Murray, who turns out to have stolen Garnet, turns over a new leaf under the guidance of the Saddle Club and both Dorothée and Max are faced with important decisions. Dorothée and Hugo get a big send off from Pine Hollow.
The Saddle Club is faced with the difficult task of finding a way an old man and a horse can enjoy a useful old age.
The Saddle Club befriends Raffael and his mother, itinerant workers, who arrive at Willow Creek with their beautiful horse Diablo. Then Raffael is accused of horse-theft by a local farmer. Melanie and Ashley set up a Pine hollow newspaper called “Hoofbeat".
The Saddle Club helps Raffael to rescue his horse, but he is forced to offer it for sale when his family’s life savings are stolen. Lisa is especially saddened by Raffael’s departure.