A Stable for Jill

Jane Badger Books

A Stable For Jill

Synopsis

Jill has plans for the summer holidays, but her mother has been invited to go to America for three months to read her children’s books to summer camps: this means Jill has to go to stay with her Aunt Primrose and her cousin Cecilia, both of them resolutely unhorsey. Out on a walk, Jill meets Bar, Mike and Pat Walters, children of the vicarage, and in despair because their father wants to sell their pony, Ballerina, as they can’t afford to keep her. Jill decides the only way they can keep Ballerina is to earn money with her. There are plenty of empty stables at the vicarage, so why not start a stable? The Walters borrow three horses from their uncle, who is away. Their first clients are a mixed bag - one disappears without paying the bill - but at least there are clients. Jill’s mother has given her some money to buy a second pony, but she uses it to buy a 15hh grey mare, Begorrah, at the local horse sale. There is some money left over, and they buy the wretchedly mistreated Pedro. Cecilia has her birthday (Jill gives her Fair Isle gloves she has knitted herself - a girl of many talents). The stables go well, and they decide to put on an Open Day. The Walters’ father arrives back during the Open Day, and is rather stunned to find his vicarage turned into a stable. It has to stop (they cannot run a commercial enterprise from a vicarage). The stable’s best client, Major Foster, buys Begorrah and Pedro. He decides to give a gymkhana and tea: Ballerina does not have to be sold, and Jill’s mother arrives back early. She has met people on the boat who have a showjumper for sale.....

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