Janet Marlow, from Australia, was staying with her Aunt Helen who owned a famous strain of Arabian horses which had been bred by the family for generations. She also owned a silver saddle bearing shields inscribed with the names of the riders and their Arabian mounts who had performed notable deeds. Janet begged her aunt to tell her the story behind each shield.
Spoilt, selfish Philippa Graham was thrilled when her aunt Pat agreed to pay for her education at exclusive Marston Manor Boarding School. However, there was one condition —that Philippa should learn to ride and care for Aunt Pat’s horse, Tom. Philippa didn’t object to this until she discovered that Tom was a huge, ungainly carthorse and all the other girls had beautiful thoroughbreds. Now she was desperate to be rid of him.
Lucy Baxter, a new girl at Plummer Academy, had found a neglected pony in a field near the school. Lucy had been warned to leave the pony alone, because its owner held the lease on the school’s land, but she had decided to help it in secret.
Alison and Joanne Walker were taking part in a training scheme for young showjumpers run by former international showjumper, Marion Farley. Marion believed that all showjumpers should be competitive and ride to win! When Alison’s horse, Snowbird.,` went lame, Jo suggested that they share her horse, Skylark. Marion thought this was a good idea, but the girls suspected she would use it as another means to turn them into rivals.
Young Rosa Berger and her four white Lippizona stallions star in Heirman’s Circus until the Germans invade Poland at the beginning of the Second World War. Marco, the clown with a Thousand Faces, another act in the circus, hates Rosa and her horses so much that he tries to get them taken into the German Army to pull heavy wagons.
Star showjumper Julie Trenton was scarred in a fire at her mother’s stables. Local landowner Charles Merton wanted the Trentons to leave their stables, so he could develop the land. However, Julie was determined to help by winning as many showjumping prizes as possible. Her chief rival in the ring was Merton’s daughter, Katherine.
Lisa Blake’s mum and dad managed an adventure camp in the Cotswolds. Lisa had her own pony, Lucky, and helped organise the riding.
Art: Eduardo Feito (#219-#224)