Lucy Daniels

Born in Yorkshire and grew up loving animals and the countryside, as well as reading. She always wanted to be a writer and is now one of the UK's best selling children's authors, specialising in stories about the animals she knows and loves. Still lives in Yorkshire with her family and two Russian Blue cats. Her favourite animals are cats!

Best known for the highly popular Animal Ark series which she created (although she didn't write every title; some were ghost-written by other authors, two such suggested authors being Liss Norton and American writer Ben Bagio). A few of the Animal Ark titles were horse-related (see below) but she also wrote another dedicated pony series known either as the Perfect Ponies or Horseshoe series.

Perfect Ponies/Horseshoes Series:
An excellent series, perhaps the author's best work. Aimed at a slightly older readership than the Animal Ark books, certainly the style is not too simplistic for adults to enjoy.
Due to financial problems, a family's three ponies Faith, Hope and Charity must be sold. Josie sets out to find good homes for them, hoping against hope a miracle will happen and they will be able to stay. A quite unusual plot while still along the lines of a traditional pony series.

1) KEEPING FAITH
aka LEAP OF FAITH
(SCHOLASTIC PB 1999)
Reprinted in paperback with new title
SUMMARY: Faith was the first pony Josie ever rode and is now an elderly lady. How can Josie find her a home with the peace and quiet she needs?

2) LAST HOPE
(SCHOLASTIC PB 1999)
Reprinted in paperback
SUMMARY: Hope is a lovely natured pony but is she too plain to find a loving home?

3) SWEET CHARITY
(SCHOLASTIC PB 1999)
Reprinted in paperback
SUMMARY: Charity is Josie's very own special pony...how can she ever let her go?

Other editions:

PERFECT PONIES
(HODDER 1999)
ILLUSTRATED BY ANN GOWLAND
A nice large hardback omnibus edition containing all three stories.

Collectors Info:
Slightly harder to find than the Animal Ark books. All except the hardback omnibus edition are paperbacks. Depending on which printing, the series is alternatively called Perfect Ponies or the Horseshoe Trilogy, and also the first book in the series can be found under two different titles (see above) but the books are still the same.

Horse & Pony Books in the Animal Ark Series
The Animal Ark series is a very long-running series about a vet's. It includes specials and a set of books for younger readers called 'Little Animal Ark.'

Some of the titles are about horses and ponies which I have listed below. Please note some of the series are ghost-written by other authors, not sure which ones though!

For more on the Animal Ark books click here

PONY IN THE PORCH [ANIMAL ARK 2]
(HODDER PB 1994)

SHETLAND IN THE SHED [ANIMAL ARK 22]
(HODDER PB 1997)

PONY PARADE [ANIMAL ARKS PETS 7]
(HODDER PB 1997)

FOALS IN THE FIELDS [ANIMAL ARK 28]
(HODDER PB 1997)

HORSE IN THE HOUSE [ANIMAL ARK 37]
(HODDER PB 1998)

PONIES AT THE POINT [SUMMER SPECIAL]
(HODDER PB 1998)

FOAL FROLICS [SUMMER SPECIAL]
(HODDER PB 1999)

STALLION IN THE STORM [ANIMAL ARK HAUNTINGS]
(HODDER PB 1999)

FOAL IN THE FOG [ANIMAL ARK HAUNTINGS]
(HODDER PB 2001)

THE PARTY PONY [LITTLE ANIMAL ARK 6]
(HODDER PB 2001)

STALLION IN THE STABLE [ANIMAL ARK HOLIDAY]
(HODDER PB 2002)

THE FRIENDLY FOAL [LITTLE ANIMAL ARK 12]
(HODDER PB 2003)

HORSE HERO [ANIMAL ARK PETS]
(HODDER PB 2003)

Collectors Info:
All paperbacks. All fairly easy to get hold of and most are still in print.