Thelwell's Pony Cavalcade: Angels on Horseback, a Leg at Each Corner, Riding Academy

by Thelwell Norman

From the first publication of Angels on Horseback in 1957, the Thelwell pony entered the language and the libraries of horse-lovers everywhere.

Genres: Horses, Humor, Graphic Novels, Comics

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 1981

Reviews

[Carol, She's so Novel ꧁꧂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★

I grew up in the sprawling city of Auckland in the sixties and seventies. Hard to believe with the housing crisis that Auckland is experiencing now but there was acres of unused land behind us & on part of it, a couple of very keen young women started a riding school. I badgered & badgered my parents to let me take lessons & finally they agreed for my sister Sue & me to have lessons.

Unfortunately I sucked at it & always looked like this;

Up close I was terrified of horses. But I still liked the look of them - is there anything more beautiful than a Palomino? - just didn't want to be close to them.

As an adult I can enjoy the Thelwell cartoons, with a rueful smile for the young me.

This book is actually a compilation of Angels on Horseback (first published 1957) A Leg at Each Corner (first published 1962) & Riding Academy (first published 1965) Reading them grouped together is an interesting way of seeing Thelwells development as both an artist & a humorist - I only smiled faintly at the "Angels" cartoons, was laughing uproariously (at work!) by Riding Academy.

I really like Thelwell's dead pan instructions;



A trademark of his style.

& I like to think (dream?) that he had a faint social conscience!

Please don't disillusion me!

If I was rating individually, I would give Angels 3.5★ & the other two books 5★, so I'm going to settle on 4.5★

[DoctorM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay, Thelwell ponies! You really can't not adore Norman Thelwell's little cartoons--- adorable small sketches of country-house children and their ponies, gentle humour, and a reminder of foxhunting and dressage and riding pinks...and of little shaggy obstinate yet affectionate Exmoor ponies and their riders.

[Emma Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ponies - takes me back to a childhood filled with moments like these!

[LeAnne Franke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite collection of horse shorts/cartoons of all time 😍

[Ilena Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for horse and pony lovers.

[Rach 🍓 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just found this book again so had to re-read. No one talks about Thelwell anymore 😔 I love the style so much

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thelwell was HUGE when I was a kid in the 70s. I don't really think I got the humor then, but loved seeing the pony everywhere. Something made me do a search for one of the books 5 years ago and I gave myself asthma I laughed so hard! Mine has the ponies and riders coming out of the riding school one-by-one on the cover, but same name. I even went to the copyrighted website belonging to the family and bought a totally cute shirt that I am wearing out with love! If you love horses and ponies, buy a Thelwell book! Fair warning if you have asthma though.

[VeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as much fun to read as these books were when I was a child. So glad to add this compilation to my personal collection.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

1981 - 2017 - Trade