#ep. 1503

The break-ins are still going on in Hudson, and everyone is on edge. Lisa convinces Jack to install a security system. He manages to do it with Parker’s help, but not without a few hiccups involving a destructive raccoon and a thirsty Lyndy who only wanted a night-time glass of milk. (If you didn’t immediately want to hug that poor kid when she accidentally tripped the motion sensors... way to go, Jack. You’ve probably traumatised your great-granddaughter for life.)

The second plot point is Amy lending a hand at Cooper's equine therapy centre ("Higher Ground"). It seems that on top of being super busy, his horse trainer up and quit on him. Amy has agreed to step in on short notice, but only until Cooper finds a real replacement. The current "busy-ness" is a gala Cooper's been planning to raise awareness for the centre.

For now, Cooper has six kids (teens, really) from a group home outside of Hudson. We soon learn the names of two of them: “Mac”, a scowly youth with his ubiquitous backwards ballcap, and “Logan”, a tall, lanky kid with an easy smile and a mop of curly hair. We soon also learn which one to trust, and which one to avoid — especially if we’re of the equine species. Third plot point: Paula Westfield is on the warpath over the break-ins. She nastily blames Cooper’s recent batch of kids for the unsolved crimes, and wants Lou to take action and shut down Higher Ground immediately. (Side note: it’s during their conversation we learn where Georgie’s been, which is Florida, training for a chance at the Olympics. The startled look on Paula’s face—and her attempt to be gracious about it when she totally wasn’t—was priceless.)

We don’t know what to believe about Cooper’s kids, but one of them (Mac) causes Challenge the horse to spook and react violently when Amy tries to pair them up. It’s Logan to the rescue, though. He jumps into the pen and gets between Challenge and Mac just as Amy rushes in to calm the horse. Belligerent Mac acts like he did nothing wrong, leaving Amy and Cooper at a loss as to what to do, since they don’t know what triggered Challenger. Lou tries to make good on her promise to Paula to check out the centre and OH MY GOSH! Is that Clint Riley?

Hi, again, Clint. It’s good to see you... maybe? It seems Clint is there because they’ve also received calls about the possibility Cooper’s kids could be involved in the break-ins. Cooper denies they could be, but neither Lou nor Clint would be doing their due diligence if they didn’t at least take a look.

While trying to get to the bottom of Challenge’s issues, Amy learns lanky Logan has a great instinct for horse behaviour. We also learn he’s reluctant to bond with any horse because he won’t be there long. His dad is coming to get him very soon Logan says, and they’re going to be reunited. (As viewers, we obviously sense this ain’t happening exactly the way Logan hopes it will.) As it happens, just as Logan says he’ll be outta there like *that*, he snaps his fingers, causing Challenge to spook. It’s the clue Amy’s been looking for: loud, unexpected noises are the trigger. Anyway, Amy is impressed with Logan’s natural ability with horses. He’s curious about how she gentled a wild horse like Challenge, so she takes him out to see the wild herd, and the splashy paint she wants to gentle for her stepmother, Jessica Cook.

(Side note: warm welcome to Drew Davis aka Logan. He’s already charmed his way into my heart with his easy-going manner and easy smile. I hope he gets more screen time as Logan is a very likeable character already.)

Paula accosts Lou again in her office, demanding to know what’s being done about Higher Ground. Her place was nearly broken into the night before, but the perpetrators were scared off by one of the grooms. She declares if Lou won’t take action, other people in her circle will (“pillars of the community”) and that the Centre is going down, and that Lou will probably go down with it. (Side note: Kate Drummond is so great in these scenes as Paula, you love to hate her. But the best—or worst, depending on your interpretation—from her is yet to come. More on that later...)

Lou learns Cooper’s Centre is in serious financial trouble. He’s pretty much pinning all his hopes on the success of the gala. He might be a great social worker, but he’s a lousy accountant. Lou offers to help him due to her business acumen, but things aren’t looking good.

