The Saddle Club (books)

Children's book series
the book series

The Saddle Club is a series of intermediate children's books published by Bantam Books between 1988 and 2001. The series was created by a publishing house using the contract writing services of self professed equestrian novice Bonnie Bryant. Many titles were also written by ghostwriters. Spin offs include four other book series: The Saddle Club Super Editions, The Saddle Club Inside Stories, Pony Tails, and Pine Hollow. The books were adapted into a TV show also called The Saddle Club. In the 1990s, there was also a fan club with a monthly newsletter and a line of model horses manufactured by Breyer. The books follow the adventures of best friends Carole Hanson, Stevie Lake, and Lisa Atwood, who live in the fictional town of Willow Creek, Virginia, and ride at Pine Hollow Stables. In the first book of the series, Horse Crazy, Carole and Lisa help Stevie with her mathematics project, which launches the girls' friendship and the titular club. At the beginning of the series, Carole and Stevie are twelve year old seventh graders and Lisa is a thirteen year old eighth grader. Although the characters live through several vacations and years of school, they do not age until the "Pine Hollow" series.

The Saddle Club is written in a third person style. In early books, the narration was third person limited and shifted from character to character, often offering more insight into the thoughts and feelings of the Saddle Club members and their friends; in later books, the narrative style became much more encompassing.

For a complete list of titles, see List of Saddle Club books.

Dr. Judy Barker equine veterinarian who treats most Pine Hollow horses. First appears in #3, Horse Sense. John Brightstar son of Walter Brightstar, a wrangler at the Bar None Ranch. First appears in #24, Ghost Rider. Marie Dana injured in a car accident that killed her father and left her unable to walk for months; The Saddle Club befriends her and helps her recover. First appears in #16, Horse Games. Dorothy DeSoto Hawthorne former student of Max Regnery and an excellent rider; suffers an injury in #8, Horse Show, that ends her career as a competitive rider, so she has to sell her horse Topside to Max. Stevie rides Topside until she owns her own horse, Belle. She marries Nigel Hawthorne in #27, Bridle Path. The Saddle Club see her and Nigel in many other books. Kate Devine former champion junior rider and a friend of The Saddle Club; her parents, Frank and Phyllis, know Mitch Hanson from when Frank was a pilot in the United States Marine Corps. They now own a dude ranch in the Southwest called the Bar None Ranch. Like Merrill, Phil, A. J., Christine and Cam, Kate is an honorary member of The Saddle Club. First appears in #4, Horse Power. Callie Forester First appears in the Pine Hollow series. Callie is Scott's sister and she is younger by one year. In the first Pine Hollow book, Stevie is driving her friends during a bad storm. She swerves to avoid Callie's horse, who was spooked into the road. After hitting Callie's horse Fez, the car rolled into a ravine, injuring Callie severely. Callie survived the accident, but Fez was killed. Callie is a private person. Scott Forester First appears in the Pine Hollow series. Scott is Callie's brother and is older by one year. After his sister Callie is injured in a car accident, he blames Stevie. Scott has trouble forgiving Stevie for the accident which hurt his sister and killed her horse Fez. Eli Grimes wrangler at the Bar None Ranch, who considers the members of The Saddle Club "dudes" when he first meets them in #6, Dude Ranch. He starts a riding summer camp with his wife, Jeannie, in #29, Ranch Hands. Jasmine James eight year old rider at Pine Hollow; she and her best friends become the main characters of the spin off series Pony Tails. May Grover eight year old rider at Pine Hollow; she and her best friends become the main characters of the spin off series Pony Tails. First appears in #21, Racehorse, when she starts taking riding lessons at Pine Hollow and joins Horse Wise. Has a pony named Luna because of the perfect moon shaped mark on his face, and later a pony named Macaroni. Corey Takamura eight year old Asian American rider at Pine Hollow; she and her best friends become the main characters of the spin off series Pony Tails. Her mother, Dr. Takamura, is a small animal vet. Erin Mosley a spoiled eight year old girl who is the main rival of Jasmine, May, and Corey and one of the main characters in the spin off series Pony Tails. Erin started taking riding lessons at Pine Hollow prior to the series. Erin is described as a "goody goody" who tattles on others. Nigel Hawthorne Dorothy DeSoto's British husband; also a rider. First appears in #27, Bridle Path. Christine Lonetree A kind hearted Native American girl whom the Saddle Club and Kate Devine first meet in #6, Dude Ranch; her German Shepherd Tomahawk dies saving Stevie from a rattlesnake. She becomes an honorary member of The Saddle Club in #12, Rodeo Rider. Phil Marsten Stevie's boyfriend; he lives in Cross County, which is about fifteen miles away from Willow Creek. Phil has a Quarter Horse named Teddy, who has a tendency to spook. Like Kate, Christine, A. J., and Cam, Phil is an honorary member of The Saddle Club. First appears in #10, Riding Camp. Denise McCaskill Pine Hollow stablehand and Red's girlfriend. First appears in #45, Stable Groom. A. J. McDonnell Phil's best friend and a fellow rider at Cross County Stables. Like Kate, Christine, Phil, and Cam, A. J. is an honorary member of The Saddle Club. He owns a gray mare named Crystal. First appears in #13, Starlight Christmas. Cam Nelson A young African American rider from Arden Hills whom Carole first meets over an Internet message board. First appears in #25, Show Horse. Cam has a horse named Duffy. He moves to California when his dad gets a new job in #49, Stable Farewell. Cam returns to Willow Creek in the Pine Hollow series, but things don't work out between him and Carole and they break up. Red O'Malley The head stablehand at Pine Hollow and Denise's boyfriend. Red is polite and is often stuck doing Veronica's chores and looking after her horse. Skye Ransom A seventeen year old actor whom The Saddle Club meets and teaches to ride in #8, Horse Show. He often returns in books where he is filming a movie and requires The Saddle Club's help. Lady Theresa "Tessa" An English lady whom Lisa meets and befriends in England when Tessa falls off her horse in #29, Ranch Hands. Emily Williams A young rider with cerebral palsy. The Saddle Club meets and befriends Emily and her horse P. C. in #52, Riding Class. She is also an honorary member of the Saddle Club. P. C.'s initials do not stand for anything in particular. Their meaning changes according to Emily's whims. Emily also appears in the Pine Hollow series until her family moves to Australia.

In 2003 the series was awarded a BILBY Award.

In 2001, The Saddle Club was adapted into a TV series called The Saddle Club, which was filmed and set in Australia. There are notable differences between the characters and plotlines in the books and the TV series. The show ran for three seasons and has been broadcast on ABC and FOX8 in Australia, on Discovery Kids and public television in the United States, on YTV network in Canada, and on PopGirl in the UK. Episodes are available on DVD.