Story One (aka Lucky Escape) 

 

 

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

Steve wakes up early to find a white mare tethered to the gate of Follyfoot Farm. Dora notices she is in foal, but the Colonel thinks the horse is lost, and as there is no room goes to inform the police. Through Ron Stryker, Lewis Hammond learns of the mare, and his unscrupulous father, owner of Pinecrest Riding School, uses it to frame Steve for theft. The mare, named 'Tango' by Dora, breaks into dance when it hears music, and is taken by Hammond. As Steve awaits formal charges, Dora notices a circus poster, and believes 'Tango' may have come from there. The hope proves wrong, but a mysterious man is watching them, and is identified by a circus man as Ted Charlton, who bought a dancing mare when she got too old. Charlton can prove Steve is innocent but Hammond tricks the man into leaving for London. Dora manages to head Charlton off at Leeds, and learns he had moved to a council flat where he could no longer look after 'Tango'. With Steve's innocence proved, Charlton is told he can visit 'Tango', and a month later the foal is born, to be called 'Lucky Escape'.

 

 

Story Two (aka 'Odds against a Win!')

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

Exercising the horses near the Colonel's training stables, Dora and Steve see racehorse 'Satan' baulk at jumps. The Colonel has hired jockey Jackie Smike in the hope of winning the point-to-point race, which Hammond also has a horse in. Lewis takes things into his own hands, and pays a mate to run Smike down. With the jockey injured, an undeterred Dora successfully trains 'Satan' how to jump. Lewis tries to fix the horse that night, but accidentally starts a fire from which Steve only just manages to save 'Satan'. Dora learns she is up against Lewis on his father's horse 'Matador' in the point-to-point races, and uses her skill as a rider to bring the shaken 'Satan' to victory against more dirty tricks. Having lost, Lewis feels the wrath, and boot, of his father.
Reprinted: Follyfoot Special (4 b/w pages)

 

 

Story Three

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

Steve, Dora and Ron are astonished to see King Charles the First ride into the farm on horseback, but he is really Warrington Foster - actor, playwright and producer - making a documentary on the Battle of Tanby by the ruined Stebbing Castle. Foster needs horse rider extras and offers the three, along with Lewis, parts in the film. Hammond sees a chance to cause trouble and uses a burr to get Steve's horse to throw him. Unknown to any of them, film construction worker Morton is a crook, and is working with his accomplice Cashman to retrieve their loot hiding in the castle. In order to get the crew away from the castle, the crooks make a bungled attempt to wreck the equipment stored at Follyfoot, and thinking Lewis is responsible, Steve confronts him. There is no further trouble but Ron's talk of ghosts stirs the crooks to make another attempt, as does Lewis, but each startles the other that night. Lewis is caught, and the luminous paint the crooks use to make themselves horse-riding ghosts leaves a trail that Steve and Dora follow. Dora is taken hostage, and a dazed beaten Steve returns for help. Morton and Cashman use Dora as leverage to get the film crew to dig up the loot. But it is Ron on his motorbike revving it up to startle their horses, which saves the day.

 

 

Story Four

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Unknown

Shopping in town on Saturday morning, Dora rescues a young boy called Tommy riding a bolted horse 'Brownie'. Tommy, was bought the horse for his birthday by his father Logan, and is being kept in the garage. Dora is furious but is given short shrift by Logan, and by the Colonel, who says they can only report the negligence. Dora storms off, and the next day Logan drives up blaming her for stealing the horse. Dora is innocent and has been thrown by her horse Cobby and lies unconscious. Logan has picked up a police sergeant and, spotting Tommy chasing after his horse, pursue in a van. But trying to head the boy off, they drive into a bog and start sinking. Steve finds Dora, and is returning with her when he hears Tommy's cries for help, Logan tried to reach dry land and is sinking. Steve rescues the two men and, with a recovered Dora, finds an apologetic Logan is paying to have 'Brownie' boarded at Follyfoot and give Tommy proper lessons to ride.

