Ep 12. Out of the Shadow

After ten successful seasons, Heartland returns with its eleventh season and twelfth episode titled "Out of the Shadow." This Canadian family drama follows the lives of the Bartlett-Fleming family on their ranch in the fictional town of Hudson, Alberta, where they specialize in rehabilitating horses.

The episode begins with Lou Fleming-Morris (Michelle Morgan) struggling to bond with her newborn daughter, Parker. She confides in her mother, Marion (Wendy Crewson), about her difficulties. Marion shares that it took Lou's father, Tim (Chris Potter), a while to connect with Lou when she was born, and suggests they give Parker time. As Lou deals with being a new mother, her sister and ranch partner, Amy (Amber Marshall), is working on her own project: training a difficult horse named Rio.

Rio was rescued from a negligent owner and brought back to Heartland. She is a horse with potential, but her fear of people is holding her back. Amy finds it challenging to work with Rio, and she barely trusts her. Her husband, Ty (Graham Wardle), suggests teaching Rio to trust people using another horse. They decide to use Lyndy, their daughter's horse, to teach Rio that humans are trustworthy.

In the meantime, Amy's grandfather, Jack (Shaun Johnston), is dealing with family issues of his own. He gets into an argument with Lyndy's father, Peter (Gabriel Hogan), about the latter's plans for a rodeo-school promotion at their ranch. Peter shares that they can benefit from having rodeo students at their ranch, but Jack thinks advertising rodeo goes against the values of Heartland as rodeos are associated with animal cruelty. Jack ultimately decides to apologize to Peter for his outburst, and they come to a mutual understanding.

Apart from dealing with family issues, the Bartlett-Fleming family is also preparing for a charity event that the Heartland ranch hosts every year. The event raises money for the children of war veterans. To make the event a success, the family, along with some volunteers, works to give the ranch a festive look with Christmas lights, decorations, and a snowman.

As the family prepares for the event, Lou receives a call from a company interested in buying one of her businesses, Maggie's. The call comes as a surprise to Lou as she is not interested in selling her business. However, when she discusses the opportunity with her husband, she realizes that she may need to think more about the offer.

As the charity event night comes, the family and their guests gather to raise funds for children in need. The night also marks Parker's first public appearance. Lou, after listening to her mother's advice, has finally gotten used to the idea of being a mother. Rio, who now trusts humans, also makes an appearance, to the delight of the crowd.

As the event comes to a successful end, the Bartlett-Fleming family gathers together for a group photo in front of the Heartland sign. The episode ends with a voice-over from Amy, noting how, even though winter was always the toughest season, the family had come together to make it through.

In conclusion, "Out of the Shadow" is another excellent episode in the Heartland franchise. The episode deals with relevant issues such as motherhood, trust, and family. It also highlights the importance of charity and giving back to the community, an attribute that the Bartlett-Fleming family takes to heart.