The Saddle Club is a children's television series developed by Sarah Dodd, based on the books written by Bonnie Bryant. Like the book series, the scripted live action series follows the lives of three best friends in training to compete in equestrian competitions at the fictional Pine Hollow Stables, while dealing with problems in their personal lives. This series debuted in 2001 and ended in 2009.

Premise

The series follows the experiences of three girls, who establish a club called "The Saddle Club" after recognizing their mutual passion for horse riding. Their rival is another young rider at the stables named Veronica DiAngelo.

Throughout the series, The Saddle Club navigates their rivalry with Veronica, training for competitions, horse shows, and the quotidian dramas that arise between friends and staff in the fictional Pine Hollow Stables. In each show, The Saddle Club prevails over its adversities, usually sending a message emphasizing the importance of friendship and teamwork.

Episodes

Cast

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width=100%"

|-

! width="36%" | Characters

! width="22%" | Season 1

! width="22%" | Season 2

! width="22%" | Season 3

|-

| Carole Hanson

| colspan="2" | Keenan MacWilliam

| colspan="1" | Victoria Campbell

|-

| Stephanie "Stevie" Lake

| colspan="2" | Sophie Bennett

| colspan="1" | Lauren Dixon

|-

| Elizabeth "Lisa" Atwood

| colspan="2" | Lara Jean Marshall

| colspan="1" | Ariel Kaplan

|-

| Veronica DiAngelo

| colspan="2" | Heli Simpson

| colspan="1" | Marny Kennedy

|-

| Kristina "Kristi" Cavanaugh

| colspan="2" | Kia Luby

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Desiree "Desi" Biggins

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Aisha Dee

|-

| Melanie Atwood

| colspan="1" | Marisa Siketa

| colspan="1" | Jessica Jacobs

| colspan="1" | Ella-Rose Shenman

|-

| Ashley Taylor

| colspan="2" | Janelle Corlass-Brown

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Jessica "Jess" Cooper

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Kaiya Jones

|-

| Elizabeth "Mrs. Reg" Regnery

| colspan="2" | Catherine Wilkin

| colspan="1" | Briony Behets

|-

| Maximillion "Max" Regnery

| colspan="2" | Brett Tucker

| colspan="1" | Richard Davies

|-

| Dorothee Doutey

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Matylda Buczko

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Jackson "Jack" O'Neil

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Troy Lovett

|-

| Phillip "Phil" Marsten

| colspan="2" | Glenn Meldrum

| colspan="1" | Cosmo Feltham

|-

| Murray Richards

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Troy Lovett

| colspan="1" | Rory Donegan

|-

| Deborah Hale Regnery

| colspan="2" | Cathy Godbold

|colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Andrew "Drew" Regnery

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Nikolai Nikolaeff

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Redford "Red" O'Malley

| colspan="1" | Nathan Phillips

| colspan="1" | James O'Dea

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Brian "Scooter" Mucahy

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Alex Marriott

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Megan

| colspan="1" | Sophie Hensser

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Samuel "Sam"

| colspan="1" | Anthony Hammer

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Simon Atherton

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Connor Jessup

|-

| Dr. Judith "Judy" Barker

| colspan="2" | Maggie King

| colspan="1" | Leverne McDonnell

|-

| Ashley "Chewie" Becker

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Jackson Gallagher

|-

| Eleanor Atwood

| colspan="2" | Marie-Louise Walker

| colspan="1" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Colonel Mitchell "Mitch" Hanson

| colspan="3" | Christopher Kirby

|-

| Helen DiAngelo

| colspan="1" | Melanie Ryder

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Frances "Frank" DiAngelo

| colspan="2" | Anthony Hawkins

| bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

| Orlando Cooper

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

| colspan="1" | Gerard Kennedy

|-

| John Brightstar

|colspan="1" | Nick Russell

| colspan="2" bgcolor="lightgrey" |

|-

|}

:<small>Note: A grey cell indicates the character did not appear in that series.</small>

Production

The original series was filmed in Yarra Valley, Victoria in Australia, but involved a cast of mixed nationalities.

In 2007, a news release announced a casting call and the production of a third series, which was filmed from late 2007 to early 2008. The third series was filmed in Daylesford, Victoria.

In the United States, the series later aired on Horse Racing TV and was distributed independently by Connecticut Public Television and American Public Television through public television stations nationwide, most notably PBS. The series also briefly aired in reruns on The Hub.

In Canada, it aired on YTV, and in the United Kingdom on CITV, Horse & Country and Pop Girl. It was broadcast by the French children's specialty channel Gulli, dubbed into French.

Series 3 was broadcast on Discovery Kids in the United States starting on February 22, 2009, while sneak views has been shown on "Saddle Club Sundays" in December 2008. In Australia, the new series commenced on Channel Nine and WIN TV on March 7, 2009.