Despite Amy’s work with Challenge, the horse still reacts negatively to Mac, a sign the horse might not be safe to remain at the Centre and be around kids. Logan is distressed about this, since Amy tells him she doesn’t know where the horse would end up, since he can’t go back to his herd. It doesn’t take long before we find out why Challenge reacts to Mac, and why he’s scared of loud noises. Mac has locked him up in a stall and has unleashed the full measure of his cruelty: he’s throwing bang snaps at Challenge, the gunpowder exploding and sending off sparks everywhere, while the other kids just stand around and do nothing. Logan angrily grabs Mac’s bag of “party favours” away; Mac accuses him of being a thief just like his father. That sends Logan back at him with a fist. Mac deflects the blow and scurries off, leaving Logan seething. The other kids slowly leave, and Logan is alone with Challenge. He gently releases the horse from the stall and walks him out back to the paddock. A much calmer Challenge seems to sense he’s got a friend in Logan.

Later, the whole Heartland household is all dressed up for the gala and waiting for Jack in the kitchen. Jack comes rushing in and pulls out his bolo tie from a box also containing an antique watch engraved with the initials “J.E.B”. Lisa comments she’s never seen the watch before and Lou asks why he never wears it; Jack makes light of it, saying it’s just a piece of metal before tossing it back into the box on the kitchen table. (Foreshadowing, anyone?)

The gala turns out to be a very swanky affair, attended by what looks to be a large contingent of Hudson high society, including (pro) Fairfield clients Lisa quietly called, and (con) Paula Westfield’s “pillars of the community” who are probably there to see Cooper’s dreams are crushed.

Cooper’s kids are also guests at the gala. Logan tries to tell Amy about Mac’s actions, but they’re interrupted. Meanwhile, the security system is being a pain with a pile of motion alerts being sent to Jack’s phone (rascally raccoons), so he decides on Lisa’s suggestion to just shot off the camera alerts. (Foreshadowing, anyone?)

All seems to be going okay for Cooper as he stands up to say a few words... until Paula interrupts and says a mouthful—a damning mouthful—about the “criminal element” the centre has brought in, since some of the kids have a juvenile record. Clint finally steps in to stop her, but the damage is done. Paula leaves, and several guests follow in her destructive wake.

You’d think things could not get worse, right? They do. Logan, having heard Paula’s accusations, confronts Mac, asking if he’s had anything to do with the robberies. Mac denies it; Logan says he doesn’t trust him. Mac needles him by referring to Logan’s soft spot for locked up animals—like his father. Logan loses it and hauls off with a punch that knocks Mac to the ground. Appalled, Amy and Cooper (and everyone else, really) can’t believe what they’re seeing. Logan blurts out that Mac’s been torturing Challenge.

With that, Emma Fitzroy, one of Cooper’s early donors and supporters, tells him she’s re-thinking her support after that disturbing display. It’s like the last nail in the coffin for Higher Ground, Cooper says. Lou, Clint, and Amy try to bolster his sinking spirits, but he can’t bear to hear about it right now.

You’d think things could not get worse even after this, right? Oh, they do.

Upon arriving at Heartland... The lights are out. The screen door is off its hinges. A window is broken. Remi is barking out on the porch at the door. Lou pulls up next to the truck in the SUV and Amy’s on the phone to the police. Lisa begs for Jack’s phone so she can see when the break-in happened, except... when he tried to turn off the camera alerts, he turned off the whole system. Jack grabs a tire iron from the truck, and demands Lisa stay back. Inside the house, it’s a disaster zone. Thoroughly ransacked. And the thieves are long gone. Jack looks like he’s on the verge of tears at this violation. Cut to credits.

I have so many thoughts about this episode that I’ll probably share as the week progresses, but for now I can say I’m still really uneasy about how absolutely trashed the ranch house was, and how upset I am at Paula Westfield’s audacity. She’s ruined Cooper with her accusations.

It’s also a foregone conclusion Jack’s watch is gone. Despite his lack of sentimentality when Lisa and Lou commented on it, there’s got to be something more to it. Jack Bartlett, after all these years, you continue to surprise us.