Jinny at Finmory Book Series: Who’s Who?
Patricia Leitch wrote twelve ‘Jinny at Finmory’ pony books in between 1976 and 1988.
These were:
1. For Love of a Horse (1976)
2. A Devil to Ride (1976)
3. The Summer Riders (1977)
4. Night of the Red Horse (1978)
5. Gallop to the Hills (1979)
6. Horse in a Million (1980)
7. The Magic Pony (1982)
8. Ride Like the Wind (1984)
9. Chestnut Gold (1984)
10. Jump for the Moon (1985)
11. Horse of Fire (1986)
12. Running Wild (1988).
Who are the main characters?
Main Characters
Jinny Manders. Our heroine and the owner of Shantih.
Ken Dawson. Knows the family because Mr Manders was his probation officer. Comes to live with the family at Finmory, intending to work the land and earn a living as a potter.
Mike Manders. Jinny’s stoic brother. He understands her emotions but is never prey to them as she is. He is happy to ride, but never loves horses the way she does.
Petra Manders. Jinny’s perfect sister. She wants to be a music teacher and loves school. She doesn’t understand Jinny and is sometimes frustrated by her behaviour.
Mr and Mrs Manders. Jinny’s longsuffering parents. Mr Manders is a former probation officer turned potter, and Mrs Manders has her hands full raising three children.
Mr MacKenzie. Farmer near Finmory House. Has a dry sense of humour and regards Jinny as being eccentric and uncontrolled, but humours her behaviour and often gives her a break. Sells Shantih to her for sixty pounds, allowing her to make up the shortfall of forty pounds to the one hundred he’s owed by giving him two paintings of his farm.
Miss Tuke. Runs a nearby pony trekking stable for tourists. Lends the Manders family two ponies over the winter.
Nell Storr. Gallery owner who buys Mr Manders’ pots and later Jinny’s paintings and Ken’s pots.
Dolina Thompson. Jinny’s stolid school friend. Takes punishments from their cruel teacher without complaint and looks on at Jinny’s erratic behaviour unmoved.
Clare and Spencer Burnley. Rich, spoilt, glamorous showjumpers who occasionally visit their home nearby for the Inverburgh Show. They temporarily overwhelm Jinny with their superior riding knowledge. Also personify a more plummy, traditional horse-riding background set in contrast to Jinny’s more relatable social background.
Bill and Marlene Thorpe. Siblings who come to visit the Manders family one summer. Bill needs a break from Stopton because he is on probation for shoplifting. Marlene has a limp, but is determined to ride Shantih.
Sue Horton. Jinny’s friend, on holiday near Finmory, who has a pony.
Jo Wilton. Owns the Wilton Museum where Jinny sees the statue of Epona. With the statue of the Horse god join her as prophesied by the travellers Jo calls the ‘Pony Folk’?
Tam. Tinker boy who helps Jinny find Shantih and Bramble after they are stolen.
So much for the humans. What about the much more important stable of characters: the animals.
Which Horses and Dogs?
Kelly. Ken’s dog. Accused of worrying sheep.
Shantih. Jinny’s chestnut Arab mare.
Bramble. Black. The trekking pony Jinny rides to school. Later ridden by Mike.
Punch. Grey. Mike’s first trekking pony before he starts riding Bramble.
Easter. A white (grey) mare rescued by Jinny from the Arran Riding School. Ageing and in need of a forever home.
Huston and Jasper. Clare Burnley’s horses. Grey and black.
Pippen. Sue’s pony. Skewbald.
Zed. Tam’s dog, who Jinny saves.
And don’t forget that the Manders also acquire some kittens just before they move in.
The locations are a vivid part of the ‘Jinny at Finmory’ stories. Where does the action take place?
Where do the stories happen?
Finmory. A rundown stone house with outbuildings and its own beach.
Glenbost village. Described as having six or seven crofts, a school, shop and two churches. Mike and Jinny ride to school here every day.
Inverburgh. City in the Highlands. Probably based on Inverness.
Stopton. The city the family leave behind for a new life in the Scottish Highlands.
Want to find out more?
You can buy the ‘Jinny at Finmory’ books from Amazon by clicking on the following affiliate links, for which I earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting John C Adams Reviews in this way:
For Love of a Horse link https://amzn.to/3SqZ9aZ
A Devil to Ride link https://amzn.to/3lNasyj
The Summer Riders link https://amzn.to/43tQPMy
Night of the Red Horse link https://amzn.to/43r8Uvb
Gallop to the Hills link https://amzn.to/3MEoxrQ
Horse in a Million link https://amzn.to/3MDnvME
The Magic Pony link https://amzn.to/3ozlE3s
Ride Like the Wind link https://amzn.to/3MYUgW3
Chestnut Gold link https://amzn.to/42eh091
Jump for the Moon link https://amzn.to/3ql1vP1
Horse of Fire link https://amzn.to/3qgVKSH
Running Wild link https://amzn.to/3IPpXP1
If you’ve enjoyed this article, you might like to subscribe to my blog.
Or you might like to take a look at the Children's category of my blog.
