The Stirrup and the Ground

by Anne Knowles, David McAllister (Illustrator)

When Cathy meets her new neighbor, her heart sinks. Mark is about her age but he is a permanent invalid and, what is worse, a very irritable and moody one. Yet, because she and Mark share a passion for Beamsters, the old country house that Cathy's father has inherited, the two young people spend more and more time together. A deep and sensitive relationship develops between them as they discover the history of the bee masters who used to live in the house. Gradually Cathy helps March achieve a measure of physical freedom by teaching him to ride her pony. And in time he forgets his own problems enough to help another handicapped teenager in need.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1983

Reviews

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

🐝
This is a lovely book about 'a young girl's growing commitment to an invalid boy.'
I really enjoyed it. They bond over their shared passion for 'Beamsters', the house where Cathy lives. Mark records his historical interpretation of the place and Cathy listens. When she learns how much he enjoyed his visit to a Riding for the disabled centre, and his disappointment that their isn't one locally, she decides to buy a horse so Mark can ride. Pleasingly she is thoughtful and responsible about this and she follows advice from Mark's therapists and doctor so everything is done safely and correctly.

This is a really sweet story about friendship, history, horses and bees. I had never heard of it before and am so pleased I came across it. I did buy it for the horse on the cover but it's not really a horsey story, more a story that has a horsey element. The are some beautiful black and white illustrations by David McAllister at the beginning of each chapter.

Also published under the title 'Under the Shadow'.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a several years since I read this book, but I remember being pleasantly surprised by it. I had expected it to be mainly about horses, but it was more in depth than that! Great read.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

its a fantastic story. I loved every minute. it was a brilliant story of helping people deal with there problems and discovering great friendships. I had to read it all in one day it was beautifully written.

[Partridge Public]

Knowles, Anne