 

 

Story Five

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

Major Hollis has set up the Bar-y Ranch, a rodeo holiday centre for people to play at cowboys. Curious, Steve and Dora ride by and meet Hollis, and his star ex-cowboy Greg Calhoun. But Calhoun is in league with his crooked cowhands to rob the rich guests Hollis has attracted, and kidnap Dora when she overhears their plans. During the show, which Steve and Ron have been invited to, Calhoun holds the guests up at gunpoint, but Dora has been freed by a game-keeper, and they turn the tables on the crooks.

 

 

Story Six

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

Dora takes in another unwanted horse, called 'Firefly' by his owner Haworth who bought it for his kids but cannot afford to keep him. But watching is gypsy Daniel Smith and his dog Scrap, and at night he steals the horse away. Dora finds from Haworth he bought the horse from Smith but when she and the police track the caravan down, he has gone. Trying to find food for Scrap and Firefly, Smith tries to steal a chicken from another farm but is seen and has to ride away to escape. The tethered Scamp is found by Steve, and the dog leads him, Dora, the Colonel and the police to Smith. Repentant, Smith is hired by the Colonel as a horseman at his stables.

 

 

Story Seven

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

Dora hitches a motorbike ride with Ron to get supplies, and sees Lewis scare the cart pony of rag and bone man Joe Bassett. Ron brings the terrified bolting horse under control but Bassett is hurt and the pony 'Daisy' taken to Follyfoot while he recovers. To prevent Bassett suing, Lewis' father Hammond offers to pay for his hospital fees but Dora reports the incident to the police. Hammond is furious, and Lewis gets some 'mates' to fix Dora in an accident but when he learns this could be fatal he warns her from crossing a bridge rigged to collapse. Dora is sympathetic to Lewis' confession, and tells him the Colonel made her drop the action anyway. While he has learned a lesson for now, Dora is certain it won't last long.

 

 

Story Eight

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

While Dora is away for a week teaching the daughter of Major Graham how to ride, Steve, Ron and Slugger are charged with looking after 'Tiny,' the major's massive wilful Shire horse. 'Tiny' immediately takes over, taking a dislike to Slugger, eating all the other horses' food and proclaiming himself 'king of the castle'! Slugger tries unsuccessfully to make peace with 'Tiny' but is driven off by the shire. Looking for other work until 'Tiny’ goes, Slugger is lost in mist and falls unconscious into a deep quarry. Steve and Ron miss Slugger, especially his cooking, and are surprised to find 'Tiny' is pining for him too. Steve rides ‘Tiny’ out looking for him and find tracks leading to the quarry, where the shire uses an unorthodox method to affect a rescue!

 

 

Story Nine

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

Dora has finished training Major Graham's daughter Cathy to ride but overhears a discussion about 'Snowy', a pit pony born and raised in the underground mines. 'Snowy' is virtually blind, and Dora is astonished to find the other horses, including her own 'Cobby', are picking on him. Meanwhile Steve is helping his mate Dave pony-trekking with a school from the city but two boys, Mark and Johnny, have sneaked of into pothole caves and got lost. Steve finds them trapped by a rock fall and rising water, and his own horse refuses to enter the caves to help free them. But 'Snowy' is used to the dark and, surprisingly, the other horses follow him as Steve, Dora and Ron lead a rescue mission and save the boys.

 

 

Story Ten

Writer: Angus Allan
Artist: Mike Noble

For their parts in a local pageant, Dora, Steve and Ron have cooked up a historical display; Steve playing Saxon bowman rider 'Dorga of the Dykes' (and putting a practice arrow through Slugger's hat!), and Ron and Lewis putting on a comedy motorbike joust. Steve is suspicious of Lewis' co-operation, and spies him plotting with Mike in the local cafe to use the joust armour to steal a factory payroll without being recognised. But with no proof to offer the police, Steve tells the others and takes action in his own hands, by taking Lewis's place. But Steve is discovered and Mike leaves him senseless and takes the armour and bike. Pulling off the robbery, Mike makes off on horseback over the moors, but is pursued by a recovered Steve, whose archery practice finally proves its worth!

 
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