Cynthia Kurtz posted: " Growing up, many of my days were spent in the company of horses. I began riding at a lesson barn with other horse-crazy kids and learned good horsemanship from the best teachers of all: the lesson horses. Each would have their own syllabus in mind. For e"
Growing up, many of my days were spent in the company of horses. I began riding at a lesson barn with other horse-crazy kids and learned good horsemanship from the best teachers of all: the lesson horses. Each would have their own syllabus in mind. For example, Fergie, a little pony with a big attitude, would take it upon herself to go out to pasture as a dapple-grey and come back a bay if she thought we needed more grooming practice. Or Fancy, a chestnut pony, who would teach us the hard way to always check that the girth is tight before getting on. From the stubborn lesson pony to the gentle, loping giant, I have come to know that horses have a mind of their own and personalities that vary as much as humans'.
As with many young horse enthusiasts, there came a day when I stumbled across a book of cartoons featuring a little girl and a fuzzy fat pony that perfectly captured my experiences with those lesson horses.
That pudgy little pony is now what I, and many other dedicated readers, have come to know as the 'Thelwell Pony' named for the British satirist and cartoonist, Norman Thelwell (1923-1924).
Thelwell grew up in Birkenhead, England, where he fostered a love for the British countryside and began his burgeoning talent for drawing. [1] His sketchbooks followed him throughout his life, even from Britain to India when he joined the army during World War II. It was during his time in the war that he took night classes at the Nottingham School of the Arts and, when transferred to his post in India, became art editor and artist of an army magazine in New Delhi. Thelwell would continue his art education after the war and in 1950, started contributing cartoons to the satirical British magazine, Punch. [2]
It was in 1953 that Thelwell published his signature cartoon consisting of that little girl on her rotund pony. This phenomenon led to his first book of cartoons Angels on Horseback, published in 1957 and since then, Thelwell created over 1,000 cartoons, published 34 books, and captured the hearts and minds of pony club kids through generations. [3]
These works function as part riding manual and part equine psychology thesis in the form of cartoons. While seemingly hyperbolic, his comics are incredibly relatable to those who grew up with the joy, frustration, excitement, and confusion of horses. That stubborn pony who refuses to come in from the pasture? We've all known one. Ever spent hours picking burs from the forelock of a mischievous mare? Who hasn't? Every exaggerated anthropomorphism from the snarky side-eyes to the smug look of vindication is by no means a stretch of the imagination for anybody lucky enough to love a horse.
However, it wasn't until I started working here at the NSLM that I realized Thelwell had expanded his satirical eye beyond just the equine world and encompassed the breadth of the NSLM's mission: The art, literature, and culture of equestrian, angling, and field sports.
See for example Thelwell's Complete Tangler– a zany reference to the Complete Angler by Izaak Walton (of which the NSLM holds one of the largest publicly accessible collections). First printed in 1653, The Complete Angler acts as a manual and cultural guide to the sport of angling. Thelwell has similar intentions with his collection of cartoons, however, while Walton's sentiments wax poetic, stating, "O' the gallant fisher's life, it is the best of any," Thelwell aims to cast "a fishy eye at fisherman – and fish..." focusing on the not-so-romantic aspects of the sport.
See also Top Dog – Thelwell's complete canine compendium that mocks the simplistic puppy training manual and identifies the unique qualities of different breeds and their owners, including the Gun Dog.
While Thelwell tends to focus on the more frustrating or awkward aspects of sporting endeavors, his work does not deter the sportsman from pursuing them. Does the equestrian enjoy getting bucked off? Does the fisherman prefer that their catch gets snatched by a seagull? Most likely not. But these kernels of truth that live amongst the joy and passion in sporting make our love for them that much stronger.
The full breadth of sporting traditions is represented in Thelwell's Sporting Prints published in 1984. The prints in this book in particular show off Thelwell's artistic talent beyond just his witty commentary and drawing abilities. Thelwell also ventured into landscape painting and is renowned for his portrayal of the English countryside and commentary on environmental conservation. The sheer amount of detail applied with both pen and paintbrush has earned him exhibitions dedicated to his ability to make us laugh as well as his ability to make us care. These include the 2019 exhibitions Thelwell: Laughter and Landscapes from the National Trust in Mottisfont in Hampshire, England [4] and Laughter Lines in the Nature of Art Gallery in Gloucester, England. [5]
I must admit, I had almost forgotten about the 'Thelwell Pony' until I started working here at the NSLM. It has been a few years since I have last ridden a horse, but the nostalgia for the sport rushed back to me when I saw that little girl with her fuzzy, fat pony sitting snuggly amongst the other books on our Main Reading Room shelves.
Emily Reeb started as the Clarice & Robert H. Smith Education Coordinator in January of 2022. She is responsible for engaging the public in the NSLM's mission through tours and educational programs for the community and K-12 school groups. In addition to her role as the Clarice & Robert H. Smith Education Coordinator she assists with daily Library operations and managing the NSLM gift shop.
Having grown up in Virginia's equestrian community, she has a passion for the NSLM's mission and is excited to be involved in promoting it through educational programs. In her spare time, Emily enjoys hiking, baking, and attempting to learn the acoustic guitar.
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