On Sunday, Heartland returned with one other gripping episode that tackled the complexity of relationships, the burden of previous selections, and the ever-changing panorama of ranch life.

The episode noticed Jack grappling with the Hudson rumor mill and making a shocking option to safe Heartland’s future. In the meantime, Amy labored to assist a polo pony overcome his fears and discovered extra about Nathan’s struggles, which introduced them nearer collectively. There have been additionally moments of private reflection for Lisa, Katie, in addition to Jessica, who confronted a tough selection concerning her household.

Keen to search out out extra? Then hold studying this recap of Heartland season 18 episode 4!

Fixing Maestro

At the beginning of the episode, Amy discovered herself thrown into an sudden problem when Lou requested her to work with a struggling polo horse named Maestro.

The horse that Rick purchased was not simply speculated to play in a charity polo match Rick’s organizing, however Maestro was additionally speculated to be a present for a distinguished visiting dignitary with ties to the royal household since Maestro’s the identical lineage because the dignitary’s favourite horse who simply handed away.

Sadly, Maestro’s afraid of the mallet and turns into anxious when different horses cost him – traits that wanted fixing quick if he’s to take part within the polo match.

And, since Heartland Beef shouldn’t be solely sponsoring the occasion but in addition catering the post-match dinner, and ticket gross sales have been sluggish, Lou was insistent Amy assist repair Maestro so the occasion wasn’t a bust.

So, Amy determined to enlist Jessica’s assist since she has polo expertise. Nevertheless, when Jessica tried to get Maestro accustomed to the mallet, her distraction over her private life (extra on that later) prompted her to get thrown from the horse, proving {that a} totally different strategy was wanted.

At Nathan’s suggestion, Amy then determined to take Maestro on a path experience and have Nathan and his horse, Montana, be part of them so Maestro may at the least begin getting used to different horses being close to him. And it labored. They managed to ease Maestro’s concern of different horses, wide-open areas serving to him loosen up.

Now, all that was left to do was to unravel Maestro’s points with the polo mallet. And fortuitously, Jessica had an important thought of how to do this.

Jessica prompt leaving the mallet in Maestro’s stall in a single day, hoping the horse would develop into accustomed to it and cease being afraid of it. And the unorthodox strategy labored like a attraction.

By the tip of the episode, the horse was prepared for the match, and the tickets had practically bought out, a lot to the reduction of everybody concerned. And Amy and Jessica even performed slightly one-on-one polo to show how properly Maestro was doing.

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This positively was a special client-horse storyline for Amy, however in a great way. She not solely acquired to assist her household and mates, since fixing Maestro was necessary to Lou and Rick. However she additionally started working with each Nathan and Jessica to do it, which was a pleasant change from Amy often engaged on her consumer horses alone or with Logan.

And it was so good to see Amy and Jessica having fun with their fruits of labor by taking part in some polo on Maestro and one among Heartland’s horses.

Hudson’s rumor mill

However Maestro wasn’t the one headache that Lou needed to take care of throughout this episode. The rumor mill in Hudson had been working extra time, with gossip circulating about Heartland Beef struggling financially and the household quietly planning to promote the ranch. Which wasn’t good for each their enterprise and the deliberate polo match since Heartland Beef was a sponsor.

Jack first overheard the rumor throughout a go to to the barbershop, the place one of many barbers, “Free-lips Leo,” was spreading the information far and large since Leo hadn’t seen Jack stroll into the barbershop. And though Jack initially wished to disregard the gossip, considering it’s simply that – gossip, Tim and Lou noticed the potential harm the rumors may trigger, particularly since ticket gross sales for the charity polo match had been already sluggish.

So, Tim took it upon himself to research the supply of the rumors.

After visiting Leo on the barbershop, Tim discovered that the hypothesis stemmed from Heartland’s fallout with Garland Meals. And likewise, that the rumors had been worse than they thought – individuals weren’t solely saying that Jack was seeking to promote the ranch, however a rumor was going round that Garland dropped Heartland Beef on account of high quality points with their product.

Lou and Tim agreed; they couldn’t let these rumors stand and needed to do one thing about them. Which is why Lou tried to counter the gossip by sending Rick to speak up Heartland Beef on the barbershop, but it surely didn’t have the specified impact, leaving her and Tim pissed off and the rumors worse than ever.

Additionally they couldn’t perceive how Jack wasn’t prepared to do something concerning the rumors. However Jack requested them, and particularly Lou, who was prepared to go to the barbershop herself to clear issues up, to offer him a while to assume on it.

And eventually, Jack got here up with an answer.

On the finish of the episode, he returned to the barbershop and eventually stood up for himself and their enterprise. Jack made it clear to Leo that Heartland wasn’t folding, and in a daring transfer, he even introduced to the entire barbershop that they had been increasing the enterprise by moving into the bison market.

That positively shut everybody on the barbershop up and in addition formally quashed the rumors.

