review – Shiny Pony

February 19, 2026

Game-Legs: another horse ebook!

My second public domain EPUB is available for download.

https://archive.org/details/arthur-c-bartlett-game-legs

Game-Legs, first published in 1928, is a lovely and charming story by Arthur C. Bartlett, who wrote two more horse stories for children, General Jim, and 4-H Cowboy.

The main character of Game-Legs is Jimmy Burbank. Jimmy contracted polio as a young child, and needs to use walking sticks to get around. His father, a doctor, has a favorite mare he has bred, hoping for a good foal. But, when the mare gives birth, the foal can’t stand on her own. Jimmy identifies with the weak filly and becomes concerned for her. He does not realize that her weakness could result in her being put down.

June 5, 2019June 20, 2019

Come Down the Mountain – Vian Smith

Most fiction from the pony book genre starts with a boy or girl who desperately wants a horse. He or she usually acquires a horse. And proceeds to successfully tame, ride, show or race the horse.

Come Down the Mountain is a bit different than the norm in several ways. The most obvious is the dust jacket artwork. There’s nary a horse to be found, a quite unusual approach by the publishers!

Doubleday 1967 American hardcover edition of "Come Down the Mountain" by Vian Smith — Doubleday 1967 American edition