Gayle Farmer

American author of both teen and adult novels. She grew up in northern New Jersey and started riding when she was five.
She was a member of one of the first American Pony Clubs and as an adult worked for many years as a horse trainer and riding instructor on her own ranch, as well as serving as an honorary whipper-in.

When she sold the ranch and moved to Palm Springs, her current home, she decided she would like to write stories about her experiences with horses. She joined a writing group and soon embarked upon two series of teen pony novels, all involving a group of kids riding at a competitive stables. These were then followed by a number of adult mysteries/thrillers. Gayle set up her own publishing company, Omega Press, in 2004 and uses it to publish all her books.

The author has her own website where you can find more about the books and read the first chapters of some of them.

Showtime Series:
Short teen series set on the USA CA hunter-jumper circuit.

1) SHOWTIME!
(OMEGA PRESSW [USA] 2004)
SUMMARY: A group of teenagers, Blair, Melly, Shieven and Billy show their horses at the Del Mar Nationals.

2) SHOWTIME AT INDIO!
(OMEGA PRESS [USA] 2004)
SUMMARY: The kids are showing at Indio's Horse Shows in the Sun.

Collector's Info:
The books were self-published by the author's own publishing company and are not that easy to find, even in the USA. Very hard elsewhere.

The Doubletree Kids Series:
Teen pony series about kids with the usual teen problems/romance content. The series features the same characters from the Showtime series, but with the addition of some new ones, including main character Becky.
Not 100% sure of the correct reading order.

POSSIBLE READING ORDER:

1) FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS
(OMEGA PRESS PB [USA] 2009)
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Becky loves horses and longs to become a horse trainer. When she arrives in her new home at Del Mar she soon makes herself useful at the local riding stables Doubletree Ranch. But her quick popularity puts some people's noses out of joint and she starts to feel she is unwanted. Can she prove she can fit in there?

2) ALL IN THE GAME
(OMEGA PRESS PB [USA] 2009)
Available as a 2 in 1 edition with 'Couples.'
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Becky becomes close friends with the handsome Steve, a newcomer to the ranch. But he has family problems to contend with.

3) COUPLES
(OMEGA PRESS PB [USA] 2009)
Available as a 2 in 1 edition with 'All in the Game.'
Still in print.
SUMMARY: Becky inspires the hatred of bad girl Emily who has a crush on Becky's boyfriend Steve.

4) HIGH HURDLES
(OMEGA PRESS PB [USA] 2009)
Still in print.
SUMMARY: When Larry appears at the stables Becky's friend Melanie falls for him. But when Becky finds out Larry is gay she doesn't know how to break it to her friend.

5) RIDING HIGH
(OMEGA PRESS PB [USA] 2009)
Still in print.
SUMMARY: The friends go to the Olympic Team Equestrian Trials but once there they uncover a horrible mystery.

Collector's Info:
Published by the author's own publishing company. Far easier to find than the Showtime books. At time of writing they are all still in print in the USA and can be bought new. The books can also be found in the UK without too much trouble.