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'In all my life, I had never seen anything as beautiful as this grey pony ... '
Gill Caridia and her family are on the move. Gill's father writes the sort of book that literary papers love, but which few people actually buy. And then he writes a detective story that sells so well he buys back the house in the countryside where he grew up. It means change for all the children, but for Gill it means the chance to find horses, and not just horses but to ride at Wembley. But Gill learns that no dream comes without cost. This passionate and vivid story, which takes Gill from the age of 11 to 13, looks at what it really means to own something.
This is a reissue of Patricia Leitch's classic story, first printed in 1975.
Gill Caridia and her family are on the move. Gill's father writes the sort of book that literary papers love, but which few people actually buy. And then he writes a detective story that sells so well he buys back the house in the countryside where he grew up. It means change for all the children, but for Gill it means the chance to find horses, and not just horses but to ride at Wembley. But Gill learns that no dream comes without cost. This passionate and vivid story, which takes Gill from the age of 11 to 13, looks at what it really means to own something.
This is a reissue of Patricia Leitch's classic story, first printed in 1975.
191 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Patricia Leitch
122 books38 followersPatricia Leitch (July 13, 1933 - July 28, 2015) was a Scottish writer, best known for her series of children's books about a girl named Jinny Manders and her wild, traumatized Arabian horse Shantih, set in the Scottish Highlands.
The 12 books in the Jinny series were published between 1976 - 1988 by Armada. They are currently in reprint by Catnip Publishers.
Two more of her novels, Dream of Fair Horses (1975) and The Horse from Black Loch (1963) have been republished by Jane Badger Books.
Leitch has also written under the pseudonym Jane Eliot.
The 12 books in the Jinny series were published between 1976 - 1988 by Armada. They are currently in reprint by Catnip Publishers.
Two more of her novels, Dream of Fair Horses (1975) and The Horse from Black Loch (1963) have been republished by Jane Badger Books.
Leitch has also written under the pseudonym Jane Eliot.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 27, 2022
“It was now, the day I had been dreaming about for so long. No longer a dream but real. Not to be wasted but to be lived.”
Although I collect books in an overall sense, with many different authors and genres that interest me, I put the most amount of effort into my collection of horse books. I have been collecting them for most of my life, but in more recent years, thanks to the Internet, I have been able to start (admittedly slowly) to fill the gaps in my collection. The authors I have been most focused on finding recently have been my three favourites:
-K.M. Peyton
-Monica Edwards
-Patricia Leitch
Patricia Leitch seems particularly difficult to find, especially since I am usually restricted to buying locally (international shipping is often more expensive than I can afford right now) so when I do find something of hers I tend to try to read it as slowly as possible, knowing it may be a while until I have another new (or, new to me) book by her to read.
This is one I had been looking forward to, and it was as excellent as I has hoped. She writes books that often have many of the expected elements of a horse book, but she does such magical things with them, and rarely resolves events in the typical way.
Her characters are always vividly alive, and she builds such an accurate, often eccentric, home life around them. Everything about them feels real. In this one the entire family is fascinating, and the father in particular is equal parts infuriating and oddly inspiring. He writes a book he knows will sell well, earns a lot of money, but is so appalled by this compromise of his artistic integrity that he refuses to do so again. Part of me admires him for this, but he is also more wedded to his artistic self than he ever really is to his family.
The ending here was perfect and heartbreaking, something Patricia Leitch did so well. The conversation with the father about 'owning' the pony was so brilliant I read it at least three times. It was poignant, harsh, and all too true. I also loved his rant, repeated by his daughter, against the 'press'!
“She was no more mine than the trees were mine. No more mine than the sun. And with this realization I knew that I could never be separate from her, any more than I could ever be separate from the trees or from the sun.”
Alongside the 'Jinny' series, this is probably my favourite of her books so far. 💖
“But sometimes I still think about Mr Ramsay and the summer evenings when he would stand in the centre of the paddock and I would ride Perdita in that magic circle that shut out the troubled unease of the world and enclosed the three of us in a dream of fair horses.”
