The Rogue Stallion

The Rogue Stallion is a 1990 Australian television film about a wild horse. It was part of the South Pacific Adventure Series. It was also released in the United States by Feature Films for Families.

Anna Peterson (Beth Buchanan) loves horses, and the fact that her father John Peterson (Bruno Lawrence) works at a racetrack in Sydney, Australia only adds to her enthusiasm. One night at dinner, her father announces that after the success of one of the stable's horses in a prominent trophy race, his boss gave the employees a bonus large enough for the Peterson family to go back to her father's ancestral home in New Zealand. Tragically the following day, there is an accident at the stables and John is killed. With nothing left to keep them in Australia, Anna's mother Rose (Michele Fawdon) decides to follow through on her husband's dream and moves Anna and her younger brother Mike (Andrew Shepherd) to Charlton, New Zealand.

Upon arrival, however, they find things are not quite what they expected. First, they are run off the road by Mr. Garrett (Peter McAllum), a prominent local horse breeder obsessed with hunting a beautiful brown wild stallion, as he and his men are in pursuit. Next, after walking several miles to their father's family homestead, they discover it has fallen into disrepair and is barely livable. The night they arrive, Anna hears the wild horse out in the woods behind the house and frees it from loose wire in which it had been caught. Before she can persuade the horse to come home with her, a mysterious man appears and frightens the horse away.

Meanwhile, a local shop owner Mr. Peabody (John I. Watson), who met the Petersons on their way into town and who seems aware of a connection between them and Mr. Garrett, informs his friend of their arrival. Garrett's three teenage children Tony (Dean O'Gorman), Ginny (Jodie Rimmer), and Wayne (Brian Rooney) overhear the conversation and discuss the rumour that John Peterson killed one of Mr. Garrett's best mares years before, explaining his cold behavior towards John's wife and children. Ginny warns the caring Wayne that he "best not get friendly with them, if you know what's good for you."

The next day, Jean Bailey (Beaver) arrives at the homestead to offer her various services, including veterinary services, if the family plans on keeping horses. Rose declines, but invites Jean to stay for coffee, during which Jean tells Rose about the feud between her husband and Garrett. She also offers to tow their stranded car. Anna volunteers to show her where the car was run off the road. On the way, Jean Bailey invites Anna to join the local Pony Club, and they discuss the wild horse. Later, while Anna's mother runs into town for house supplies, she and Mike sneak off to check out the Pony Club in spite Rose's expressed wishes. Rose doesn't want her children around horses out of fear that they'll get hurt. Anna gets into a tiff with Garrett after he attempts to whip his prize horse, Eclipse, which threw his daughter Ginny during competition.