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David and Pat #2
The Second Mount
David and Pat have gone into partnership running a riding Elm Tree Riding School.
It's difficult enough running the riding school, and then they buy a bay mare from the local horse sale. She is completely unrideable. And that is just the start. Even after they make a success of her, David is faced with the ruin of their business after Pat decides to leave and go to London to be a debutante.
It's difficult enough running the riding school, and then they buy a bay mare from the local horse sale. She is completely unrideable. And that is just the start. Even after they make a success of her, David is faced with the ruin of their business after Pat decides to leave and go to London to be a debutante.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Christine Pullein-Thompson
167 books24 followersThe 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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November 6, 2022David and Pat are sixteen now and working towards their dream of having a riding school. Most of David's peers have jobs now and sneer at what they see as his pretensions, but he and Pat are fuelled by their shared passion and go into the business with optimism - though that's soon tempered by pragmatic realities, like one of their ponies going lame and the rashness of buying a very unschooled horse at auction.
As with her other books I really liked the pragmatism of it all, and that their friendships aren't perfect. David and Pat get annoyed with each other and disagree about how to run the school, and as time goes on Pat gets more distant and neither of them know how to fix it.
The throughline of the story is the untamed horse that they buy at auction, Tornado, who bucks off Pat at the first chance and then David has to very slowly calm and school for months. No one believes he can do it, but by the end of the book - nervy and skittish though she still is - he successfully rides her at a show. Perseverance and patience! Or something. It's honestly not that heavy handed, the tone is so matter of fact throughout.
I got to the end and the next day bought the third book off Ebay lol.
As with her other books I really liked the pragmatism of it all, and that their friendships aren't perfect. David and Pat get annoyed with each other and disagree about how to run the school, and as time goes on Pat gets more distant and neither of them know how to fix it.
The throughline of the story is the untamed horse that they buy at auction, Tornado, who bucks off Pat at the first chance and then David has to very slowly calm and school for months. No one believes he can do it, but by the end of the book - nervy and skittish though she still is - he successfully rides her at a show. Perseverance and patience! Or something. It's honestly not that heavy handed, the tone is so matter of fact throughout.
I got to the end and the next day bought the third book off Ebay lol.
December 15, 2016
Another trip down memory lane - I have to admit to still enjoying a good 'pony book' every so often, and the Pullein-Thompson sister's are probably the best authors of this genre.
The story is a 'typical' in that it's about David and Pat, best of friends, who decide to start a riding school. Luckily, they have land and stables and knowledge, but things still don't quite go to plan. David still dreams of jumping for the British Team and Pat might be regretting her decision not to become a debutante in London. Plus there's an un-rideable horse, runaway lessons, a couple of horse shows and a crashed bus!
I think this may have been an attempt by the author to bring a bit more 'adult' content, maybe aiming it at a slightly older audience ... and maybe because of that it loses some of it's charm. However, it's still a good story of the ups and downs of having horses.
But OMG, David doesn't half moan ... like all the time. He's so depressing on occasions - I still dream of giving up the office job and playing with horses all day.
Yes, it's also highly un-realistic by today's standards (health and safety, not to mention taxes, insurance and inflation!), but it's nice to read about a 'simpler' time. Without giving away the end of the story (although it is kind off given away on the back of the book itself) - I don't think David would have really been given the chance he was after such an accident.
Still, it's what we all dream off - being spotted for our talent despite whatever naughty antics our horse is up to!
The story is a 'typical' in that it's about David and Pat, best of friends, who decide to start a riding school. Luckily, they have land and stables and knowledge, but things still don't quite go to plan. David still dreams of jumping for the British Team and Pat might be regretting her decision not to become a debutante in London. Plus there's an un-rideable horse, runaway lessons, a couple of horse shows and a crashed bus!
I think this may have been an attempt by the author to bring a bit more 'adult' content, maybe aiming it at a slightly older audience ... and maybe because of that it loses some of it's charm. However, it's still a good story of the ups and downs of having horses.
But OMG, David doesn't half moan ... like all the time. He's so depressing on occasions - I still dream of giving up the office job and playing with horses all day.