Although I collect books in an overall sense, with many different authors and genres that interest me, I put the most amount of effort into my collection of horse books. I have been collecting them for most of my life, but in more recent years, thanks to the Internet, I have been able to start (admittedly slowly) to fill the gaps in my collection. The authors I have been most focused on finding recently have been my three favourites:
-K.M. Peyton
-Monica Edwards
-Patricia Leitch
Patricia Leitch seems particularly difficult to find, especially since I am usually restricted to buying locally (international shipping is often more expensive than I can afford right now) so when I do find something of hers I tend to try to read it as slowly as possible, knowing it may be a while until I have another new (or, new to me) book by her to read.
This is one I had been looking forward to, and it was as excellent as I has hoped. She writes books that often have many of the expected elements of a horse book, but she does such magical things with them, and rarely resolves events in the typical way.
Her characters are always vividly alive, and she builds such an accurate, often eccentric, home life around them. Everything about them feels real. In this one the entire family is fascinating, and the father in particular is equal parts infuriating and oddly inspiring. He writes a book he knows will sell well, earns a lot of money, but is so appalled by this compromise of his artistic integrity that he refuses to do so again. Part of me admires him for this, but he is also more wedded to his artistic self than he ever really is to his family.
The ending here was perfect and heartbreaking, something Patricia Leitch did so well. The conversation with the father about 'owning' the pony was so brilliant I read it at least three times. It was poignant, harsh, and all too true. I also loved his rant, repeated by his daughter, against the 'press'!
“She was no more mine than the trees were mine. No more mine than the sun. And with this realization I knew that I could never be separate from her, any more than I could ever be separate from the trees or from the sun.”
Alongside the 'Jinny' series, this is probably my favourite of her books so far. 💖
“But sometimes I still think about Mr Ramsay and the summer evenings when he would stand in the centre of the paddock and I would ride Perdita in that magic circle that shut out the troubled unease of the world and enclosed the three of us in a dream of fair horses.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2012
Easily the best pony book that I have ever read - and I've read hundreds of them!
I just love this book. The story is so simple and seemingly predictable, and yet the poetry with which is it written and the very realistically flawed characters bring it to life.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves ponies.
I just love this book. The story is so simple and seemingly predictable, and yet the poetry with which is it written and the very realistically flawed characters bring it to life.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves ponies.
December 15, 2015
An outstanding pony book, easily as good as the genre queen K.M. Peyton. DREAM OF FAIR HORSES is about Gill, one of seven children of an eccentric author. They live on the breadline as her father's books are reviewed well but sell very little, until one day he "sells his soul" by writing a detective story and the money made from that means the family can move back to his crumbling family home in the countryside - where pony mad Gill spots Perdita, the most beautiful show pony she's ever seen. After meeting Perdita's owner, an old man, Gill gets the chance to ride Perdita and train her for the chance to ride at the Horse of the Year Show, but the ending is perhaps more bittersweet and realistic than Gill would dream of.
I loved this book - it was full of beautiful writing and wonderful imagery, and the conclusion was particularly moving. I also appreciated the 1970s touches - fashion and music and hippie communes/free love. Five stars!
I loved this book - it was full of beautiful writing and wonderful imagery, and the conclusion was particularly moving. I also appreciated the 1970s touches - fashion and music and hippie communes/free love. Five stars!
Did Not Finish
July 17, 2025DNF
I was sick of this story by page 2. By Chapter 4, I'd had enough. There are far too many human characters and not enough horses.
More importantly, the main problem of this girl from an extremely large family ever riding was solved by the end of Chapter 1. The rest is inevitable.
The scenes of two siblings abusing a bay pony were nauseating, as well as Our Protagonist's brother's animal "collections."
This was set ca. 1970s England, so if you are not familiar with the slang, don't even think of cracking this crap open.