Understandably, Lou and Tim had been stunned when Jack instructed them about his announcement and that they now wanted to get a herd of bison. However they agreed that it could assist change the route of Heartland Beef and, subsequently, safe Heartland’s future, in order that they had been prepared for the funding.

I didn’t assume that this is able to be how Jack, Tim, and Lou would come to the choice to begin elevating bison, however I’m glad they did. Hopefully, it implies that they’ll get their enterprise thriving once more. And it’ll positively be attention-grabbing to see how they take care of all of the hurdles that having bison is bound to deliver.

Break within the stress

Amy’s ongoing storyline with Nathan took one other flip on this episode as she continued to navigate her combined emotions about him.

Originally of the episode, when Amy was delivering Nathan the settlement for the shared properly entry that he wanted to signal, she noticed a girl leaving his home. And the sight stirred up additional doubts about Nathan’s honesty, given her previous expertise with Finn, particularly since Nathan wasn’t prepared to elucidate the ladies’s presence to Amy.

Later, Nathan confirmed up at Heartland to return the signed settlement and provided to assist with Maestro, suggesting a path experience. Amy reluctantly agreed however maintained her distance.

Through the experience, nonetheless, they did talk about the mysterious girl Amy had seen at Nathan’s home.

Nathan defined that there was nothing romantic between him and the thriller girl, however he nonetheless didn’t inform Amy who precisely she was, which didn’t sit proper with Amy. So, Amy ended up telling Nathan about her expertise with Finn and prompt to Nathan that they hold issues as they had been – be simply pleasant neighbors – since Amy wasn’t prepared to undergo somebody withholding issues from her once more, however she additionally didn’t wish to push Nathan into being somebody he isn’t.

That seemingly left a mark on Nathan as a result of the following day, Nathan confirmed up at Heartland once more and invited Amy to his ranch so he may “put his playing cards on the desk.”

Not getting why he couldn’t simply inform her concerning the girl now, Amy was hesitant to just accept Nathan’s invite. Much more so after Lou was nervous when Amy instructed her about going to Nathan’s home tomorrow. However she confirmed up anyway, and eventually, issues began to make sense.

Through the go to, Nathan opened as much as Amy about his father’s battle with Alzheimer’s, revealing that the lady Amy noticed was his dad’s nurse, who was serving to out occasionally.

Amy even acquired to fulfill Nathan Sr., though he mistook Amy for her mother, Marion, who apparently had helped him out with a horse means again when.

Nathan’s honesty and vulnerability about his dad’s Alzheimer’s being the toughest factor he ever needed to do lastly confirmed Amy a special facet of him. And she or he couldn’t assist however guarantee Nathan that he wasn’t alone on this battle like he thought.

It was positively a turning level that deepened their connection, suggesting there may be hope for his or her relationship in any case.

Now, I simply hope that Nathan received’t finally revert again to his secret-keeping methods and can truly let Amy be there for him. As a result of relationships are a two-way road, and you’ll’t actually assist someone in the event that they don’t need your assist.

Dream jobs and massive selections

Keep in mind after I instructed you about Jessica being distracted over her private life whereas serving to Amy with Maestro within the first part of this recap? Properly, on Heartland season 18 episode 4, we noticed Jessica having to navigate a reasonably large private dilemma.

Within the episode’s opening scenes we noticed Jessica inform Tim a couple of job she simply acquired, her dream job, actually – attending to be the official photographer for a crew finding out endangered wild horses within the American West. And though it could take her away from the ranch for a month, it was a once-in-a-lifetime alternative that she couldn’t go up.

However then a wrench was thrown into her plans when Jessica acquired a letter from her estranged dad, whom she hadn’t talked to in years, asking her to go to him in New Hampshire on account of his declining well being.

Tim was able to help his spouse and go together with her, however Jessica was so conflicted concerning the request that she initially determined to not go. In spite of everything, Jessica’s historical past together with her dad was greater than rocky – he had left her and her mom when Jessica was a young person to begin a brand new household together with his secretary and hadn’t been a major a part of her life since. And the go to would imply that she had to surrender her dream job, as properly.

So, all all through the episode, Jessica wrestled with whether or not to go see her father or not.

However after a heart-to-heart with Tim, throughout which Jessica instructed her husband about her fears that her dad doesn’t truly wish to be a part of her life once more however simply desires Jessica to absolve him of his guilt for being a nasty dad to Jessica, she determined that she did want to go to her father, however do it on her personal phrases.

So, she managed to speak the individuals who employed her into permitting Jessica to hitch them just a few days late so she may head to New Hampshire to see her dad beforehand.

And though Tim requested if she wished him to go together with her, she instructed him that she wanted to do it alone. However she did ask her husband to hitch her on the expedition for just a few days in Arizona after her New Hampshire go to, to which Tim agreed.

It was such an intense but rewarding storyline for Jessica. She actually went via a rollercoaster of feelings on this episode, however she got here out on the opposite facet stronger than ever, recognizing her want to inform her dad that she turned out nice with out his assist and in addition her have to forgive him regardless of nonetheless being indignant at him.