WIN Television airs a compilation movie of "Horse Shy", "Mystery Weekend" and "School Horse" (episode 6-8 of series 1) every Christmas Day since 2017.

Reboot

A CGI animated reboot is currently in production, which is scheduled to release in 2027.

Other media

Australian Videos

  • The Saddle Club: Adventures At Pine Hollow (2001)
  • The Saddle Club: Horse Crazy (2002)
  • The Saddle Club: The Mane Event (2003)
  • The Saddle Club: The First Adventure (2003)
  • The Saddle Club: Friends Forever (2004)
  • The Saddle Club: Storm (2004)
  • The Saddle Club: Saving Pine Hollow (2005)

Australian DVDs

  • The Saddle Club: Adventures At Pine Hollow (2002)
  • The Saddle Club: Horse Crazy (2003)
  • The Saddle Club: The Mane Event (2003)
  • The Saddle Club: The First Adventure (2003)
  • The Saddle Club: Friends Forever (2004)
  • The Saddle Club: Storm (2004)
  • The Saddle Club: Saving Pine Hollow (2005)
  • The Saddle Club: Series 1 (2005)
  • The Saddle Club: Series 2 (2006)
  • The Saddle Club: The First Adventure (2009 Re-release)
  • The Saddle Club: Adventures at Pine Hollow (2009 Re-release) - Released as "More Adventures at Pine Hollow"
  • The Saddle Club: Horse Crazy (2009 Re-release)
  • The Saddle Club: The Mane Event (2009 Re-release)
  • The Saddle Club: Friends Forever (2009 Re-release)
  • The Saddle Club: Storm (2009 Re-release)
  • The Saddle Club: Saving Pine Hollow (2009 Re-release)
  • The Saddle Club: Back in the Saddle (2010)
  • The Saddle Club: Back in the Saddle (Handle Case) (2010)
  • The Saddle Club: Horseback Riders (2010)
  • The Saddle Club: Horseback Riders (Handle Case) (2010)
  • The Saddle Club: Ride Free (2010)
  • The Saddle Club: Staying the Distance (2010)
  • The Saddle Club: Happy Trails (2010)

Computer game

  • The Saddle Club: Willowbrook Stables (2002)
  • The Saddle Club (2010)

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of studio albums, with selected details, chart positions and certifications

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Album details

! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Certifications

|-

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br />

|-

! scope="row"| Fun for Everyone

|

  • Released: November 2002
  • Label: Shock (TSC02)
  • Formats: CD

| 45

|

|-

! scope="row"| On Top of the World

|

  • Released: May 2003
  • Label: Shock (TSC03)
  • Formats: CD

| 20

|

  • ARIA: Gold

|-

! scope="row"| Friends Forever

|

  • Released: September 2003
  • Label: Shock (TSC06)
  • Formats: CD

| 38

|

|-

! scope="row"|Secrets & Dreams

|

  • Released: April 2004
  • Label: Shock (TSC12)
  • Formats: CD

| 49

|

|}

Compilation albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of compilation albums, with selected details and chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Album details

! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

|-

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br>

|-

! scope="row"| Hello World – The Best of the Saddle Club

|

  • Released: November 2004
  • Label: Shock (TSC14)
  • Formats: CD

| 59

|-

! scope="row"| Best Friends

|

  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Shock (TSC 301)
  • Formats: CD

| —

|}

Extended plays

  • Special Mane Event (2004)

Singles

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications

|-

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS<br />

|-

! scope="row"| "Wonderland"

| rowspan="3"| 2003

| 17

|

|-

! scope="row"| "Boogie Oogie Oogie"/"Undercover Movers and Shakers"

| 29

|

|-

! scope="row"| "Everybody Come On"

| —

|

|-

! scope="row"| "Undercover Movers and Shakers"

| rowspan="4"| 2004

| 42

|

|-

! scope="row"| "L.I.F.E."

| 34

|

|-

! scope="row"| "Welcome to the Saddle Club"

| —

|

|-

! scope="row"| "Sleeping Under the Stars"

| —

|

|-

! scope="row"| "These Girls"

| 2009

| —

|

|}

Read Along CD

  • The Saddle Club: Horse Sense (2002) – ABC Audio 3-hour, 3-CD set read by Lucy Bell

Sophie & Kia

Albums

  • Planet Tokyo (2005) – Australia
  • He's Everything (2005) – Australia
  • Raw Beauty (2005) – Australia
  • Spin (2005) – Australia
  • Raw Beauty Acoustic Sessions (2005) – Australia

Singles

  • "Planet Tokyo" (2005) – No. 41 Australia
  • "He's Everything" (2005) – No. 40 Australia