S1E3: Breaking Free (2007)
Reading through interviews with the writers and producers, it turns out that the original vision for one of the new characters introduced in this episode, world-renowned breeder Lisa Stillman, was only supposed to be a temporary addition to the cast. Writing this in 2022 and having followed the progression of the show from 2007 until now, I am happy to report the original vision of the show did not materialize, and Lisa is still just as much in our hearts now as she was when the show began. Heartland operated nearly exclusively—if not exclusively—on the word-of-mouth of its clients, and Amy’s great work with Star, Nick Harwell’s horse from the previous episode, has caught the attention f Stillman, who is in Hudson.
Lou’s stay in Hudson, ever prolonged by the financial woes of the ranch at her grandfather and mother’s hands, proves to her that much can change in a short time as she meets for lunch with a former classmate and friend from whom she had grown distant since moving to the United States, Marnie Gordon. Marnie has since married a videographer, and Lou is dating a coworker from her investment firm back in New York.
Away from her life in New York for much longer than anticipated, Lou begins to plan an open house to attract clientele back to Heartland, since business has dropped off a cliff in the wake of her mother’s death.
Pegasus remains under treatment with Scott, not for any physical ailments, but, as before, for depression. Marnie’s visit to the barn produces a breakthrough with Pegasus, since she had been lent one of Marion’s jackets by Lou, and the jacket still contains Marion’s scent—one very familiar to Pegasus, and the closeness to Marion Pegasus feels as a result is helpful in managing his grief and its physical manifestations.
In spite of Lisa’s concerns very similar to Nick’s concerns about trusting such a young girl (Amy was not yet 16) with her horse, Amy’s self-advocacy wins Lisa over. I see so much of myself in this episode’s portrayal of Amy, not only in her mastery of self-advocacy but also in her relentless pursuit of the truth exhausting every possibility like a detective. In the real world, when I’m not watching Heartland, I am a computer science major, and soon, I will have a job as a programmer. Programming and working with horses share much more in common than may first appear evident: patience is non-negotiable, age is not necessarily an indicator of skill, and the key to the problem may require investigation almost as a detective working to solve a new crime. In both cases, in coding and in working with horses, detective work is often the most fun. For Amy, this phase of the process of working with one of Lisa’s new horses, Promise, involves an inquiry into Promise’s history, the results of which hold the key to unlocking the mystery of her violent behavior at Fairfield.
Accusations of impropriety—all unfounded—come flying toward Amy because no one in the crowd believes she can be this good this soon after meeting Promise when she is so young, so Amy fixes another valuable horse, this time from Briar Ridge, in the same setting, disproving any claims of impropriety and helping to secure for herself a reputation as a kind and effective trainer who listens to horses. There is no magic, no “horse whispering”—there can never be. The best thing to do, the only way to proceed, is to listen to them and communicate in a language of mutual understanding. A barbeque follows, and the beginnings of romantic tension between Jack and Lisa, known to fans of the show as the “Jisa” pairing, and between Lou and Scott, rekindling previous romance within the “Louscott” pairing. At the same time, while the party goes on in the yard outside, inside the barn, Tim has entered through the rear without the knowledge of any of Heartland’s residents, including patriarch Jack who a decade before had kicked him out when he developed substance abuse problems. Ty, who does not know Tim, is the first to find him after hearing noises in the barn. A confrontation 10 years in the making follows, and the episode ends as Tim leaves the ranch in his truck and the party continues in the yard.
Lou’s stay in Hudson, ever prolonged by the financial woes of the ranch at her grandfather and mother’s hands, proves to her that much can change in a short time as she meets for lunch with a former classmate and friend from whom she had grown distant since moving to the United States, Marnie Gordon. Marnie has since married a videographer, and Lou is dating a coworker from her investment firm back in New York.
Away from her life in New York for much longer than anticipated, Lou begins to plan an open house to attract clientele back to Heartland, since business has dropped off a cliff in the wake of her mother’s death.
Pegasus remains under treatment with Scott, not for any physical ailments, but, as before, for depression. Marnie’s visit to the barn produces a breakthrough with Pegasus, since she had been lent one of Marion’s jackets by Lou, and the jacket still contains Marion’s scent—one very familiar to Pegasus, and the closeness to Marion Pegasus feels as a result is helpful in managing his grief and its physical manifestations.
In spite of Lisa’s concerns very similar to Nick’s concerns about trusting such a young girl (Amy was not yet 16) with her horse, Amy’s self-advocacy wins Lisa over. I see so much of myself in this episode’s portrayal of Amy, not only in her mastery of self-advocacy but also in her relentless pursuit of the truth exhausting every possibility like a detective. In the real world, when I’m not watching Heartland, I am a computer science major, and soon, I will have a job as a programmer. Programming and working with horses share much more in common than may first appear evident: patience is non-negotiable, age is not necessarily an indicator of skill, and the key to the problem may require investigation almost as a detective working to solve a new crime. In both cases, in coding and in working with horses, detective work is often the most fun. For Amy, this phase of the process of working with one of Lisa’s new horses, Promise, involves an inquiry into Promise’s history, the results of which hold the key to unlocking the mystery of her violent behavior at Fairfield.
Accusations of impropriety—all unfounded—come flying toward Amy because no one in the crowd believes she can be this good this soon after meeting Promise when she is so young, so Amy fixes another valuable horse, this time from Briar Ridge, in the same setting, disproving any claims of impropriety and helping to secure for herself a reputation as a kind and effective trainer who listens to horses. There is no magic, no “horse whispering”—there can never be. The best thing to do, the only way to proceed, is to listen to them and communicate in a language of mutual understanding. A barbeque follows, and the beginnings of romantic tension between Jack and Lisa, known to fans of the show as the “Jisa” pairing, and between Lou and Scott, rekindling previous romance within the “Louscott” pairing. At the same time, while the party goes on in the yard outside, inside the barn, Tim has entered through the rear without the knowledge of any of Heartland’s residents, including patriarch Jack who a decade before had kicked him out when he developed substance abuse problems. Ty, who does not know Tim, is the first to find him after hearing noises in the barn. A confrontation 10 years in the making follows, and the episode ends as Tim leaves the ranch in his truck and the party continues in the yard.
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