A Year of Horse Books: On the Edge (and sequels) by Jenny Pitman - reviewed by Katherine Roberts
This month, I bring you some exciting adult fiction by one of the first women to train racehorses in the UK, Jenny Pitman. She has won two Grand Nationals, and in 1984 became the first woman to train a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, winning it again in 1991 when her son Mark was the jockey. She retired from training in 1999.
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| On the Edge |
Her first novel On the Edge could almost be autobiographical. It follows the fortunes of racehorse trainer Jan Hardy, recently bereaved and left to bring up two young children, as she buys a rundown farm on a Gloucestershire hillside and sets out to transform the place into a training yard fit for thoroughbreds. She starts by running her horses in point-to-points, and soon builds a reputation for turning out winners. Encouraged by her success and her owners, she applies for a licence to train National Hunt racehorses running under rules, but first her stables must pass the Jockey Club's inspection... which, with a temporary canvas roof still over her barn awaiting the funds for a more permanent roof, is going to be a challenge. Meanwhile, in the next valley, rival trainer Virginia Gilbert has the perfect training set-up courtesy of her wealthy family and doesn't want the competition. Can Jan and her dedicated staff turn the gangly Russian Eagle, ridden by his keen but amateur owner-jockey, into a winning team and prove the "neigh"-sayers wrong?
Having worked in NH racing yards myself, it's obvious that these books were written by someone who knows the racing background inside-out. But Jenny Pitman never lets the horsey details interfere with the story. As fans of ex-jockey Dick Francis' crime fiction will know, racing is a game involving people from all walks of life with many possible plots, spiced up by the added uncertainty of whether a good horse entered in the perfect race will actually win on the day. There is an additional romance angle to Jenny Pitman's novels, which combines with her varied plots to deliver a series of satisfying stories for adult readers with an accessible writing style. Having an interest in horses or racing probably helps, however these books should appeal to a wide range of readers.
Further books in the series follow Jan Hardy's tough journey as a female racehorse trainer in a traditionally male-dominated world. They are all complete stories set around her training yard, her dedicated staff, and her various owners and their horses, which means the individual novels can be enjoyed in any order. Having said that, each book sets the scene for the next - so, if you're a newcomer to this author, reading them in order of publication would be perfect!
Jenny Pitman's Jan Hardy novels in order of publication:
On The Edge
Double Deal
The Dilemma
The Vendetta
The Inheritance
An equally enjoyable autobiography by Jenny Pitman is also available, if you prefer to stick to the facts.
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Katherine Roberts writes fantasy and historical fiction with a touch of legend for young readers.
Several of her books feature horses, the most popular with adult readers being her epic historical novel about Alexander the Great... straight from the horse's mouth!
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| I am the Great Horse |
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