A Note from the Editors:

Here, intrepid fan, you will find a detailed synopsis of the episodes in Season One of Follyfoot. Why, you may ask, and how did I decide to make such an in-depth and detailed write up for each. Because, to the best of my knowledge, only a few would appear to have the complete collection of Follyfoot episodes in the known world on tape or dvd, (at the time of writing even I only had some episodes). A wild claim, I hear you say, but given that the series hasn’t played in most of Europe or Australia since the 1970s, was only partly re-shown in the UK in 1986 and played only the once here in New Zealand in 1982, (luckily just after I purchased my first VCR) it has sunk without trace, despite being fondly remembered by many people of similar vintage to myself. At one point the amount of episodes filmed caused some debate as no episode guide seemed to be available, however after a while a Children’s TV reference book turned up and was able to provide the 39 episodes and their running order. Originally when compiling the majority of synopses, from a then incomplete episode guide, I was forced to rely on seeing which horses had already arrived plus listening for oblique references to other episodes, both past and future. It proved a challenge and for the most part I was able to place most of the episodes, but there are still some that didn’t seem to fit anywhere except very generally, plus I had only a brief synopsis for two others as well as missing more completely, neither knowing their titles or content. Of course it did mean I had to watch the episodes over and over again to find these details and the more I watched the more I was enchanted with the characters and the whole ‘feel’ of the series and the messages it was trying to get across. You will notice at the end of each synopsis a note called the Cryometer... one of the enduring memories I had of the series before I started to re-watch it, was that Dora seemed to cry in every episode. After watching I realised that wasn’t the case, but that when she did become upset it was for a very good reason, one I would probably have cried at myself!! Anyway, for my own information I listed for each episode a small note at the end. Details of the guest stars for each episode, and there were a lot of very familiar faces during the series are listed elsewhere. Since the original synopsises where written some of the missing episodes have now been added by some of the fans of the series, so, read on and relive the pleasure.

Original written by Louise in 2003. Updated and edited by Nik 2005. Updated and added to/corrected by Simon 2007. Tweaked again by David in 2009.

Season 1, episode 1: DORA

A Rolls Royce arrives at a grand, country house. A man on a horse rides up to great them in the driveway. The man is Colonel Geoffrey Maddock. His brother Arthur and his wife, Prudence, have arrived to deliver their daughter, Dora to stay while they are away in Brazil on a government commission. Dora is a pretty girl, about 17 years old, dressed in a floral dress and carrying a hat. The parents and her Uncle sit down and chat while Dora roams around the large house, staring out the windows at the horses in the paddocks alongside the house. Her mother doesn’t know what to do with her, they have sent her to the best finishing schools, used tutors and even sent her to deportment classes, but to no avail. Dora hears her mother calling for her as they prepare to leave, she peers down at them from the staircase. There is no goodbye hug or kiss for Dora, just a request that she write. The parents leave. Later that day, Dora visits the stables and meets the Colonel’s groom, Thompson, who has a horse, Dragon, ready for her to ride. He tells her not to stay out late as there has been trouble with louts from the village harrassing horses. Dora rides leisurely through the surrounding woods. She hears motorcycles and sees boys running through the wood, she follows and watches them go into a paddock and catch half a dozen loose horses with rough rope halters. They ride off and she follows. The horses belong to the local Squire and his grooms run after the boys as they ride roughly across the squire’s land. Dora continues to follow and sees another boy (Steve – 18 or 19yrs old) ride out of the woods and try to stop the Nightriders, but he gets knocked off his horse. The boys see Dora and set off in pursuit but she manages to hide from them. The boys return to their motorcycles and free the horse, several of whom are injured. Dora rides back to where the she’d seen Steve who is trying to comfort two horses left for dead by the Nightriders. The squire’s grooms arrive and immediately accuse Steve of being a Nightrider despite him being a stableboy for the squire. Dora isn’t sure, but says that Steve wasn’t one of the riders but the squire’s grooms don’t listen. The vet arrives and decides to put the horses down as they are too badly injured. Dora returns to her horse and watches in horror as the vet shoots the horses, she mounts her horse, very distressed and rides off. Next morning Dora asks her Uncle what can he do about the Nightriders, he tells her about his hobby, Follyfoot farm and tells her to go take a look. There she meets Ron Stryker and Slugger who look after the horses. Ron tells her about each of the horses, saying that Follyfoot is a place for clapped out horses and people. He introduces her to Weaver, an ex police horse, Molly whose partially blind, Charlie who he says is thirty five years old, Gypsy who is too wild for anyone to approach. Ron teases Slugger about his cooking which is always bacon and eggs. Slugger tells Dora he was once a boxer. Later Ron plays his guitar in the stable while Dora talks to the horses. The Colonel arrives and asks Dora if she thinks she’d like to stay then shows her a mare, Lyndy Lou, who is due to foal any day, and offers the foal to Dora. The Colonel then takes Dora to the Squire (Mathews) to give her evidence regarding Steve. Dora hotly defends Steve to her Uncle, saying he couldn’t have hurt the horses as she saw his face when they were shot. At the squire’s stable Mathews is questioning Steve. He tells the squire about riding down to Millers Copse and what happened with the Nightriders. He denies that he was riding either of the horses that were injured, Prancer and Olivers Pride. The Colonel intervenes and Dora tries to help but the squire is angry and condems Steve, alluding to his past prison record. He tells Steve to pack his bags and be off within the hour. Dora looks on helplessly. Back at Follyfoot, Slugger is feeding the Donkeys while Dora watches. He tells her the story of the Lightning Tree. Dora talks to the tree and makes a pact about making a fresh start and growing up together. End credits.
Cryometer: just the once when the horses have to be shot.