Yes, it's also highly un-realistic by today's standards (health and safety, not to mention taxes, insurance and inflation!), but it's nice to read about a 'simpler' time. Without giving away the end of the story (although it is kind off given away on the back of the book itself) - I don't think David would have really been given the chance he was after such an accident.
Still, it's what we all dream off - being spotted for our talent despite whatever naughty antics our horse is up to!
May 11, 2025
There is something so specific about this sort of book, I think, and it comes from their very particular DNA and that is this: martingales, poetry, a hand-gallop (which mystified me for years and possibly still might?), at least one slipped stifle, a sensible pony, a not sensible pony, something that's a bolter but turns out to be an amazing jumper When Given Time And Training, at least one orchard, at least one sensible relative With Looseboxes, a heroic deed being rewarded with at least one pony, and summers that last forever.
(ugh, I adore them).
I picked up an enormous swodge of pony books recently from a lovely little second hand bookshop because I had been feeling the need for pony books in my life again and ponies, really, if I am honest, solid and sensible bombproof hairy round things that just mooch along a bridleway in Summer and make everything perfect. For now, though, the books and specifically Christine Pullein-Thompson who I shall associate forever with Stopping Everything For Poetry And Also Sensible Advice. The Second Mount kind of follows that principle and is just a nice, solid, does everything it says on the tin kind of pony book. It's a relatively quick read with some moments of genuine charm. For me, these came mainly when the characters realise how much they actually enjoy teaching others to ride. It's hard to detach this from the author's own experiences with her siblings (for more on this, the excellent Fair Girls and Grey Horses is well worth seeking out). There's also some lovely, simple moments where nothing really happens but the character thinks "god, I really like riding" and it's kind of deliciously wonderful in its clarity.
And yet, in a way, there's also something interesting underneath this one. Pullein-Thompson is trying to do something different and write about some slightly older people butting up against the reality of everyday existence. I say "reality" but honestly, this is all profoundly otherworldly to contemporary readers which is again, part of the charm. One character is wrestling whether to become a debutante (!!) or to stay in the world of horses while another is considering whether the world of horses is really for them at all. Add to this the realities of paying bills, of paying rent, and of maintaining a friendship when you start to work professionally together, you start to get something quite interesting.
Having said all of that though, pony books like this exist in a world which is so wonderfully helpful to Those Who Are Horsey so you know that things will always work out eventually.
(ugh, I adore them).
I picked up an enormous swodge of pony books recently from a lovely little second hand bookshop because I had been feeling the need for pony books in my life again and ponies, really, if I am honest, solid and sensible bombproof hairy round things that just mooch along a bridleway in Summer and make everything perfect. For now, though, the books and specifically Christine Pullein-Thompson who I shall associate forever with Stopping Everything For Poetry And Also Sensible Advice. The Second Mount kind of follows that principle and is just a nice, solid, does everything it says on the tin kind of pony book. It's a relatively quick read with some moments of genuine charm. For me, these came mainly when the characters realise how much they actually enjoy teaching others to ride. It's hard to detach this from the author's own experiences with her siblings (for more on this, the excellent Fair Girls and Grey Horses is well worth seeking out). There's also some lovely, simple moments where nothing really happens but the character thinks "god, I really like riding" and it's kind of deliciously wonderful in its clarity.
And yet, in a way, there's also something interesting underneath this one. Pullein-Thompson is trying to do something different and write about some slightly older people butting up against the reality of everyday existence. I say "reality" but honestly, this is all profoundly otherworldly to contemporary readers which is again, part of the charm. One character is wrestling whether to become a debutante (!!) or to stay in the world of horses while another is considering whether the world of horses is really for them at all. Add to this the realities of paying bills, of paying rent, and of maintaining a friendship when you start to work professionally together, you start to get something quite interesting.
Having said all of that though, pony books like this exist in a world which is so wonderfully helpful to Those Who Are Horsey so you know that things will always work out eventually.
February 11, 2020
Lots of references to other stuff
Thought provoking
Thought provoking
January 28, 2011
Not sure what I thought of this one - I usually like the Pullein-Thompsons a fair bit, but I think reading book 2 without any idea of the first book made it harder to understand the characters. Probably won't reread this one - it doesn't have the usual charm, although that may also be to do with the storyline being slightly older children, and a bit more 'realistic'.
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