Ep 8. Summer's End

Amy is dealing with the aftermath of Ty's departure and the fact that she's lost their dream of running the cattle ranch together. Meanwhile, Lou is trying to deal with the financial side of things, as they can't afford to keep the ranch going without Ty's help.

When Jack and Tim bring in a troubled horse named Copper, Amy sees it as an opportunity to take her mind off things and work on something positive. At first, Copper seems like a lost cause – he's extremely jumpy and aggressive, flinching at the slightest touch and lashing out with his hooves.

Despite this, Amy suspects that the horse is acting out of fear rather than aggression, and spends hours working with him in the round pen. Slowly but surely, she starts to make progress, teaching Copper to respond to her voice and touch and helping him overcome his fear.

As she works with Copper, Amy begins to gain a new perspective on her own situation. She realizes that just like the horse, she's been acting out of fear, closing herself off emotionally and pushing away anyone who tries to get close to her.

As the summer comes to an end, Amy and Copper have made significant progress. But when Ty unexpectedly returns, Amy's carefully constructed defenses come crashing down. She's forced to confront the fact that she still loves him, and is left with a difficult choice – whether to let him back into her life, or to move on and try to find happiness on her own.

Meanwhile, Lou is trying to drum up business for the ranch and bring in some much-needed income. She decides to host a rodeo, but things don't go quite as planned – one of the riders is badly injured, and Lou is left to deal with the fallout.

Through it all, the Heartland family sticks together, supporting each other through thick and thin. As the summer comes to a close, they're left with a sense of renewed hope, knowing that no matter what challenges come their way, they'll always have each other.