Heartland - Season 1

1.1 Coming Home  

Having just picked up the maltreated horse Spartan, Amy and her mother Marion are surprised by a storm. They have an accident; Amy is injured and taken to the hospital, whereas Marion dies. In order to support Amy and to reorganise the finances of the family's ranch "Heartland", Amy's sister Lou returns from New York . She soon realises that she will not be able to go back to NYC as fast as she might have thought at first: Heartland is about to go bankrupt.

Not only Lou returns to Hudson, but also her father Tim (Chris Potter), who had left the family when Amy was five.

 

 

 

1.02 After the Storm

Lou sends the horse Shallow back to its owner, Mrs. Roach, although it isn't fully cured of its fear of traffic. The consequences are predictable: when Shallow shies at a truck, its unsuspecting rider Ashley is thrown off. Thus, Mrs. Roach intends never to send a horse to Heartland. To make matters worse, Val Stanton starts spreading rumours about Heartland lacking proficiency without Marion . When finally Spartan refuses to enter a trailer, Amy begins to doubt her own competence.

Ty's probation assistant shows up at the farm to release Jack from his obligation to occupy Ty, whereas Ty surprises everyone by building a jumping ring for Amy so that she no longer needs a trailer for Spartan.

Tim does not participate in this episode.

 

1.03 Breaking Free

Against Amy's will, Lou organises the first ever Heartland open house . She invites her father Tim, whom Amy hasn't seen for 10 years and who by now works at a nearby ranch. He willingly accepts the invitation.

In the meantime, Amy works with the precious horse Promise which refuses to be saddled. Val, who had previously spread rumours about Heartland, alleges that Amy is incompetent and uses drugs to keep the horse quiet during the open house. But Amy disproves Val's false assertion by curing one of Val's horses of its fears.

Jack banishes Tim from Heartland; he doesn't tell his granddaughters about this incident, though. Pegasus , Marion 's favorite horse, doesn't eat any more because it misses her.