And expirianceing Tim’s unwavering help for Jessica, irrespective of if she determined to go to her dad or not, was so stunning to see.

Life and loss of life

Lisa’s story on this episode additionally took a extra introspective flip when she needed to take care of the sudden information of nonetheless proudly owning a burial plot subsequent to her ex-husband, Dan.

And that discovery led to her and Jack deciding to have “the loss of life speak,” aka what every of their plans are for after they die, one thing they hadn’t mentioned earlier than.

However their first try didn’t go so properly.

Whereas Jack was clear about desirous to be buried on the Heartland household cemetery subsequent to his daughter Marion and first spouse Lyndy, Lisa was actually reluctant to speak about it. She even instructed Jack that she prefers to deal with residing somewhat than making end-of-life plans, successfully slicing their dialog quick.

This led Jack to fret that Lisa was bothered by him speaking about being buried close to Lyndy, but it surely seems that Lisa struggled with the entire thought of what would occur after they handed. She even thought of (and finally purchased) a white sports activities automotive as a deal with to herself, symbolizing her need to reside within the current.

However promoting the plot subsequent to Dan to Val Stanton, of all individuals, shifted one thing. And after telling Jack about desirous to somewhat deal with all of the residing they’ve but to do, Lisa did point out that when the time got here, she wished to be buried at Heartland and spend eternity subsequent to Jack.

Each episode that has Jack and Lisa in it’s a good episode in my guide, however seeing them plan for the long run whereas nonetheless additionally embracing life collectively so absolutely actually warms my coronary heart. Speaking about loss of life may be a mandatory evil, but it surely additionally helps you admire life extra. And Lisa and Jack appear to know that so acutely, making them much more focused on spending the time they’ve left collectively having fun with life to the fullest.

Selecting one over the opposite

Lastly, Katie was on her personal journey of navigating younger maturity on this episode.

After visiting the library collectively, Katie and Brandon (the boy she met in episode 1703 when he spooked Shadow together with his filth bike whereas Katie was driving the horse) acquired to speaking, and Brandon invited her to go see a monster truck rally with him.

Nevertheless, Katie ended up blowing him off to hitch her writing class on the wine bar after she stood up for her opinion within the class, and the instructor, Jasmine, instructed her that they may use Katie’s honesty of their post-class discussions.

Little did Katie know that whereas she was having fun with dialog with Jasmine and making an attempt to maintain the truth that she’s underage underneath wraps, Brandon was ready for her at Maggie’s with a purple rose, signifying that Brandon supposed for it to be a date.

So, when Katie noticed Brandon at Maggie’s the following day and requested him if every part was all proper, Brandon confronted her about Katie ditching him.

It grew to become clear that Brandon was harm by Katie’s actions. And he even ended up blurting out that he was nervous about their date as a result of he actually preferred her.

That caught Katie abruptly as a result of she hadn’t realized that it was a date. So, she ended up telling Brandon that she didn’t need issues to alter between them and requested them to remain mates, a lot to Brandon’s disappointment.

Learn subsequent: Heartland season 18 episode 5 recap

It was actually attention-grabbing to see the 2 variations of Katie – the polished, grownup one on the writing class and the teenage adventurer one with Brandon since she was able to go to the monster truck factor with Brandon regardless of not figuring out something about it beforehand.

And though it was a bit disappointing to see Katie reject Brandon, perhaps it was simply the best determination for her to make.

I simply fear that by selecting the writing class group over Brandon, she’s rising up too quick with out letting herself embrace the carefree teenager facet of herself.

Remaining ideas on Heartland season 18 episode 4

I liked the little second between Lou and Rick after Amy and Jessica confirmed them how a lot Maestro has improved.

Rick instructed Lou concerning the deal he made with the town councilor from Catesby, England, to have Catesby be Hudson’s first-ever sister metropolis, after which Lou instructed Rick how proud she was of Rick and what a tremendous job he was doing as mayor.

It confirmed how a lot their friendship has grown even after Rick received the election over Lou. And that there is no such thing as a dangerous blood between the 2 in any way, solely robust friendship.

This episode was crammed with heartwarming moments. With Jack’s daring transfer to avoid wasting Heartland, Amy and Nathan’s relationship reaching a brand new degree of honesty, and Jessica dealing with her previous, it set the stage for an emotionally charged continuation of the season.

What did you consider the episode?

Are you looking forward to Amy and Nathan’s future, or do you assume their relationship nonetheless has hurdles to beat? What did you concentrate on Jack and Lisa’s loss of life speak? Or Jessica’s determination to go go to her dad? Or Katie asking Brandon to be simply mates?

Let me know within the feedback beneath! I like listening to your opinions.

Preview of Heartland season 18 episode 5

The following episode of Heartland shall be referred to as “Fork within the Street,” and it’ll see the entire household head to the Hudson Rodeo. And feelings will run excessive on the barn dance after Amy helps Nathan take care of a household emergency.