The Saddle Club

When I was younger, I felt alone, nobody to talk to, nothing to do. This show gave me purpose, it gave me friends, it gave me family, it gave me hope. Now, at 23, my life is complete. I have three best friends, Stevie, Carol, and Lisa, and I'm part of something much bigger than myself. I am part of the saddle club. We are one.

Through this show, I learned how to ride, talk to boys, and maintain friendships. I now have three fictional husbands, and I've finally trotted off lead rein after 8years of lessons!

Watch this show if you want to make better of yourself.

The saddle club made me.

I am at one with the saddle club.

ok i think its the best show ever and i dont take kindly to what all u idots are saying about it get a life it is soo cool.why dont you like it its not unreal and not a waste of time and yes all the horse are actually beautiful as i have met the horses personally so get you facts straight my horse actually came ---- this close to being on it but he ended up hurting him self and couldnt be on it i am sick of all the ppl his are baggin it out you all need to get i life and i speak for all the ppl who love the show so get over it all u losers who thinks its a waste of time your a waste of time

MELINDA

I am surprised at how little is mentioned about The Saddle Club book series by Bonnie Bryant. I loved these books growing up and still have every copy! I was so excited to see Stevie, Lisa, and Carole on television, as they are much more quality characters than those on most other shows for girls that age. It is refreshing to see girls on television preoccupied with something other than boys, clothes, or drama at school. Sure, some things are different, like the fact that the show is filmed in Australia and the books take place in Virginia, but really the spirit of The Sadddle Club is a good message: love and quality care for horses as well as friendship and loyalty.

The 'Saddle Club' is a modern version of Walt Disney's 1955-58 'Spin and Marty'. It is set in Australia and 'Pine Hollow' replaces the 'Triple R Ranch'. It has Stevie (Spin), Lisa (Marty), and Carol, the friends who call themselves the 'Saddle Club'. Both shows are hard to beat because a fantasy shared by most kids is to hang out with horses-ALL THE TIME. Instead of singing songs around the campfire, the girls are shown singing in a recording studio in the closing credits (which adds to the fantasy).

Both Saddle Club and Spin & Marty are little gems that kids will love until ages 11-13, secretly watch for another year, and then come back to in their mid-20's, wishing they were that age again. Most of the critical comments here are from kids who want to demonstrate to themselves that they have outgrown this stuff. I see little basis for criticism because 'Saddle Club' is pretty much up front about what it is and it delivers what it promises. If you don't want or need a straightforward story about the values of friendship, personal responsibility, and saddle club hugs; then don't watch.

While it is true that the episodes are somewhat formulaic, full of positive values, and almost always conclude with a mandatory happy ending; the plots revolve around some very serious subjects and bad things do happen to good people. Horses die, Carol struggles to come to terms with her mother's death, kids make mistakes that have serious negative consequences for themselves and others, and people that the kids are very fond of go away. It is not as lightweight as it first appears.

The show is amazingly strong on all areas of technical production. The camera shots are often very tight on the characters' faces and lots of reaction shots are used, the audio is excellent, and the editing is fast-paced and logically sequenced. Most shows could learn a lot from the way 'Saddle Club' is shot and edited.

The acting is a little weak, especially by the supporting characters. But Lara Marshall (Lisa), Keenan MacWilliams (Carol), and Heli Simpson (Veronica) are all solid. If they weren't solid they would not survive all those close-ups and reaction shots, the director would have abandoned his tight shot style since it exposes acting weakness.

The real gem of this cast is Zachary Bennett's little sister Sophie (Stevie). She looks like an expressive Lindsey Lohen and has made her character the most interesting of the group. Sometimes this is a self-fulfilling process as the writers pick up on who is the strongest actor and place more demands on them. Bennett is a fine dramatic actress who also teams well with Heli Simpson for comic relief. And Stevie's unlikely semi-romance with Phil has a strangely 'real' feel to it.

together we are, brighter than the sun; together we are, the calm inside the storm;

we are nothing without each other, we are together where we belong;

together we are, everything we need; together we are, more than the sum of us

If you are a preteen, a teenager, or even a person in their twentysomethings (even further)....if you just have a heart that loves and remembers childhood...you will love Saddle Club.

When I first saw it, I was drawn because I don't get to see enough foreign-produced shows. Anyway, the point is, if you like movies/shows about friendship and buddies or stuff about the unique bond that girls have with each other when they are young, this show is worth watching.

I'm in my twenties and I like it because it reminds me of what it was like to be young and happy and to have a passion and to share it with your friends. This show is about the girls and guys on a ranch -- you get to see all the heartache and fun that comes with being a preteen. If I had a daughter, I would feel happy to let her watch this show.

If you think this show is "crap", perhaps this show just isn't for you. Other than that, I watch it everyday on Discovery Kids.