Set in the 1860's, just before the Civil War, The Young Riders focuses on the exploits of a group of Pony Express Riders based at a way station in Sweetwater, Nebraska. A raw onion-eating, horse trough-bathing, tiny pearls of wisdom-spouting former Texas Ranger named Aloysius "Teaspoon" Hunter heads the outfit. 

There were six riders at first: a quiet Southerner whom folks called The Kid (no relation to Billy The Kid); a half-white, half-Kiowa named Buck Cross and his friend Ike McSwain who is mute; Lou McCloud, a young woman who masquerades as a man to ride with the Pony Express, Jimmy Hickok, a cocky teen with a hair-trigger and William F. Cody, a savvy and overly confident rider with an extraordinary marksman's eye. The group was later joined by a free born black man named Noah Dixon. 

If the names Hickok and Cody strike you as familiar, it is because the characters are based on legendary figures of the West -- Jimmy or James Butler Hickok would grow up to be feared lawman "Wild Bill" while Cody would later become the cowboy entertainer "Buffalo Bill." Another real life Western figure who shows up in later part of the series is the young Jesse James, before he becomes one of the most notorious outlaws of American history. Hickok and Cody are believed to have spent some years as riders for the company of Russell, Majors and Waddell, but they may never have met in real life. Many of the stories about them are somewhat prophetic, though, foreshadowing their own fortunes. 

Emma Shannon was the first to fill the role of cook, housekeeper, mother hen and confidant to the young Pony Express riders but between the first and second season she married Marshall Sam Cain and left Sweetwater. Teaspoon became the town's marshall and card-playing beauty Rachel Dunne was hired to take care of the rowdy group. 

The pilot episode was nominated for a cinematographic award in 1989 and won an Emmy for costumes. In August 1991, the Young Riders won an Emmy for its music. Many of the stories focused on issues of the time -- slavery and the impending Civil War -- while other episodes tackled timeless topics such as friendship, death, 'family' relationships and growing up. There is humor, romance, adventure, a sense of family, and strong consistent relationships between the regular characters. What makes these characters even more interesting is that they have small flaws which makes them more credible and real. The stories don't always have perfect endings. There is some measure of violence but it only mirrors one of the most violent times in American history.