Lady Kitty Ritson (1887-1969)

Full name Lady Kitty Edith Blanche Oglivy. Daughter of the Countess of Airlie, who was a close friend of Queen Mary and also an author.

Wrote under her second married name of Ritson and also under her first married name of Kitty Vincent. The pony books all seem to be under the Ritson name, as she wrote them after her second marriage.

She was extremely interested in dogs and was a leading name in the dog breeding world and the development of the Guide Dogs for the Blind. She also wrote a number of books about them, both fiction and non-fiction. In fact she was much more famous as a leading light in the world of dogs (especially for her part in the development of the Finnish Spitz) than in her other career as a children's author.

Tragically both her own children died young.

(Sources: The Peerage.com)

Tessa Series:

1) TESSA AND SOME PONIES
FIRST EDITION NELSON 1953
ILLUSTRATED BY LESLIE ATKINSON
Reprinted in paperback by Nelson in the 1950s
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition, Nelson paperback.
SUMMARY: Tessa longs to have a beautiful show pony. But her father is bringing her up on his own after her mother has died and money is tight. She has to make do with Dusty, her humble nag. But she is so determined to train him well that she manages to win prizes against better bred opposition. Although she loves her pony she hankers after a lovely Arab she has fallen in love with. Her father and friends are impressed by her fortitude and determination. Will she be rewarded?
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

2) TESSA IN SOUTH AFRICA
FIRST EDITION NELSON 1955
ILLUSTRATED BY LESLIE ATKINSON
Reprinted in paperback by Nelson.
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition, Nelson paperback.
SUMMARY: When her father is posted to South Africa, Tessa must accompnay him and leave her two beloved ponies behind. But Tessa's horsy adventures continue in her new home.

3) TESSA TO THE RESCUE
FIRST EDITION NELSON 1957
ILLUSTRATED BY SHEILA ROSE
Quite rare
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition (frontispiece).
SUMMARY: After three years in South Africa Tessa and her father return home to England where he is going to help run a horse centre.

4) TESSA AND THE RANNOCH DUDE RANCH
FIRST EDITION NELSON 1961
ILLUSTRATED BY SHEILA ROSE
Quite rare
EDITIONS PICTURED: First edition.
SUMMARY: More horsy adventures, this time over the border as one of Tessa's friends inherits an estate in Scotland!

Collectors Info:
Not common books, but not impossible to find. The first two books were reprinted in paperback. I don't think the other two were however.  The Nelson paperback reprint of Tessa and Some Ponies is the easiest one to find.

Other Horse & Pony Books:

MOLLY THE NEW FOREST PONY
FIRST EDITION NELSON 1940
ILLUSTRATED BY W. NEAVE PARKER
Reprinted in hardback by Nelson in the 1950s.
SUMMARY: A young boy rescues a New Forest Pony

MONTANA ADVENTURE
FIRST EDITION FABER AND FABER 1946)
ILLUSTRATED BY MARJORIE OWENS
Fairly rare
SUMMARY: Ranch story.

JOHN AND JENNIFER'S PONY CLUB
FIRST EDITION NELSON 1955
ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOS BY GEE DENES
Rare

Collectors Info:
No paperback editions. Again, quite hard to find especially outside the UK. John and Jennifer's Pony Club seems to be the rarest.