Riding Academy

by Norman Thelwell

From the first publication of Riding Academy in 1963, the Thelwell pony entered the language-and the libraries of children and horse-lovers the world over. This beautiful hardback gift edition contains Thelwell's invaluable advice to aspiring equestrians on how to get into the saddle and stay there; each item illustrated with inimitable and deadly clarity.

Genres: Humor, Horses, Fiction, Animals, Comics, Cartoon, Childrens

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Norman Thelwell was an English cartoonist well-known for his humorous illustrations of ponies and horses. A promising young student from Liverpool College of Art, he soon became a contributor to the satirical magazine Punch in the 1950s, and earned many lasting devotees by illustrating Chicko in the British boys' comic Eagle.

Known to many only as Thelwell, he found his true comic niche with Pony Club girls and ponies refusing fences, a subject for which he became best-known. His cartoons and drawings delighted millions.

For the last quarter of a century of his life he lived in the Test Valley at Timsbury, near Romsey, gradually restoring a farm house and landscaping the grounds which gave rise to his first factual book, A Plank Bridge by a Pool, which detailed the first two lakes he dug there. A third lake was later featured on the BBC’s South Today programme. Written much earlier, but published three years later, A Millstone Round My Neck described his experiences in re-building a Cornish water mill (Addicroft Mill at Liskeard, which he called Penruin), that was sold before the book was published. He always loved old buildings, and in his auto-biography, Wrestling with a Pencil wrote about his joy in the beauty of old cottages.

Reviews

[Constance · Rating 5 out of 5]

C’était trop chouette vive les poneys

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, wonderful stuff! A collection of cartoons drawn by Norman Thelwell and published in a newspaper, this book tells a social history of little girls (mostly) and their ponies. The drawings are comical and fun and the themes realistic, if exaggerated. Mums and dads of pony-loving children will laugh out loud, as will everyone else, probably. An old favourite.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the 1969 paperback edition. For some reason, Goodreads keeps sticking my review up on the 2006 hardback reprint.

The actual title of this book is Thelwell's Riding Academy.

How good is this book? My copy was stolen when I was a student at Delaware County Christian School. THAT'S how good it is.

There are not many cartoon books based on horseback riding because Thekwell did it so well that if any other cartoonist tried to do anything equine, he is she would be measured against Thelwell and be found lacking.

In Thelwell's later years, his horses and especially his ponies would become more cartoon-like. In his earlier cartoons, he is far more realistic and detailed. This lead to me sticking my paperback Thelwells close to my face to see all of the detail.

You do have to know a little about English life, slang and customs to get some of the jokes. However, most if them hit home, no matter what side of the Atlantic you live on. You just have to be a horse lover.

[Avd.Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think, we probably had all the funny Thelwell horse books as kids (I remember: Pony Cavalcade, Pony Panorama,Thelwell Country, Angels on Horseback, and the Riding Academy) and loved them as much as we loved horses and riding. Looking at this book today brings back many fond memories.

[Bindee · Rating 5 out of 5]

very funny read. had to read from start to finish

[Fred C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ridden with purposeful deep meanings. Told with simple, understandable or explainable language. Thelwell's Riding Academy is perfect for quick good sit down, giving readers a nice, informative reminder to most areas of life.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic British understatement, with great drawings. Good for kids and adults too

[Matilda Ka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and cute.

[Elina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Klassikko

[Ilena Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

really great if you are a horse person!

[A.E.M. A.E.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love!

[^ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fat little girls on fat little ponies became Thelwell’s instantly recognised ‘trademark’. However, the upper- and upper-middle class mummies who keep the branches of the Pony Club going in Britain are largely, surprisingly, missing. Having said that, I do love the cartoon on page 106 which is captioned, “You must not expect your mother to keep your pony clean.” Mother is portrayed standing behind the rear of the tethered pony, She disdainfully wields the hose of a horizontal-cylinder vacuum cleaner. The pony looks distinctly worried as to where it’s all heading!

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful, wonderful stuff! A collection of cartoons drawn by Norman Thelwell and published in a newspaper, this book tells a social history of little girls (mostly) and their ponies. The drawings are comical and fun and the themes realistic, if exaggerated. Mums and dads of pony-loving children will laugh out loud, as will everyone else, probably. An old favourite.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

found this in an old box of books...hoping to find A Leg At Each Corner, too. How can you not love fat, hairy ponies and brave kids?

[Christine Meunier · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://equus-blog.com/thelwells-ridin...

[Jean Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can still remember some of these cartoons 30 years on....

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute cartoon infested review of riding and riding schools written by a British author. Totally amusing.

[Vecinter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic