Karen Powell stars in “Pine Tree Grove”, a TV soap set in a riding stables.
Plot:
Wendy Harris is living with friends on an American ranch. She discovers that her style of riding is useless in the West and she has to completely re-learn riding in order to ride Western style.
While Jo Rockwood is working at the Sunrise Riding Stables, she discovers that Morgan, the head groom, is the secret owner of a black steeplechaser called Midnight. Midnight had been condemned to death when he was involved in a bad accident at another stable, and Morgan, who worked at the stables at the time, had saved him, unknown to the owner. Jo hits upon the idea of training midnight for one day events and, to help keep the horse’s: identity secret, lets it be thought that midnight belongs to her. Mrs Barrett, the somewhat snobbish owner of the riding stables, is impressed by Midnight and gives Jo permission to keep him at the stables. To become an event horse, Midnight has to be taught dressage.
Binnie, daughter of Fred Black, a dairyman of Rookfield, is keen to show-jump their milk pony. Beauty has such a comical face he is often referred to as Beauty the beast, but Binnie has a high regard for him. As Binnie is inexperienced at jumping she is having some lessons at the pony school, run by Miss Moore. She and Beauty are chosen for the school team in a combined training event, Althea Brimpton, daughter of the owners of a popular hotel, is furious, because she thinks she should have been chosen instead. The hotel is one of Fred Black’s biggest customers, and Mr Brimpton threatens to give him up unless Binnie ceases to attend the pony school. As Fred is in the process of buying a new van, he is forced to agree, much to Binnie’s sorrow.
Penny Parker buys Spotty, a neglected horse at the market, when she takes pity on his condition. But the purchase becomes questionable when Spotty begins to manifest behavioural problems.
Plot:
When Carlotta Monkton is injured in a jumping accident, her friend, Jackie Dale, promises to qualify her pony, Rocky, for the European Junior Jumping Championship in the Autumn, by which time Carlotta hopes to be able to ride again. Secretly, Jackie is terrified of jumping and her attempts are hopeless until she meets and is coached by Nina, a mysterious gipsy girl. Jackie progresses well, but when she makes her jumping debut at the Kidbrook show, she loses control of Rocky. 
Young Glenda Howes, a pupil at Rockymount Riding School, is in charge of Storm, a horse owned by Major Scott, a wealthy man who is paying Glenda’s fees. Despite the rivalry of the Major’s jealous niece, Karen, Glenda enjoys Rockymount. Then Captain Fosbury, a strict disciplinarian, takes charge of the school while Captain Withers, the owner, is away.
In an attempt to help her father save his Riding School from having to close down, Patience Parker suggests that they should enter a team for The Pony Trekkers’ Treasure Hunt, with a cash prize for the organiser of the winning team. Shortly before the start of the trek, Mr Parker breaks his leg and his place has to be taken by Miss Corney, a bossy woman who works at the school and has some secret reason for wanting it to close. The first clue and part of the second have been solved, but Miss Corney lets the ponies loose —all except Taffy, Patience’s pony, who refuses to budge.
Rose Neil is using her circus-trained Basuto ponies to give rides on the beach at Littlehaven to pay off her father’s debt to Ben Thorne, an unscrupulous business-man. Thelma Thorne, Ben’s spoilt daughter, wants the ponies for herself and is trying to prevent Rose making money, so that her father can claim the ponies as payment of Mr Neil’s debt.
Mary Foster and her horse, Bobtail, form an unusual Beach -Rescue team at the popular holiday resort of Ambersea.
Other Appearances