Golden Gorse

Iconic early British pony book author. Golden Gorse was the pseudonym of Muriel Wace who was born in 1881. She and her four sisters grew up in the country with a variety of ponies. They were amongst the first females to ride astride. In 1911 Muriel married and moved to Somerset where she became interested in Exmoor ponies, a subject which was to provide the inspiration for her most popular book, Moorland Mousie, and its sequel.

Not a hugely prolific writer but was considered a pioneer in the field of pony book writing for her early instructional books, which were amongst the first ever riding manuals aimed at children.

The Moorland Mousie Trust is a charity inspired by the book of the same name. It was set up to help the Exmoor Pony breed, which is sadly now quite rare, and is run from the Exmoor Pony Centre in Dulverton. They have also recently republished the book itself, which can be purchased from the centre or by mail order from the website.

Mousie Series:
Pony point-of-view series. Follows very much the 'Black Beauty' pattern, except for the fact the pony hero is an Exmoor pony. The  books are superbly illustrated by Lionel Edwards.

MOORLAND MOUSIE
(COUNTRY LUFE 1929)
ILLUSTRATED BY LIONEL EDWARDS
Reprinted many times, including 'popular' edition 1931
Published in the USA by Charles Scribners Sons.
Recently reprinted by The Moorland Mousie Trust.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, later Country Life edition, plus Lionel Edwards illustration.
SUMMARY: Mousie is a promising young Exmoor, but when he in a fit of exuberance runs away with his young rider he is sold, and like Black Beauty, his life goes downhill. Also similarly, he is then rescued and his happiness restored.
PONYMAD VIEW: One of the first and best of the Black Beauty imitators, owing much the to the character of Mousie and his frank account. Greatly enhanced also by the wonderful illustrations.
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

OLDER MOUSIE
(COUNTRY LUFE 1932)
ILLUSTRATED BY LIONEL EDWARDS
Reprinted many times, including a 'popular' edition.
Published in the USA by Charles Scribners Sons.
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, later Country Life edition.
SUMMARY: In the less popular sequel the older Mousie is kidnapped by gypsies.
PONYMAD RATING: 2 HORSESHOES

Collectors Info:
Moorland Mousie, owing to its huge popularity was reprinted many times, including a number of times in the USA and it is fairly easy to get hold of a copy in the UK, USA and Australia, unless you set your sights on the first edition which can be harder to find and more expensive. The sequel Older Mousie was  also published in the USA as well as the UK. There were no paperback editions. As far as I know all editions (including American ones) were beautifully illustrated by the great Lionel Edwards, so even a copy without a dustjacket will be highly rewarding.
A new version of Moorland Mousie published by the Moorland Mousie Trust is in print at the moment. It is available from the Exmoor Pony Society or from the trust's website (see link).

Other Horse & Pony Books:

JANET AND FELICITY, THE YOUNG HORSE BREAKERS
aka THE YOUNG HORSE BREAKERS (Revised edition)
(COUNTRY LIFE 1937)
ILLUSTRATED BY ANNE BULLEN
Revised edition published by Country Life in 1946 under the shortened title.
EDITION PICTURED: 1st edition.
SUMMARY: Janet and Felicity are both good riders but have a rather inflated view of their own prowess. When they go off on holiday to Exmoor, they are given two cantankerous young Exmoor ponies to ride who soon show them the error of their ways. Luckily their knowledgeable Uncle Tom is at hand to help the situation and with his help the pair set out to properly break in the two half broken youngsters.
PONYMAD RATING: 3 HORESHOES
Read Review

MARY IN THE COUNTRY
(COUNTRY LIFE 1955)
ILLUSTRATED BY E H SHEPARD
EDITION PICTURED: 1st edition.
SUMMARY: Mary moves to the country where she learns about flora and fauna, in particular dogs and ponies. With lovely illustrations by the 'Whinnie the Pooh' illustrator.

Collectors Info:
Only hardback editions were published. Once again the books had excellent illustrators so even without jackets are lovely. The Young Horsebreakers lost it's 'Janet and Felicity' appellation in a later revised edition so if you want the original version look for the girl's names in the title! The original is harder to find than the reprint, which is fairly easy to find in the UK, although both are harder to find with dustjackets. It was not published in the USA and so is harder to find there than the Mousie books, although not impossible.
Mary in the Country was as far as I know never reprinted and is thus harder to find, especially outside of the UK.

Non Fiction:
Although I don't normally add non-fictional works to this website, I thought I would include these as they are very early examples of the pony instruction book, and considered pioneering works in the history of equine non-fiction for children.

THE YOUNG RIDER
(COUNTRY LIFE 1928)
Reprinted by original publishers a number of times.
Published in the USA by Charles Scribners Sons.

THE YOUNG RIDER'S PICTURE BOOK
(COUNTRY LIFE 1936)
Reprinted by original publishers a number of times.
Published in the USA by Charles Scribners Sons.

Collectors Info:
Both books were published in the UK and also in the USA and they are reasonably easy to find in both these places and also in Australia. The 'Picture Book' is perhaps a little rarer.