkimisen ponien kanssa ja menemään kunnon töihin. Tosi kannustavaa sanoa, että hevosten kanssa leikkiminen on turhaa, eikä siitä voi tulla ammattia... Puutteista huolimatta jotain vanhanaikaista viehättävyyttä sarjassa silti on.

[Zabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid...would love to read it again if only I had a copy.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

happy days! Huge part of my childood spent on this and all the Ruby Ferguson 'Jill' books. Loved this one, loved most of them

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, super-fun!

[Una Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child and found it hilarious at the time. I remembered the plot fondly as I re read it. Its also filled with great life advice and pony care advice I missed as a child.