Selma Hudnut

A Horse of Her Own

D. Van Nostrand Co, Princeton, 1963

illustrated by Rus Anderson

Brockhampton Press, Leicester, 1965, 1975 (right)

Hodder Children’s Books, pb, 1974

Rosemary O’Connor gets a summer job at a hunt stables, and she finds her horse, the sort
of Irish hunter she has always longed for.  Alas, the horse is dying, and Rosemary faces a
horrible dilemma:  should she help him to live?

The Redhead and the Roan

D. Van Nostrand Co, Princeton,1965

illlustrated by Sam Savitt

Brooke sees the nervous jumper, Firebird.  Tom uses cruelty to make the horse jump, but Brooke is sure
she can handle the horse without cruelty.

Irish Hurdles

D. Van Nostrand Co, Princeton,1966

illustrated by Wallace Nall

(sequel to A Horse of Her Own)

Rosemary O’Connor now lives with her uncle, who is teaching her to play polo.

Selma Hudnut wrote three horse books, only one of which, A Horse of Her Own, was published in the UK.  A Horse of Her Own  is possibly the most popular title ever for a pony book:  I found 4 other American books with the same title, as well as the USA version of  Jill’s Gymkhana, which was given the highly imaginative title when it was published there.  I have been told Selma Hudnut is a pseudonym used by Patsey Gray, but I have no documentary proof for this.  If anyone can prove the story one way or the other, I’d be grateful to hear.

Finding the Books:  A Horse of Her Own is reasonably easy to find in the British reprint; plenty of ex-library copies exist at reasonable prices in the US.  The other two titles are much more tricky.  It’s hard to find them as other than ex-library.  The ex-library copies are pricey; and the ones that have escaped library usage much more so.

Many thanks to Susan Bourgeau for all her help with the pictures.

Bibliography - horse books only