Allen Seaby

Jane Badger Books

Dinah the Dartmoor Pony
A & C Black, 1935

Dinah was born wild on Dartmoor, but after she injured a foot, could not keep up with her mother in a round
up and was separated from her, being left to survive alone. She wanders near to a farm, and Dolly, the
daughter of the farm, takes pity on Dinah and feeds her. The two are eventually separated, but when Dolly
is married with a daughter of her own, they are reunited.

Sheltie, the Story of a Shetland Pony
A & C Black, London, 1939, 212 pp.

Many thanks to Cherie Goninon for the picture.

This is the story of a Shetland pony, from his first days on his native hillside above Baltasund, and then down
to southern England, in a circus, at a pony show, and finally as the trusted mount of a child.

Allen Seaby

Allen W. Seaby (1867–1953) was one of the last exponents of the pony stories in which the pony was the hero. He concentrated on British native breeds, meaning that his books still have a popularity today, with the resurgence of natives. The stories reflect the changing times in which they were written: the coming of the car and its dominance; war, and the cheapening in value of ponies. Perhaps they also reflect a changing in sentiment: the original dustjacket of Skewbald (which I have never seen) was objected to because it showed a picture of two ponies fighting. This was seen as a bad example to children, so Allen Seaby had to “draw another illustration less inciting to evil.” [Source: Dinah the Dartmoor].

Many thanks to Dawn Harrison for her help with the photographs.

Finding the books: Skewbald and Exmoor Lass, having been reprinted many times, are both easy to find, and cheap. British Ponies and Our Ponies are reasonably easy to find, but can be expensive. Dinah and Sons of Skewbald are reasonably easy to find, though not with their dustjackets. Mona and Sheltie are the hardest titles to find, and because of the native pony connection, tend to be sought after and expensive.

Exmoor Lass and Other Pony Stories
A & C Black, 1928

Reprinted many times

Short stories about an Exmoor pony,
a herd of Shetlands being rounded up,
a ride in the New Forest, a rescue
from a Dartmoor bog, a Welsh ride
and a girl living in ancient Cornwall.

Skewbald the New Forest Pony
A & C Black, 1923. Reprinted many times: 1927, 1929,
1934, 1936, 1940 (twice), 1945, 1946, 1949, 1962, 1964
Far right - the 1964 reprint.

Skewbald is a New Forest pony, and this is the story of him
and his herd, and of the life of the New Forest. It isn’t a
story with a happy ending, as an attempt to rope Skewbald
goes very badly wrong.

British Ponies, Running Wild and Ridden
A & C Black, 1936

This is non fiction, but I’ve included it
because it is a very beautiful book,
profusely illustrated. If you can find it,

It’s well worth getting.

Sons of Skewbald, or Castor and Pollux
A & C Black, 1937

Before he died, Skewbald fathered several foals. One mare had twins, Castor
and Pollux. Their lives reflect the changes coming upon the Forest: the changes
in value of the ponies now they are no longer used for the mines; the increasing
danger of traffic. Sally, their owner, sells them at the Pony Sale to E F Ranger,
a circus man, who wants her to keep them for him for a couple of years until he
is ready for them.

Mona, the Welsh Pony
A & C Black, London, 1948, illus the author, 144 pp.

“In this new book [Seaby[ turns to the mountain ponies of North Wales, and tells the enthralling story of Mona
against the background of his native landscape, its people and their history.” Mona is born on the Welsh
hills, and Evan Evans decides he will catch her. She soon fits into life on the farm, and her training begins.
Be warned - this does involve riding a yearling. Evan Evans goes off to war, and Mona eventually goes
to be a sands pony.

Our Ponies
Penguin Books, 1959 (Picture Puffin)

Non fiction, this is a lovely survey of British native ponies. It’s a source of much grief to
me that I can’t find my copy anywhere (and that wasn’t even the original, which I also
lost - this is a replacement my mother-in-law bought me...)

Bibliography: Pony Books Only

Short stories and excerpts

Excerpts from his books are contained in:

Twenty More Animal Stories

Blackie & Son, 1941

New Forest Ponies: Their lives and habits

Ponies in a Window - a New Forest Story