Holly Reed works at Harding’s Riding Stables. The Hardings are hard employers, but Holly takes solace in Golden Harvest, her favourite horse. When Golden Harvest is injured in an accident, Holly offers to buy her to save her from being destroyed and then starts training her for a championship.
Orphan Susan Saunders goes to live with her Uncle Jack and Aunt Ella. Although they are kind, Susan finds life with them very different from what she is used to because Uncle Jack works as a scrap dealer. Susan finds solace in Snowy, the pony that lives there. Snowy has been trained differently to other ponies and Uncle Jack is doubtful about Sue managing her, but he decides to give her a chance.
Golden Warrior is a stallion who belongs to Brian Edwards, a famous three day event rider. When Brian is paralysed in an accident, his twin daughters Sally and Sarah take over Warrior’s training. Sarah is supposed to be the better rider but loses interest, so Sally takes her place and begins to hope she will win the championship.
Young Hetty Cole was rather a joke at the stables where she helped—until she bought an old pair of gloves in a second-hand clothes shop. Wearing them, she became an expert rider.
Hetty’s Hands – Judy: #1241 (22 October 1983) – #1254 (21 January 1984).
When Gina Peterson lost her nerve after she fell off her horse, Starlight, her friend Katie Birch took her place. Katie also rode her own mount, Mr Billy . . . and both horses qualified for the Cup-Winner’s Cup at Barchester. Gina hoped to ride in the Final but again her nerve failed and Katie rode both horses.
Scared to Jump! – Judy: #1624 (23 February 1991) – #1634 (04 May 1991)
Without asking her parents Kelly Barker had taken a pony to save it from slaughter. Knowing that her parents would forbid her to have a pony of her own, she hid it in a disused railway sidings, but then, her parents had discovered her secret. They came to an agreement to give her a month and if she didn’t come to them for money and if the pony wasn’t neglected she could keep him.
Jenny West is forced to sell her pony Jester to her new neighbour, Willa Trent, so her dad can pay off his debts. But then Jenny discovers Willa is an unfit owner for Jester.
Donna Martin was partly deaf and because of her hearing, found it hard to take part in things. While her sisters were both quick and lively, Donna only wanted to be left with her simple pony, Snipper, but her mother had bought her a new jumping pony as a surprise. Donna was horrified when she realised that having Jet would mean selling Snipper.
“I Don’t Want to Win” – Judy and Tracy: #1424 (25 April 1987) – #1435 (11 July 1987)
After losing both parents in a car crash, Sheila Robson was living with her grandfather, Mr Steel, at the farm where he bred Shire horses. He had never forgiven her mother for running away from home as a teenager, so he made no attempt to make her feel welcome.
Sheila and her Shires – Judy and Tracy: #1409 (10 January 1987) – #1418 (14 March 1987)
Josie Todd, an unpopular girl, had a rough time living with her aunt and uncle. She was training her uncle’s horse, so that he could be sold to a good home. Though Uncle was interested only in a fat profit. Mrs Weston from the local riding school had been helping Josie with her jumping, but Uncle was becoming more of a bully.
