Follyfoot

1 9 7 1 - 1 9 7 3 (UK)
26 x 30 minute episodes

When her parents move abroad, Dora (a perky and horsy teenage girl) goes to stay with her uncle, The Colonel (played by Desmond Llewellyn -  Q in the Bond movies). The eccentric Colonel is a horse lover who owns Follyfoot Farm, a sanctuary for rescued horses. When Dora comes to stay he begins what he calls "The Dora collection".

Early in her stay, Dora befriends Steve (who has been wrongfully sacked from his previous stable job). He joins her at Follyfoot, and throughout the series there is a certain romantic chemistry between them.

Based on the 1963 story Cobbler's Dream by Monica Dickens (a great great grand-child of Charles Dickens no less!), Follyfoot aired on Saturday mornings (originally after Captain Scarlet). The Follyfoot series was made by Yorkshire Television and was filmed at the estate of Harewood House between Leeds and Harrogate.  The theme song Lightning Tree was sung by The Settlers and was a moderate hit in the UK in 1971.

Down in the meadow where the wind blows free
In the middle of a field stands the lightning tree
It's limbs all torn from the day it was born
For the tree was born in a thunderstorm
Grow, grow, lightning tree
It's never too late for you and me
Grow, grow, lightning tree
Never give in too easily

EPISODES

Dora  Steve  Gypsy  Shadow  The Awakening  Stryker's Good Deed  Charity Horse  Know All's Nag  Moonstone

One White Foot Charlie  Fly Away Home  Standstill Horse  Birthday at Follyfoot  Day in the Sun  Someone Somewhere  The Debt  Family of Strangers  Present for Sandy

The Innocents  The £100 Horse   Poor Bald Head  The Prize  Mr She-Knows  Treasure Hunt  Debt of Honour  Out of the Blue Horse