Season 1, episode 2: STEVE

Steve is fast asleep in a hayloft. At Follyfoot the foal has been born and Dora names him Folly, although Slugger would prefer him to be called Fred. Callie arrives, a young girl of fifteen, and introduces herself to Dora. She spends every spare moment at the farm but has to leave as she has school the next day. Dora offers to help Slugger muck out the stalls, he sends her to the top barn for more straw. Dora starts her daily tradition of watering the Lightning Tree before going to the barn. In the barn she surprises Steve in the loft who reacts defensively, he blames Dora for losing his job and mentions “sleeping in Her Ladyship’s hay”. He tells her he has to see the Colonel about an injured horse, seeing her forking straw into a barrow, he throws down a complete bail for her to use. He also asks her not to let anyone know he’s in the barn. Seconds later Ron arrives, roaring up on his bike, and shortly afterwards a troop of riders arrive, looking for a stray horse from the previous attack on the squire’s horses by the Nightriders. One of the group is the boy Lewis who was ringleader of the Nightriders. Dora is in the barn doorway watching out of sight, Steve is behind her in a stall, also watching. The main group of riders pass on but Lewis rides into the yard up to Ron and starts making out that he and Ron were busy the night of the raid. Ron complies until Lewis starts asking about a girl seen, meaning Dora. Both Slugger and Ron deny knowing who it was. Dora wasn’t sure whether Ron would give her away and she and Steve wait anxiously. Slugger tells Lewis to “hop it” but he gets stroppy and Slugger pulls him off his horse and into the dung pile. Lewis swears revenge. Steve tells Dora he knows where the horse is, hidden from the squire so it won’t be shot because it’s lame. Dora asks to go with him and they leave by the back door. After walking a couple of miles they find the horse in a hollow and they start to go, but not before Steve spots the riders coming their way. They manage to cross the river undetected but find themselve surrounded by the searchers. Dora goes for help while Steve stays with the horse despite the probability that he will be accused of stealing it if he is caught. Dora runs back to Follyfoot and sees the Colonel in his office, she asks why they (the Colonel and herself) can’t live at the farm, he says she can, but he can’t. Dora tells him about Steve and the Colonel agrees to help. Back at the wood Steve is discovered with the horse and duly accused of theft and threatened with five years in prison a short time later Dora and the Colonel arrive and he confronts the groom who is preparing to shoot the horse. The Colonel wants the horse and brushes off the accusations of stealing against Steve by saying that he now works for the Colonel as he is expanding the farm and this horse would be the first of Dora’s new collection. Steve and Dora lead the horses away while the Colonel goes to talk to the Squire. On the way back they see Lewis and another groom riding hard for Follyfoot, Dora mounts her horse and takes off after them despite Steve trying to stop her. At Follyfoot the two riders open the gate and all the stable doors driving the horses out as Dora rides in. She runs to one of the stalls and finds that the foal Folly has run away in the confusion. Dora seaches for the foal and finds him in a thicket, by now it’s getting on for evening and she meets up with Steve who is still leading the lame horse back to Follyfoot. They walk home together. End credits.
Cryometer: when she discovers the foal missing from its stall.

Season 1, episode 3: GYPSY

Ron arrives at Follyfoot on his bike, roaring into the yard and knocking Dora over into a pile of straw. Ron sees the Colonel with a Policeman coming out of the cottage. The Colonel tells Ron off for riding his motorcycle into the yard, then tells Dora that the gypsy man has been released from prison and will be coming for his horse. Slugger says no-one can get near it, but Dora says she can and shows her Uncle. Steve is grooming one of the horses when a shower of dust undoes his work. Slugger is sweeping the floor above and the dust if coming through the floorboards. Steve goes up into what is now his bedroom and tells Slugger to stop. Looking out of the loft window Steve sees the Gypsy arrive and asks Slugger the story behind him. Slugger tells him how two brothers caught the gypsy’s horse on their farm and beat it, then when the gypsy came to collect it he threatened them with a knife and got three months’ prison. In the Colonel’s office the young gypsy threatens to kill the farmers but the Colonel remonstrates with him and offers him money, which he refuses. The Colonel tells him to return to his people but the gypsy wants revenge. Outside the window, Ron overhears and slinks off. Ron rides over to Tinniker Farm where he teases the two farmer brothers, Amos and Reuben Kellett with news about the gypsy and his threats to kill them. After Ron leaves, Amos decides to do some threatening of his own. Back at Follyfoot Dora brings out the gypsy horse and talks to the Gypsy. The horse suddenly becomes restless and looking up they see Reuben on horseback with a gun. The gypsy horse breaks away and runs out of the yard prompting the gypsy to try and drag Amos off his horse, unsuccessfully. The Colonel warns Amos off while Dora and Steve mount up and give chase to the gypsy horse. They finally find the horse nearly at the gate of Tinniker Farm where he gets chased into the farm’s yard and shut into the barn by Amos. Dora and Steve watch in dismay. Back at Follyfoot Steve is angry and frustrated, arguing with Dora, who storms out. Steve and the Gypsy sneak back to Tinniker Farm later that evening. They managed to get the gypsy and his horse away but Steve see another horse in the barn and delays, getting himself shut in the barn by Amos. Next morning Dora is still angry at Steve for not rescuing the gypsy horse, only to have Slugger point it out in their yard. Dora rushes into the stables, thinking Steve is back but finds the Gypsy sitting on the stairs. He tells her whats happened. Back at Tinniker farm, Steve hits on a plan to masquerade as a gypsy and trick the superstitious Reuben into letting him go. He’s barely into his role when Dora arrives and nearly upsets his plans. She gets Amos to let Steve go but Steve also wants to free the horse in the barn so he gets Dora to go along with his plan while he slicks back his hair and ties a handkerchief around his neck, looking very much like a gypsy. He manages to convince Reuben to give Steve his horse to lift the ‘bad luck’ on the farm. On the way back to Follyfoot, Dora apologises to Steve for doubting him and calling him a coward, Steve calls her his “blood sister” and they walk back home. Back at Follyfoot the Gypsy apologises for leaving Steve and tells them he’ll be returning to his people. Slugger tells them breakfast is ready and Ron breaks into a tease of Slugger’s cooking about “eggs is a good breakfast, eggs is”. End credits.
Cryometer: no tears this ep., but Steve sure looks great as a gypsy...shame he didn’t keep his hair like that.

Season 1,episode 4: SHADOW

Dora and Steve are out riding and watch as the local Hunt rides across several paddocks. Dora voices her dislike of the hunt because of the fox. Steve points out a horse and rider approaching a brush fence, sayings it’s a horse called Shadow, specially brought for its ability to jump like a steeplechaser. As they watch the horse refuses the brush fence and pitches its rider over into the mud. Steve and Dora ride up to help but the young woman gets to her feet and starts to berate the horse, much to Dora’s disgust. Steve tries to help but gets told to catch the horse by the irate woman. Steve know her as the squire’s daughter, Isobel. Later that day Dora is with her Uncle and the Squire, watching as Isobel tries to put Shadow over some jumps. The squire is not happy with the horse’s behavior and asks the Colonel to take it and “beat some sense into it”. The Colonel says he’s too busy but Dora offers to school Shadow, saying she’ll get up early to fit it in with her other chores. Over the next few days Dora gets up at dawn and schools shadow, starting from scratch. One morning Slugger crosses the yard with a mug of tea for Steve, who is washing up in the horse trough. They play box and wonder how Dora is doing. That night Dora sits up reading through several horse books to find a way to help Shadow, who is still fighting the bit. When she realises how long she’s been reading she wanders into the kitchen to find that Slugger has sat up with her, to make sure she has something hot to eat and drink. Dora tells him she’s found a solution for Shadow, by using a hackamore or bitless bridle. She finds this works and Shadow jumps like a dream. The next morning Steve gets up and goes down to un-rug the horses only to find Dora already there with Shadow, he helps her saddle up and Dora asks if he’d like to see a couple of showoff. Ron is out riding his motorcycle very early with Lewis Hammond, but his bike breaks down. He needs 30 pounds to fix the gearbox. Leaving his bike in a hedge he walks back to Follyfoot, on the way he comes across Steve watching Dora jump Shadow. Ron keeps out of sight but he starts to think of a plan to get the money he needs. At breakfast Ron asks for the use of the Land-rover to pick up his bike and Steve offers to drive him. One the way there Ron tries out his plan on Steve who summarily dismisses it as daft. Later at the pub, Ron and Lewis talk and decided to bring in a third party which turns out to be a bookie. Ron and Lewis take the bookie to see Dora jumping Shadow, early next morning, the bookie decides to place bets on Shadow at the next point-to-point race meet, with Ron and Lewis’s help. Later that morning Lewis phones the Colonel posing as one of the squire’s grooms and arranges the collection of Shadow to be raced later that afternoon for the race at 4.30pm. Dora isn’t at all happy, saying that Shadow isn’t ready, but Steve reminds her that it’s not her horse and invites her to come to the races to watch, but she declines. Steve goes instead with Ron on his newly repaired motorcycle, when Steve asks where he got the 30 pounds, Ron says he did a man a favour. When they arrive at the race meet Ron immediatlely leaves with Lewis. Steve sees Isobel trackside and goes over to speak to her, asking about Shadow, but Isobel tells her that her father is in London and that the groom had been with Isobel all morning. Steve suspects a rat and borrows Ron’s bike to return to Follyfoot. He finds Dora moping in the stable, Shadow having been collected half an hour before. Steve tells her he suspects Shadow has been stolen and they take off back to the racemeet on Ron’s bike. Meanwhile Ron is kitted up in racing silks and goes to the weighin before mounting Shadow and getting ready to race, at the same time Lewis is seeding the bookie’s money and placing bets on Shadow. Dora and Steve arrive just as the race starts and they have to watch from trackside. Ron, on Shadow, starts well but refuses the second brush fence, finally throwing Ron off and he loses the race. Steve and Dora come up and take Shadow while Ron has to run away from the irate bookie. Steve tells Dora she has a one woman horse in Shadow, she replies that you have to ask Shadow, if you want him to dance “softly softly catchy Shadow”. Dora rides Shadow back to the farm, the horse flying over every fence that Dora puts him to. End credits.
Cryometer: No tears this ep.

Season 1, episode 5: ONE WHITE FOOT CHARLEY

It’s a Sunday and Steve has just woken up. He goes down to say hello to the horses, telling them that they are lucky to have such a pretty girl to look after them. He hears a noise and sees Dora trying to feed the foal, Folly. She admits to hearing him greet the horses. Steve asks Dora how old Charley is, she replies that the horse is about 30 years’ old and that he used to work in a coal mine as a pit-pony. Dora muses whether horses remember people or places and Steve says yes. In a village an old man dozes in his chair while his daughter-in-law pours him a cup of tea. The daughter-in-law accuses the old man of dreaming about his horse. The father reminisces about his pony, Jacky, who was his best pal. The son, George, enters and offers to take his father on a car trip to get some fresh air and visit the pub. They set out, stopping at a disused mine. The father says he wants to see Jacky again as it’s been 15 years since the mine closed. George agrees to help find the pony. Meanwhile Slugger is walking Jacky/Charley around the yard when Callie arrives, all togged up in some very flash clothes. She asks for Dora to show them off but Slugger tells her she’s out. Steve and Dora are out riding when they see a party of riders approach, led by Lewis Hammond. Dora recognises him as one of the Nightriders, Steve notices that the horse Lewis is riding is lame and sets off to confront him. Steve tells Lewis the horse is lame but Lewis only lashes out, causes Steve’s horse to rear and throw Steve. Lewis takes his party of riders on while Dora rides down to help Steve. Dora wants to do something for the lame horse but they can’t immediately think of anything. Meanwhile George and his father manage to track down various previous owners of Jacky during the day. Callie is still at Follyfoot when Steve and Dora return. Dora introduces Steve to Callie. Steve suddenly gets an idea, he suggests that Dora borrow Callie’s fancy clothes and go to the Hammond stables and hire the horse they’d seen, Starlight, and bring her back to Follyfoot for the vet to see. Dora is reluctant but agrees while Steve rings the vet to come at 2pm. Dora arrives at the Hammond Hotel and goes around to the hire stables, dressed from head to toe in Callie’s clothes, including hot-pants and knee boots, along with huge sunglasses. Lewis is in the stable and hires out Starlight to Dora, not recognising her at all. Steve is waiting with another horse when Dora arrives leading Starlight, they ride back to Follyfoot. When the vet arrives, he’s accompanied by the Colonel, who wasn’t supposed to be there on a Sunday. The vet sees Charley/Jacky lying down on the grass and offers to put him down but the Colonel says no. Dora is still dressed in Callie’s clothes and has to make up an excuse both for her attire and the reason for calling the vet, saying it’s for Folly because he won’t eat. Inside the stable Steve and the Vet inspect Starlight. A week later it’s Saturday and Slugger is giving a riding lesson to half a dozen kids on ponies. Dora is watching when the Colonel arrives. He says he’s just been to see Hammond who’s livid that Dora played the trick with Starlight. The Colonel asks Steve about the foal and about Charley. Steve says Charley appears to be at the end so the Colonel says the vet will be over on Monday and will put Charley down, plus it will make room for Starlight who is coming to recuperate at Follyfoot. Just then George and his dad turn up, asking to see Jacky. Dora and Steve realise they’re talking about Charley and invite them in. The old coalminer and his pit-pony are reunited. Steve tells the son they were just in time. Dora invites the old man to help feed the foal. Outside, Lewis arrives with Starlight and hands her over to Steve. End credits.
Cryometer: No tears this ep.

Season 1,episode 6: THE CHARITY HORSE

Opens in the home of the Willen family. The mother goes out to a stable behind the house to see to their horse, Sandy, her youngest son Gip is there mucking out the stall. Back inside the house the elder brother has taken over his deceased father’s timber business and wants to expand. He wants to send the horse to Follyfoot to retire but Gip says no. Later that morning the elder brother is walking with the horse and cart down a lane shouting firewood and timber. A reporter for the Tockwith Examiner sees him and decides to offer to do a story on the boy. A Follyfoot Steve and Dora are out riding, Dora is on the horse they rescued from the squire (ep.Steve) and she tries to get the horse to jump over a log. They see a car pull up at the farm and leave it for Slugger to sort out. At the farm Gip and his mother have come to ask them to take Sandy, Slugger tells Gip to go and look at the horses while his mother talks to the Colonel. Ron is loitering behind the hay pile and sees the boy, and decides to have some fun. Back in Tockwith the elder son is on his way back and passes the newspaper office, the reporter brings out a photographer to take a picture but the flash frightens Sandy and he bolts with the cart only to collide with a truck at the end of the lane. Back at Follyfoot Ron tells Gip that they whip and torture their horses, frightening Gip completely. Back in town the reporter and photographer are in the pub trying to come up with a way to correct their mistake that killed the boy’s horse. They come up with the idea of running a sob story and getting the subscribers to donate money to buy another horse. The paper is printed with a front page story. The mother is surprised at some of the story’s contents, and horrified that they will be getting another horse as they were trying to get rid of the last one anyway. Sometime later there is a big presentation by the paper with a photo of the family with the mayor and new horse, Marty. Next morning the Colonel is sitting at the breakfast table with Dora and Steve and reads the paper, he’s disgusted with the paper and remarks that the mother had been in a month before trying to offload their original horse. Back at the house the mother is just as scathing as the new horse can’t even pull the cart. Gip offers to look after the new horse but his mother says no. Gip reluctantly agrees to take Marty to Follyfoot despite Ron’s mischief. He nearly gets there when Ron roars past on his motorcycle, scraring the horse who bolts with Gip still mounted. The horse throws the boy down a gully and hurts the boy’s leg. The Colonel gets a call from the police about Gip and gets Dora and Steve to ride out while he takes the horsetruck to meet the police and search for the boy. The police spot Marty at the top of a hill and climb up, finding Gip in the gully. Back at the town the reporter is trying to make copy out of the situation saying the horse is a hero and a lot of other rubbish. The Colonel tries to convince the mother to let the horse go to Follyfoot but she says they’ll manage, somehow. End credits.
Cryometer: No tears this ep.

Season 1, episode 7: KNOW-ALL’S NAG

(incomplete-I mistakenly recorded over the second half of this episode *sob*) (Any offers to write this one please?)
It’s morning and young Gip wakes up and goes downstairs to go and see to his horse, Marty (see Charity Horse episode). His mother makes him have some breakfast, his brother wants to sell the yard to their neighbour and make a fresh start but Gip wants to keep Marty. When Gip gets to the stable he finds the door open and Marty gone, he thinks it’s Mr. Garrett from next door who wants the timber yard. Marty is by now well on his way out into the coutryside. At Follyfoot Dora is mucking out the foal’s stall when Steve pretends to take a photo of her, reminding her about the Charity Horse and Gip and how cross the Colonel was about the photographer, also saying what a good article it would make about a famous diplomat’s daughter at her country estate. Dora says that her life is completely different from what it was, big London house, tea parties, pillars on the stairs. Steve asks if she’s happy and she nods, yes. Marty has stopped outside a farmhouse to eat some flowers, the lady of the house sees him and phones the police. Dora and Steve go out riding and spot Marty on the loose. When they return, with Marty in tow, the Colonel is there and knows about the runaway from the police phoning him. He askes Steve to return Marty to Gip. Back with Gip, Steve returns Marty, he sees the stable and asks Gip about his care of the horse. Gip tells him that someone is letting the horse out at night. Back at Follyfoot Steve tells Ron and Dora of Gip’s suspicions regarding Mr. Garrett, Steve tells Dora he’s going to help Gip find out who’s doing it. He also alludes to the time Ron told Marty that they tortured their horses at Follyfoot, to Ron’s discomfort and Dora’s disgust. That night Gip and Steve are in Marty’s stable waiting to find out who’s opening the stable door. (tape ends).......confirmed resolution, see ‘Stryker’s Good Deed’, because Marty is now at Follyfoot permanently.
Cryometer: No tears this ep.

Season 1, episode 8: MOONSTONE

Callie is at the circus with her mother. They see a knife-thrower followed by a bare back rider. The horse is a dapple grey and the woman keeps cracking her whip to get the horse to go faster while her partner performs tricks on the horses back. Callie is disgusted and says the woman hates the horse. She leaves the performance and waits to see the horse after the show, her mother is unsympathetic and takes Callie away. Callie goes to the Colonel for help but he says that Callie is wrong and that the horse is fine. That night there’s a rain storm and Callie sneaks back to the circus and takes Moonstone herself. Next morning Steve is woken early by Callie bringing Moonstone into the yard. She convinces him to help her hide Moonstone although Steve is reluctant because it’s basically stealing and he already has a criminal record. Callie suggests the old shed by the lake and Steve gives in. Later that morning a car pulls out and the woman from the circus questions Steve about her horse. He denies seeing it so she questions Dora and Slugger. Dora tells her that Slugger used to work in a circus as a boxer. The woman is scathing of the old horses and quickly leaves. Dora suspects that Steve knows something and quizzes him. Steve tells her about Moonstone but makes her promise not to tell Callie as she thinks it’s a secret. Dora teases Steve about the reason girls keep secrets with boys, Steve comes back that now he and Dora have a secret. Dora sees Callie coming from the old shed and she queries her, Callie makes up a story about finding flowers, which Ron overhears, guessing the truth. A policeman arrives, Bert, to see the Colonel about the missing circus horse. Steve watches from a stall but Ron comes in and starts to tease him about getting caught for stealing and having his prison record condemn him. Ron keeps up his teasing when the Colonel comes over with Bert and asks Steve about the horse. Bert sees the shed and asks the Colonel, who denies there’s anything there, saying it’s too ramshackle and muddy. Dora and Steve look on guiltily. After Bert leaves the Colonel instructs Steve to dismantle the shed as it’s an eyesore. Just then they see Callie riding her bike down to the shed and the Colonel suspects the truth and he catches Callie with Moonstone. Later he has brought her mother to the farm and berates her for Callie’s behavior (Callie is fifteen), the mother tells the Colonel that Callie hero-worships him and has alienated all her friends because of following what she’s overhead him to say. Finally the Colonel gives in and agrees to help. Next day Steve is seen in the Landrover, driving past a string of circus vehicles to reach the woman who owns Moonstone. Ron is working in the paddock when the policeman Bert comes back and decides to check out the shed, mud or no mud. He find Moonstone. Steve has caught up with the circus woman and offers her a hundred pounds for the horse, she accepts. Back at the farm everyone waits for the Colonel and Steve to return, including Bert. The Colonel rides up first and says that he’s the owner of Moonstone, confirmed when Steve arrives a minute later and nods. The policeman asks what the name of the horse is and Callie says “My Hero” named for Steve. The policeman is confused so the Colonel offers to explain it all over a cup of tea. End credits.
Cryometer: No tears this ep.

Season 1, episode 9: STRYKER’S GOOD DEED

Shortly after ‘Know-All’s Nag’ on a street of the town, Ron rides his bike and stops to see a crowd of people around a horse and cart and an ambulance. Someone says it’s the old rag and bone man, Mr. Simkin being taken to hospital. They ask what to do about his horse, Jonjon. One man suggests it be taken to the knackers yard and shot, but Gip protests. Ron steps in and offers to take the horse, but Gip runs off when he sees Ron because of his previous teasing. Ron asks the people if they know where Gip lives but they don’t. At Follyfoot Dora is grooming Marty (white) and Steve is grooming Sultan, (big dapple grey) but he’s worried because Sultan won’t eat. Steve takes the two horses out to the field to graze. The Colonel leads out another horse, Dancer that jumps about, very frisky. He says he’s schooling him and that no-one is allowed to ride the horse because she’s not safe. Ron is now leading Jonjon while riding his motorcycle along several back-country lanes. Steve and Dora are out in the field walking back to the farm when they see Ron leading the horse. They get to the yard and the Colonel sees Ron as well and asks to speak to him, after telling him off for leading a horse with a motorcycle. By now Gip has gone and got a policman, telling him about Ron and the horse, the policeman knows all about Ron and Follyfoot. Back at the farm Slugger is saddling Dancer for the Colonel, Ron asks for Slugger’s help to do a good deed for Gip, and asks him if he knows where the boy lives. Slugger won’t help and doesn’t know. Ron tries Steve with the same result. Steve suggests he talk to the Colonel, which Ron does, but the police have already phoned and he knows about Ron and Gip and the joke Ron played. He’s not pleased. Ron finally asks Dora and she agrees to help, but just then Jonjon escapes from her stall and runs off. Dora jumps onto Dancer, who’s already saddled and rides after him, despite the Colonel telling her not to, Steve rides up and he’s sent after her. Dancer starts to fight Dora and becomes a runaway. Steve is pursuing but can’t stop Dora getting knocked off Dancer by a branch, giving her a nasty knock on the head and a twisted ankle. Later, Ron Slugger and Steve are waiting downstairs at the cottage for the Doctor to finish with Dora, Steve is very worried. Back in the town, Gip goes to see old Mr. Simkin at the hospital and brings him some comics. Simkin says that Jonjon won’t stay at Follyfoot for long and will probably find her way home. Gip goes to see at the yard and finds the horse home in her own stall. Back at the farm Ron and Steve visit Dora in her bedroom and bring her a bunch of flowers, she has a bandage over the cut on her forehead, Steve surmises that Jonjon probably returned to Simkin’s yard and goes to check it out. He finds Gip singing to the horse. Gip says that Follyfoot is like an old people’s home for horses and that old people don’t want to leave their homes, like Jonjon. Steve disagrees and says that Follyfoot is the only home he’s ever known. He takes the horse back to Follyfoot. At the farm Slugger has rigged up a hammock for Dora to rest in as she also has a hurt foot. He hands her a writing case and suggests she write to her parents as she hasn’t since she got there. Steve arrives with Jonjon and hands her over to Ron. Dora is having difficulty writing her letter and asks herself how she writes to parents she hardly knows. She gets up to visit the horse and wanders into the barn where Steve is shifting bales. Steve is still worried about Sultan, he also tells her about Gip and Jonjon, that Ron’s good deed backfired. He also tells her he’s schooling Dancer now. He leaves and Dora goes back to trying to write her letter. Gip is throwing stones by a canal and Ron approaches and tries to talk to him about Jonjon but the boy runs away. At the farm Dora is walking Sultan and when Steve and the Colonel arrive she suggests that it’s colic but the Colonel doesn’t see any of the symptoms. He then checks the horse and finds a bruise on its chest, overlooked by Steve when he was grooming him. Back in Sultan’s stall Steve tells Ron about Gip looking after Jonjon all this time, much to Ron’s chagrin. Ron decides to let Jonjon go and opens the horses stall, Steve and Slugger give chase but Ron only laughs as Dora mixes a mash for Sultan, which the horse now eats. End credits.
Cryometer: No tears this ep.

Season 1, episode 10: MR SHE-KNOWS

It’s morning and Dora is taking a mug of tea to Steve. She sees an empty stall and looks for the horse. Out in the field is the horse, Glory and an old man sitting next to her. She asks him what he wants and he just says “she knows”. Baffled Dora threatens to tell the Colonel, she goes back to the stables and calls for Steve, who is still in bed, she asks to come up and does. Dora tells him about Glory and the old man, Steve just asks for his tea. Steve, still half asleep, teases her about her concern, tells her to ask Glory. Back in the cottage kitchen Dora tells Slugger, he’s as unconcerned as Steve and tells her to also ask Glory about the old man which outrages Dora. The Colonel arrives early, he suggests that the old man should have some tea. Dora asks about him but the Colonel isn’t worried either because the old man isn’t hurting anyone. Dora doesn’t understand. She takes the old man a mug of tea despite her misgivings. Ron arrives and the Colonel tells him off for riding his bike in the yard. Ron notices the old man and asks Dora about him, she is indignant that no-one appears concerned by the old man’s presence. Ron sets off to find out. Later Ron and Slugger are fixing the stable roof, the old man is still with Glory in the field. Ron notices later that the old man is out of sight, Dora tells him he’s at the back of the house. Dora tells Ron to follow the old man home when Steve takes Glory back to her stall. When Steve goes to take Glory in Dora stops him, tells him about their plans to follow the old man but Steve suggests that maybe the old man doesn’t have a home. Dora and Ron watch as Steve collects Glory, the old man following but he only sits by the yard gate which puzzles Ron and Dora. Steve sees them and Ron leans over to tell the man to go without much success. Ron starts to raise his hand but Steve stops him as the Colonel arrives and tells him to leave the old man alone. The Colonel suggests the old man sleep with Glory if he wants. That evening Ron is still at the cottage having worked late, the Colonel suggests that someone take the old man a plate of stew and some bread. Ron offers to take it, but when he gets to the stall he taunts the old man and then throws the plate and its food over the roof slates so the old man goes hungry. Next day he’s still there and Dora watches thoughtfully. The Colonel comments about the changing names of the horses when they arrive, that maybe the man is a stray. He can’t seem to make Dora understand that people need somewhere to go as much as horses. After the Colonel leaves Steve suggests the Colonel knows more than he’s letting on. Dora says she hates secrets but Steve reminds her that they have a secret about the horse they’ve been schooling Dancer (which threw Dora in Stryker’s Good Deed). Steve muses that maybe the old man only has Glory left to care about. They go off to school Dancer. That night Ron again throws the old man’s dinner over the roof, but this time Slugger has followed him and catches him in the act. Slugger is furious and drags Ron inside. In the kitchen Slugger tells Steve and Dora what Ron has been doing and Steve says he’ll thump Ron for not only the old man but other issues as well (Dancer – Ron’s fault Dora got hurt). The two boys fight and Dora gets upset. Slugger breaks them up and Steve moves to go to Dora but Slugger stops him and comforts her himself. Ron jumps on his bike and roars off, his motor causing one of the horses to knock a lantern off its hook and into the straw of the stall next to Glory and the old man. Everyone in the kitchen hears the horses and Steve looks out seeing the smoke. Steve rushes to the stable and rescues the old man while Slugger releases the horses. Slugger and Steve use buckets of water to put out the fire. They manage to put the fire out and Steve hugs Dora who’s upset at the near tragedy. Next day in the Colonel’s office Mr. Stryker, Ron’s dad is there offering to pay for the fire damage. The Colonel says that this time Ron has gone too far, tells him to take his son away, the Colonel has done all he can for the boy, as he was asked. Ron prepares to go, Steve and Dora look on sadly. Steve suggests talking to the Colonel, points out that Slugger is taking it badly. They see Mr. Stryker talking to the Colonel outside the cottage, he sees the old man again in the field with Glory and recognises him as Old Mallet, the milkman. The Colonel says that his wife died last week and that Glory is his old milk truck horse. Dora and Steve overhear. Mr. Stryker offers to fix up Mr. Mallet’s stables and provide feed and hay so Glory can go with him, and in exchange the Colonel agrees to keep Ron. Initially the Colonel says no, but Steve intervenes and draws his attention to Dancer, who Steve says isn’t wild anymore and gets Dora to mount Dancer. While Dora rides the horse around, Steve explains that he and Dora have been schooling the horse in secret, and with patience and firmness they tamed the wildest spirit. Steve points out that it not only applies to animals. The Colonel relents and allows Ron to stay. Steve rushes off to tell Ron, who’s elated to be staying. End credits.
Cryometer: when the boys fight in the kitchen.

Season 1, episode 11: THE STANDSTILL HORSE

This episode starts with a girl, Ginny, out riding. Suddenly a bunch of bikers appear, who then proceed to chase Ginny across a field on their motorcycles. Ginny seems to have a little trouble controlling her horse, Clipper. Fortuitously, Dora and Steve are also out riding, and hear the motorcycles. They gallop after the bikers, and Steve manages to catch up with Ginny, and tells her to head for the woods, and then for the river, which she does. Steve then turns back, and confronts the Night Riders’ leader, Lewis Hammond. Lewis and Steve exchange heated words, but the riders back off. Later, in the village, Steve asks Ginny where she lives, but a Night Rider overhears Ginny’s reply and races off on his bike. Steve and Dora then escort Ginny back to her home at Tuckwood Farm, where Steve is amazed to discover that Ginny is in fact paralysed from the waist down, following a riding accident two years before. She has a large wooden platform, with a horizontal pole attached to it, so Clipper can approach and stand underneath the pole, to allow Ginny to use the pole to pull herself out of the saddle, and into her wheelchair. Dora is impressed, not only with Ginny’s determination, but also with Clipper, who waits patiently for Ginny to dismount. Steve is anxious to return to Follyfoot. When they do so, Ron greets them, and asks them where they have been. Steve scathingly tells Ron about his so-called mate, Lewis, and what he has been doing. Steve then orders all the horses brought in, as he has threatened Lewis, and fears a reprisal by the Night Riders. Ron refuses to help with the horses, at which Steve accuses him of being scared. Steve, Dora and Slugger get all the horses in from the fields. Next morning, Dora takes Steve a mug of tea, finding he has been up all night, waiting by the gate in case the Night Riders turn up at Follyfoot. As Dora and he discuss the situation, Steve remembers the lone biker they saw, and suspects that he may have overheard Ginny’s address. Steve and Dora rush back to Tuckwood Farm, only to see a fell monger’s truck in the yard, and a vet talking to Ginny’s father, who then asks Steve who he is. Steve is taken aback when Mr Tuckwood angrily accuses him of being just as responsible for what has happened as the Night Riders. Dora asks what did happen, and Mr Tuckwood then bitterly recounts the events of the preceding night, when four hooligans chased Clipper, frightening her so much, that in her fear, she tried unsuccessfully to jump the fence, injuring herself so badly that she had to be put down. Dora and Steve are devastated, and Dora promises Ginny that they will make it up to her.

Later back at Follyfoot, a similar platform is constructed, and Dora then starts training a horse to do what Clipper did, with Dora trying to mount and dismount in the same fashion. Slugger is moaning about the hard work, and expresses his doubts about what Dora is planning. They start training a horse to stand still, under the pole, with Dora trying to mount in the same way as Ginny. Progress is slow, but sure.

Later, Slugger tells Ron that his mate Lewis is in for it, as another horse has been put down as a result of the Night Riders’ actions of the last evening. Ron flatly denies Lewis had anything to do with it, saying that he went straight to Lewis’s place after work, and stayed with him all evening. Ron later tells Steve the same thing, but Steve won’t believe a word of it, saying that Ron always covers up for Lewis. Meanwhile, Dora is satisfied with the training, and is ready to take the horse to Ginny. Once there, Dora shows Ginny how good the horse is, and tells Ginny that they will give her the horse. Mr Tuckwood butts in, telling Dora that they don’t need charity, nor another horse. He is adamant that Ginny Should never ride again, because of the danger. Dora and Ginny’s father have a heated exchange about it. Sadly, Dora turns to leave. Ginny’s father tells Dora that he will bring the horse back to Follyfoot later.

Back at Follyfoot, a riding lesson is in progress, with Steve instructing a group of youngsters. Dora is deep in thought, sitting on the fence. She gets up, and pours a bucket of water at the base of the Lightning Tree. She gets back on the fence, stroking one of the donkeys, then she notices a small boy, pacing up and down by the gate. She goes over to the boy and talks to him, asking him if he likes horses, and if he wants to ride. He indicates he is frightened of horses. Dora asks him if he would like her to tell him a story, so she tells him about the Lightning Tree, and that it is magic, and he can make a wish on it. He does so. Dora also makes a wish. Just then Ginny and her father arrive in a Land Rover towing a horsebox. He has returned the horse. Steve offers to get the horse out, while Mr Tuckwood goes inside to see the Colonel. Dora and Ginny talk together, and Ginny tells Dora that her father was sorry for the way he spoke. Dora leads the horse into the yard, close to where the boy is standing. Dora tells him it’s a magic horse, that Dora wished for, so he can learn not to be afraid. After a while, Dora persuades the boy to mount the horse. Dora leads the horse around. Ron roars up on his motorbike, with Lewis on the pillion. Steve demands to know what Lewis is doing there, so Ron explains, that after Lewis rode his bike into the river when chasing Ginny, he could not start it again, and so was not with the Night Riders when Ginny’s horse was injured. Ginny confirms this, saying she saw the four hooligans, and could tell that Lewis was not one of them. After a bit of prompting by Ron, Lewis grudgingly apologises to Ginny for his chasing her earlier, and the death of her horse. Ginny accepts his apology. Lewis quickly turns and walks away. Cheerfully, Ron offers to take Lewis home. Steve is shocked by the apology. Something he never thought to see. Mr Tuckwood and the Colonel come out of the house, and Mr Tuckwood is surprised to see the boy on the horse. The Colonel is concerned, as the boy is known to be frightened of horses, but Dora explains that it’s perfectly safe, and that no-one needs to be afraid of horses. Mr Tuckwood looks doubtful, but Ginny pleads with him. He asks Dora how long it would take to train the horse properly. Dora realizes that Mr Tuckwood will let Ginny have the horse after all, and asks the boy if that was what he wished for. It was not, but Dora said it did not matter, as she did. The horse walks into the yard, with the boy still mounted, while Dora leans on the fence, watching.

Lightning Tree theme, end credits. – The synopsis for this episode was kindly summarised by: Larue.

Season 1, episode 12: BIRTHDAY AT FOLLYFOOT

A child is walking through a field, gathering flowers, in the distance you can see Dora schooling Folly. Steve is cleaning tack in the kitchen when Slugger enters and tells him to throw the stack of papers out. Steve says he likes to read them, he also suggests that Slugger go fishing in the lake to make a change from the stew. Ron is in a corn field reading aloud from a western paperback. In the cottage Slugger sneaks into the kitchen to get his fishing rod, Steve pretends not to notice. Ron is enjoying his book but is discovered by the child, he tells her he’s hiding from work. Ron suggests she go visit Dora and the foal. Slugger passes Dora on the way to the lake. Dora talks to the child who asks her when her birthday is, Dora tells her it’s next week on the 5th. Ron overhears. Dora’s not expecting to have a party as no-one knows. Ron walks back to the farm and passes Slugger, who catches a fish. Later Ron is helping Dora to set the table for dinner and asks her what she’d want most in the world. Slugger carries out a plate with two fish on it, Steve follows with a bowl of chips, surprised that Ron is staying for tea. Slugger tells Ron and Steve he has a special job for them both. Next day Ron tries to put one over on Steve by telling him about Dora’s birthday but Steve already knows. Both are planning birthday surprises, Ron a big party, Steve afternoon tea with a birthday cake and candles. Back at the stable Slugger asks if they’ve finished the woodworking job. Up in the loft Steve discovers something missing and comes down to confront Ron who teases him that he ate the cake Steve had brought for lunch. They wrestle but slugger separates them. Ron only hid the cake under the bed. Next morning Ron and Steve aren’t talking to each other, using Dora as a go-between. Dora is amused at the rivalry, she asks what’s the matter. Slugger has another day fishing, Dora is schooling a horse, when she finishes she sits by Slugger and tells him she is living a beautiful dream she doesn’t want to change, ever. Ron is out on his bike and sees a poster on a lampost. He takes it back to show Steve. He tells him he has the answer to settle the birthday problem, they both enter a jousting tournament as Knights in armour. Ron reckons Steve’s always been a knight-in-shining-armour type anyway. Ron challenges Steve and he accepts, winner chooses the manner of Dora’s birthday. Later Steve lines up the available horses and Ron chooses Marty, Steve chooses Shammy. Ron and Steve are seen practising using poles and straw bales. Ron gets his suit of armour from the Colonel. They both try on their respective suits of armour and waddle out to show Slugger and Dora. At night Dora sews ribbons to be worn by each boy. Red for Steve, White for Ron. On the day of the tournament they all go, Dora rides the merry-go-round with Slugger and the Colonel while Ron and Steve go to get dressed and ready. They watch some of the matches with great misgivings when injuries occur. Dora, Slugger and the Colonel stand on the sidelines and watch. Steve and Ron are announced and they joust, missing the first and knocking each other off on the second go. Then they use the lances like quarter-staffs, finally resorting to hand-to-hand. Slugger separates them and tells them if they don’t behave they won’t be invited to Dora’s proper birthday party. They are all out on a raft in the middle of the lake, Dora blows out the candles on Steve’s cake and Ron produces a bottle of bubbly. On the shore her Uncle is holding a chestnut horse, Copper, as a birthday present. They all sing Happy Birthday. End credits.
Cryometer: None this ep.

Season 1, episode 13: A DAY IN THE SUN

(FINAL EPISODE FOR SEASON ONE).
Steve has found a cutting in one of the old newspapers (see ‘Birthday at Follyfoot’ ep.) and is reading it in his loft. Dora and Ron are working and Ron does the bucket of water for the tree. Slugger rings for breakfast. Steve comes out of the stable putting on a jacket. Dora tells him about breakfast but he doesn’t want any, he’s off to catch a bus as he has the weekend off (it’s Saturday morning). Dora is surprised and doesn’t understand when Steve just goes without an explanation. Dora asks about Steve and finds out that Slugger and Ron knew which is why Ron is there on the Saturday. Dora is incensed that no-one told her, Slugger says Steve didn’t want to bother her. Dora is hurt and storms off. At the end of the day Ron invites her to go dancing with him at a local village hall, she agrees to go. Steve is on a bus and alights at a bustop in West Yorkshire. He walks to a farm that belongs to his relatives...a maternal grandmother and his aunty Milly. His Gran is confused and doesn’t realise that Steve hasn’t been to visit for two years. Steve asks about his mother. His Gran remembers when Steve’s dad died, when Steve was only 4. Aunt Milly tells him she hasn’t seen his mum since she left Steve at an orphanage, and that was only a postcard to tell them where he was (he was only 4). More recently the police had been to see them as they were looking for Steve’s mum. Steve reads out the newspaper cutting he found, citing a Catherine Ross, age 43 evicted for non payment of rent. Later that afternoon they are in the garden with a neighbour, their gardener and former postman. Steve tries to explain about Follyfoot and the gardener tells Steve about a horse he knows that was beaten by its owner. Later Steve goes to investigate and finds the horse in appalling conditions together with its drunk owner. He phones the Colonel and asks for the horsebox. The Colonel refuses and Steve says he won’t come back without the horse (he’s at the village of Skekdale). That night they have the horse back at Follyfoot, it is very ill, lying down and not eating. The vet examines it and tells Steve and the Colonel it’s too late. Steve won’t have it put down. He doesn’t want it to die without knowing love and that someone cares about it. He reminds the Colonel about Charlie. (Steve is projecting his distress over his mother onto the dying horse) By now it’s past midnight and Dora isn’t back from the Dance with Ron. Steve is left with the horse. He hears the motorcycle return, and Ron explaining it was a broken brake that held them up. Dora comes into the stable in a dress. Steve vents his anger and jealousy at Dora. She justs asks him what’s the matter, she wants to know the truth. Steve won’t or can’t tell her. He obliquely refers to his mother but Dora thinks he’s talking about the horse. Next morning Dora brings him a mug of tea, she offers to stay so he can get some sleep but Steve refuses her help. She goes back to the cottage and tells Slugger that something has changed. Later that day the Colonel arrives back with the vet, he still wants to put the horse down. While the vet checks the horse, the Colonel and Steve have a standoff. Dora comes in confused at what’s happening. The vet insists the horse be put down, Steve says no. Steve gets angry at the Colonel but he deflates him by asking what his Grandmother had to say. Dora listens in the background not entirely understanding. The Colonel asks Steve if he isn’t getting confused. Steve tells him that no-one knows where his mother is, no-one cares except Steve. The Colonel tells him that he owes his love somewhere else, with his mother not the dying horse. Dora listens and cries, she leads the horse out of the next stall when the vet gets his gun. She holds the horse until the shot sounds then sobs loudly and runs to the cottage. Next day Dora asks what the time is, Slugger tells her it’s half past six and that Steve will miss his bus. They look up and see Steve at the farm gate. He’s packed and ready to leave. Dora goes to him. He has to go, he tells her about his mum, that he has to find her, let her know that someone cares. Dora asks if he’ll come back, Steve asks if the Colonel will want him to, Dora says yes. Steve replies “so speaks the mistress of Follyfoot”. Dora is distraught. Steve says goodbye and walks away. Dora walks to the Lightning Tree but crumples in her grief. Slugger picks her up and takes her back to the cottage. End credits.
Cryometer: when listening to Steve and the Colonel, when the horse is shot, when Steve is leaving.