Molly the New Forest Pony
Nelson, 1940, reprinted 1954, illus W Neave Parker, 96 pp.

Many thanks to Annette York for the picture

Dick rescues Molly from hardship and misery, and under his father’s skilful guidance, Dick comes to know the
real, rewarding friendship that can be brought about between animals and human beings.

Montana Adventure
Faber & Faber, 1946, illus Marjorie Owens

Scots Gavin McNaughton and his father are travelling to Wyoming, as Mr McNaughton needs the dry mountain air
to heal his damaged lung.  They are staying with Gavin’s uncle, at the T Bar dude ranch.  

Tessa and Some Ponies
Nelson, London,1953, illus Leslie Atkinson.  248 pp.

reprinted 1959, Nelson Juniors series, pb, 248pp.

Character list

“Tessa Compton loved horses and longed to own one worth showing. But she had only her
humble pony, Dusty. Her father - Colonel Compton - could not afford to buy another, but he
showed Tessa how to groom, train and ride Dusty so that he could be entered for local shows
'without disgracing the family'. During Dusty's training Tessa had opportunities of riding some
really fine ponies, and one day her most cherished dream came true.”

Lady Kitty Ritson was born Lady Kitty Edith Blanche Ogilvy on 5 February 1887.  She was married twice, and had two children with her first husband, both of whom died very young in 1914.   She died on 17 Cctober 1969.  

She is better known by far in the dog world, having been a keen supporter of several breeds new to Britain in the 1920s and 30s, including the Norwegian Elkhound and the Finnish Spitz. As well as writing many books on dogs, she judged, and also helped set up Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Her Tessa books are an interesting series:  many fathers in books of the period are on the ferocious side, but Tessa’s is human and Tessa herself is delightful.  

Finding the books:  Molly the New Forest Pony, John and Jennifer’s Pony Club, and Montana Adventure are all easy to find and usually cheap.  The Tessa books are harder to find; the trickiest is Tessa to the Rescue.  Pricing can be erratic.

There are photographs of her here.

The Tessa Series
Tessa and Some Ponies

Tessa and the Rannoch Dude Ranch

Tessa in South Africa

Tessa to the Rescue
 

Tessa in South Africa

Nelson, 1955, illus Leslie Atkinson
reprinted 1960, pb

“Tessa Compton is broken-hearted when she has to leave her filly, Asva, in England and accompany her father to
South Africa. But she finds South Africa a beautiful country with warm sunshone and lovely flowers. Although ponies
seem very difficult to obtain, much to her surprise she does find Happy who has been sadly neglected and a stray
dog to care for. She also finds an intriguing mystery.”

Tessa to the Rescue

Nelson, 1957, illus Sheila Rose

Right - frontis.  Many thanks to  Sarah and Hannah for the photos
 

Tessa and the Rannoch Dude Ranch

Nelson, 1961, illus Sheila Rose

“Tessa is delighted when she hears that her friends Marie and Laurie, with Marie's part-Indian cousin Eric
Many-Ponies, are returning from Canada to take possession of Rannoch, an estate in Scotland recently inherited
by Laurie. And more delighted still when they ask her to come with them to help establish a Dude Ranch there.

Ponies are obtained, the guests arrive; under Eric's wise guidance - and with the help of a wonderful surprise
prepared for her by Laurie - Tessa wins back the confidence in riding that she had lost. Everything seems to be
going with a swing, for who would have suspected that pony-rustling - the ever-present danger on a real ranch -
would ever threaten the Rannoch Dude Ranch ?”

Bibliography - pony books only

John and Jennifer’s Pony Club
Thomas Nelson & Sons, London, 1955, illus Gee Denes, 38 pp.