Joan Dickins

Jane Badger Books

Joan Dickins

Joan Dickins wrote two books about Jill Crewe and her pony Prince, an Arab. Ruby Ferguson’s Jill’s Gymkhana, featuring of course Jill Crewe, was also published in 1949. I wonder who had the idea first. Jill Dickins wrote Jill and Prince the Pony when she was still at school, and alas, it shows. There is no comparison between the stories. Jill and Prince the Pony is one of the very few pony books I’ve been unable to finish, though not everyone dislikes it as much as me - I sold a copy to someone who liked it so much they promptly started it again once they’d finished.

Finding the books: both books are reasonably easy to find, and not generally expensive, though Jill and Prince Triumph Again is becoming trickier to source.

Jill and Prince the Pony

Blackie, 1949, illus Stanley Lloyd

Reprinted 1957 and 1967, cover Harry Green, 192 pp.

Jill isn’t an expert, but goes to stay with a family full of them on Dartmoor. She feels
rather out of it. Only Peter shows sympathy. However, Jill gets herself together and
manages to form a partnership with the wiid arab colt Prince. Prince though was to
have been Pat’s horse, so that causes complications. All ends happily, however,
with brilliant success at the horse show and a horse of their own.

Jill and Prince Triumph Again

Blackie, 1962, illus Wendy Marchant

“Jill’s friends have come to stay with her at the Crewe’s newly converted farmhouse on Dartmoor. They plan to
enter for an important Horse Show, but are sad when they find Peter refusing to enter. When they find out the
reason - lack of money - they decide to do something about it.”

Bibiography