I was sick of this story by page 2. By Chapter 4, I'd had enough. There are far too many human characters and not enough horses.
More importantly, the main problem of this girl from an extremely large family ever riding was solved by the end of Chapter 1. The rest is inevitable.
The scenes of two siblings abusing a bay pony were nauseating, as well as Our Protagonist's brother's animal "collections."
This was set ca. 1970s England, so if you are not familiar with the slang, don't even think of cracking this crap open.
August 10, 2025
Great book about a young girls love of Horses and her dream of taking part in the Horse of the year show at Wembley, after moving to the country with her family Gill the main character fell in love with a horse named Perdita who was owned by Mr Ramsey who allowed Gill to look after Perdita ……… did Gill realise her dream read it and find out, highly recommended and well written Book.
September 30, 2022
Reminded me of I Capture the Castle with its intelligent, tormented,,reflective heroine and a father I wanted to throw over a bridge. Good Lord man, write another fucking detective novels so your kid can keep a pony and your family can eat.
August 7, 2025
I first read this book when I was in my early years of secondary school. Obsessed with horses, I felt every inch of Gillian's desperation and heartache. I understood the struggle of her father, being a creative writer and not wanting to sell his soul, but on the other hand, he was so selfish. Doesn't being a parent often call for self-sacrifice? Just write the damn book!
Re-reading over 30 years later, I still love this book, still felt the heartache, and still cried. I love Patricia Leitch's writing and am a huge fan of the Jinny at Finmory books that I also intend to re-read.
A must-read for the child in all of us where dreams are big and anything is possible, until life presents its realist plans.
Re-reading over 30 years later, I still love this book, still felt the heartache, and still cried. I love Patricia Leitch's writing and am a huge fan of the Jinny at Finmory books that I also intend to re-read.
A must-read for the child in all of us where dreams are big and anything is possible, until life presents its realist plans.
May 12, 2018
Oh, this broke my heart. What a lovely story with such a pain...
August 4, 2019
As a teenager I never got into Patricia Leitch’s Jinny series, but I did love Jump to the Top . In that book a young, poor, pony less girl aims to buy her favourite pony from the riding school with dreams of show jumping at Horse of The Year Show. Dream of Fair Horses follows a similar plot line, except for show jumping, the heroine, Gill, dreams of showing the horse she rides.
Yet this book is much deeper than any other horse book I’ve ever read. It really explores what it means to love and own something. As an adult I’ve taken a lot away from this book. The writing is beautiful throughout and yet is also very real. Never too far in the background are Gill’s dysfunctional family, who at times seem to be almost falling apart.
I don’t think I’ve ever met an author who could capture quite so beautifully and realistically what it the passion and feelings a girl can have for horses and what the experience of what it feels like to ride and shut out the rest of the world as Leitch does in this book.
Yet this book is much deeper than any other horse book I’ve ever read. It really explores what it means to love and own something. As an adult I’ve taken a lot away from this book. The writing is beautiful throughout and yet is also very real. Never too far in the background are Gill’s dysfunctional family, who at times seem to be almost falling apart.
I don’t think I’ve ever met an author who could capture quite so beautifully and realistically what it the passion and feelings a girl can have for horses and what the experience of what it feels like to ride and shut out the rest of the world as Leitch does in this book.
May 14, 2024
I had high expectations of this book - the Jinny series by the same author are some of my favourite books ever and this was my first time reading another book by her.
It wasn’t as good as the Jinny books but it was an enjoyable read. The ending was very unexpected but satisfying in its own way.
It wasn’t as good as the Jinny books but it was an enjoyable read. The ending was very unexpected but satisfying in its own way.
October 27, 2024
A book about growing up, about falling in love.
Learning that true love means to love without trying to possess. That to love is sometimes to let go.
Learning that true love means to love without trying to possess. That to love is sometimes to let go.
December 14, 2018
This is a great book!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews