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The Saddle Club (The Hub)

common sense media says

Cute boys and horses: A tween dream.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this Australian drama is based on the growing pains of three tweenaged horse riders. The series takes on the often-challenging life lessons of emerging adolescence: responsibility, loyalty, honesty, and forgiveness. Reflecting the shift of social influence in a tween's life from parents to peers, the characters tend to resolve conflict without adult input. The girls and boys at the stable also engage in some innocent flirtation.

Educational value: Kids may pick up some life lessons about topics like friendship and responsibility.
Positive messages: Despite facing moral dilemmas, the characters always make the right decision in the end. The show tackles topics like responsibility, loyalty, honesty, and forgiveness
Positive role models: The girls provide good, realistic role models. They frequently solve problems on their own, without adult intervention.
Violence & scariness: Not applicable.
Sexy stuff: Innocent flirtation and boy-girl crushes.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on The Saddle Club

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the dilemmas that each character encounters; each episode is full of moral conflicts. For example, should you keep a friend's secret even if you know she needs help?
  • While the series is centered around what it means to be a good friend, other issues may spark discussion, too. What can you do when you encounter peer pressure? How do privileges and responsibilities relate to each other?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Based on the books by Bonnie Bryant, THE SADDLE CLUB is an Australian series that tells the stories of three best friends -- Stevie (Sophie Bennett), Carole (Keenan Macwilliam), and Lisa (Lara Jean Marshall) -- who are united by their passion for horses. At the Pine Hollow stables, the girls not only learn about riding and taking care of horses, but also a lot about themselves and growing up. Each episode is full of drama as they try to navigate their way through the numerous challenges of adolescence. Friendships are tested, hearts are crushed, and rivals always cause trouble.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
While some of the storylines and plot elements are a little unrealistic (the stable is relatively void of adult supervision), Stevie, Carole, and Lisa realistically portray tween girls and their concerns. In contrast to other shows in this genre, the characters don't try to act or dress older than they are, which is certainly a nice change. This succeeds in creating role models who are easy to relate to and whose problems seem familiar.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-Y7
Network: The Hub
Cast: Keenan Macwilliam, Lara Jean Marshall, Sophie Bennett
Genre: Drama
Where to watch: The Hub
This review was written by Andrea Graham
 
 

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What parents & educators say

10

Most useful reviews by all members

Pinky
kid, 12 years old
 
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Wrigbe
parent of 5 and 9 year old
8
 
Horse mad girls love it - but it can encourage catty behaviour
Well my horse-mad daughter and her friends adore it. Its OK. But I think parents should watch it and discuss it with their children. Sometimes the girls on the show can be quite mean and spiteful to each other (even the ones that are meant to be nice). I don't think they always provide the best role models although they are probably quite accurate it terms of how tween girls actually behave. From memory the books are better.
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mouselili
kid, 11 years old
2
 
I love this series!
i love horses and the book and movie series! the movies are so realistic and so are the books! i would like to learn how to ride them and i would like to live in a barn just like my mom grew up in one. I'd like to learn to take care of one so i could have it as a pet.a very special pet. saddle club shows are the best!
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horsenrider
teen, 13 years old
4
 
Go The Saddle Club!!!! :)
Awesome show for any horse lover. The girls display good teamwork together and are excellent role models for other kids. I believe that their are some educational values that I have picked up on, but mostly about horses, not schoolwork. Season 1 and 2 are my personal favourite, they start to get a little corny in season 3 but it is still worth watching. The old cast is the best! I am 12 years old, own 3 horses and have learnt so many good traits since I started watching the saddle club.
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NCsuperstar10
teen, 14 years old
2
 
BORING
This is like a kids soap opera it drags on some of the episodes are ok but i do not recommend it to other kids
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kbug
adult
 
i love watching the saddle club
i started watching the saddle club in 2001 and its lie my own aprah show
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Mayagal10
kid, 12 years old
9
 
good girls that are nice to each other
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americangirl2
kid, 13 years old
2
 
Great!
I think it's appropriate for all ages, from baby to old lady! LOL
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jrenouard
parent of 13 and 13 year old
 
Great show for Tween Girls
Shows good realistic but healthy drama and interactions. The antagonist "Veronica" is a good example of how not to behave. And the girls love the horses and the girls interactions.
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HorseCrazy98
teen, 13 years old
6
 
Saddle club is an awsome tv show! I started watching it around 8 when I found the show on tv. It's a cool, great, and awsome show! Watch it today!
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clarkimi@bells ...
parent of 10 and 13 year old
8
 
I love The Saddle Club
saddle club is the best the show ever in the world! the rate i give saddle is 1,00000
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tiffanyforever
teen, 15 years old
 
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movieman333
adult
 
great
perfect for kids it has good lessons
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HunterJumper13
teen, 15 years old
7
 
Eh.
It's okay. I'm a horse person myself, so it's hard for me to watch this without seeing all the riding mistakes and such. However, it is fairly entertaining, the horses are pretty dang gorgeous, and there are some good stories. Just don't listen to any of the facts, please. They're always wrong (Sorry, Carole, but there IS such a thing as a white horse. It's called "Albino". Sheesh.).
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Ponygal414
kid, 13 years old
7
 
Best show in the world! Not season 3
I love it but i dont like season 3 they go rid of the old cast and got the new cast. They arnt the same as the old cast! i love it!
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Trebuchet
parent of 6 year old
7
 
I'm not seeing the morality here
I just watched an episode with my daughter for the first time. We saw "Horse's Keeper." One of the girls decided to sell her horse rather than working, and regretted it. That was okay. But when the new owner wouldn't sell the horse back, her friends told the new owner the horse had a bad hip. This is supposed to a show about morals, but they solved the problem through fraud, and harming the good name of the girl's father by claiming he sold a broken down horse as sound. In the last scene, the girl who got her horse back thanked her friends for their good idea.
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RebelCutie08
adult
17
 
I am 18 years p;d and i love the Saddle CLub
i am 18 years old and i love the saddle club i have 3 horses up at my lake house and i named them belle prancer and starlight they are the almost same horses as carol, lisa and stevie ride. I believe that anyone who is a horse lover will love this tv show it teaches a valuble lesson in life as our children get older. i will be watching the saddle club everyday until whenever
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Meru
teen, 16 years old
2
 
Sadle club is awsome
Sadle club is so awsome that I pretty much have every episode recorded
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Horsejumper
adult
8
 
Great show for horselovers
It is a good show you can also learn tips on caring for your horse!
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Jamie-Apollo
adult
 
The Saddle Club
Well the saddle club is a hard one, The 3 girls are always in love with boys and hardly ever talks about horses/ pets. THere is a mean girl, a cute boy, and 3 perfect little girls. Typical. It is good for ages 9-15. Hope this helps!
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