If I Could Ride
Hodder & Stoughton, 1976, illustrated by Elisabeth Grant
Caroline is on a Studwork Course, but misses riding. When Simon, Sarah and Becky
ring to ask Caroline how
she is, they “persuade” her to leave. When she arrives at
the Stud, she finds that they have been hit by
Contagious Equine Metritis: most of
the mares are now barren, and the Stud is finished. So, they will become a
Riding
Centre, and Caroline will be the Secretary. Against all the odds, the Centre struggles
on, and Caroline
finds she likes teaching. This leads her to a dilemma -
stay on and run the Centre.
I’d Rather Not Gallop
Hodder & Stoughton, 1975, illustrated by Elisabeth Grant
(Reprinted
in paperback by Knight, 1979)
It is time for Caroline to show The Small Hunter -
so." An added problem is that Caroline’s cousins think that the
best way to show The Small
Hunter is sidesaddle, and so that’s what Caroline has
to learn, under the tuition of Mr. Marmalade,
who "teaches all the best people".
Caroline Canters Home
Hodder & Stoughton, 1977
(NB: despite the publishing date, I think this is the first story in the series).
Caroline has decided she wants a
career in Show Ponies, and her cousins decide she
is the ideal person to show Clytie, their Show Hack.
Caroline is not so sure. Then
Benjamin, the Show Pony from Hell, is stolen, by thieves who have not the faintest
idea
of just what they have taken on.
Eventer’s Dream
Arlington, 1981 (Reprinted in paperback by Armada and Dragon)
Granada pb 1984, Armada pb 1990
Elaine is determined to compete in Three Day Events after she finishes her training. However, she ends up in the Fane sisters’ livery yard, and although she is at first appalled, and determined to leave, the Fane sisters have a strange compulsion. They, and Harry Sabin’s bay gelding, and the lethal grey bolter, the Comet, all conspire to keep Elaine where she is.
A Hoof in the Door
Arlington, 1982 (Reprinted in paperback by Armada and Dragon)
Granada pb 1984, Armada pb 1990
Elaine has her event horse, The Legend, but she still can’t shake the Fanes off.
They are trying everything they can think of to raise money for Elaine to compete,
and then Nick Foster, whipper-
Left: full dustjacket of hardback edition
Left: full dustjacket of hardback edition
Ticket to Ride
Arlington, 1983 (Reprinted in paperback by Armada and Dragon)
Granada pb 1984, Armada pb 1990
Elaine has at last managed to win a place on an Eventing Scholarship course. She leaves the Fanes with some bitterness once she finds out they still think they have a stake in her horse. Elaine’s father meets Lady Jennifer, with surprising results, but at the end it looks as though Elaine might have found her dream.
Left: full dustjacket of hardback edition
Flying Changes
Arlington, 1985 -
(Reprinted by J A Allen, pb, 1989 -
Oliver Jasny has star quality by the bucketload, and it takes him from gymkhanas
to the
heights of the dressage world. However, his sister, Kathryn, finds that there
is a dark, and
ultimately destructive, side to all this success.
Make Me a Star
Grafton, 1986, left
Reprinted in paperback by Dragon, 1987
Reprinted in paperback by Armada, 1988 right
Grace, an actress, gets a role in a TV series. The one problem she has is that she’s
supposed
to be able to ride, and she can’t. So, she has to learn, as well as convince
her
back home boyfriend and her family that she can act and isn’t wasting her time
until
she settles down.
Stars Don’t Cry
Grafton, 1987, left
Reprinted in paperback by Armada, 1988, right (this is stated as first edition)
Grace
arrives at Moat Farm Stables for a four week riding course. Her instructor
seems
on another planet, and the farm’s owner has met Grace before and didn’t
like what
he saw.
Catch a Falling Star
Armada 1988 (stated first edition)
At last the production of The Hooves of the Horses, the TV series in which Grace
has
a leading role, has started filming. The production is hit by one disaster after
another.
Arllington, hb, 1984, right and far right
Printed in one pb volume twice by Granada
(below left and centre)
and by Diamond, pb, below right, 1994
The Silver Bridle
Contains all of the Silver Bridle trilogy
Published by J A Allen in paperback, 1993
Showing the Ridden Pony
J A Allen, 1981, illustrations Elaine Roberts
Not Quite a Horsewoman
Arlington, 1982, illustrated by Anne Pilgrim
The good news is that most of Caroline Akrill’s books are quite easy to find.
The difficult ones are I’d Rather Not Gallop (very hard indeed to find in hardback, but less so in paperback) and If I Could Ride. Caroline Canters Home, the third of the Showing trilogy, is very difficult indeed.
Flying Changes is easy to find in paperback and hardback; all the Eventer’s Titles are reasonably easy to find in paperback: the hardback first editions are now hard to find. The Silver Bridle trilogy is reasonably easy: the paperback and hardback editions less so but not impossible.
The non fiction titles are easy to find: Not Quite a Horsewoman is still in print.
I’d Rather Not Gallop ,1975
If I Could Ride, 1976
Caroline Canters Home, 1977
Note: this is the publishing order, but I don’t think it is the reading order. Caroline Canters Home reads like the first of the series.
Eventer’s Series
Eventer’s Dream, 1981
A Hoof in the Door, 1982
Ticket to Ride, 1983
Silver Bridle Series
Make Me A Star, 1986
Stars Don’t Cry, 1987
Catch a Falling Star, 1988
The Silver Bridle (containing all the Silver Bridle series), J A Allen, paperback, 1993
Other
Flying Changes, 1985
Non-
Showing the Ridden Pony, 1981
Not Quite a Horsewoman, 1982
A Road Safety Workbook for Young Riders, 2007
Many thanks to Bettina, Hannah, and Dawn for all the scans of the books I don’t have but wish I did.
The Books
J A Allen, June 2007, illustrated by Anne Pilgrim
Short stories:
Caroline Akrill wrote for Pony Magazine, but also wrote several stories which are rather easier to find. If you like the Showing series, do seek these stories out. They are well up to the standard of the books.
The Lamentable Leading Rein, illus Elaine Roberts, Pony Magazine Annual, 1975
The
family get a leading rein pony, but there is nobody to ride it. (Showing story)
An International Incident, illus Elaine Roberts, Pony Magazine Annual, 1976
Mr Duffy
finally has a good pony, and the family enter it in the Pairs. (Showing story)
The Difference, illus Elaine Roberts, Pony Magazine Annual, 1977
Lesley goes to visit
Annie in France.
The Churl Who Loved Horses, illus Elaine Roberts, Pony Magazine Annual, 1978
An historical
fantasy
The Celebration, illus Elaine Roberts, Pony Magazine Annual 1979
The refreshment lady
at the show suffers... (Showing story)
Our Daisy’s Flag Day, illus Leslie Branton.
Pony Magazine Annual, 1981
Thumper the milkman’s horse is going to be redundant.
