Horse Sense

Horse Sense is a 1999 American film directed by Greg Beeman. It is a Disney Channel Original Movie and was released on November 20, 1999.
== Plot ==
Michael Woods is a lazy, preppy 20-year-old living off his parents' wealth in Los Angeles, while struggling through college classes and dating a spoiled heiress named Gina, whom his family dislikes. Michael learns that his 11-year-old cousin Tommy Biggs, whom he has not seen since a family reunion several years earlier, will soon be arriving from Montana to visit. Michael casts Tommy aside during his visit, prioritising his social life and the demands of his girlfriend over his guest.
On Tommy's last day in California, the family housekeeper Arlene makes Michael aware of his mistreatment toward Tommy and threatens to tell his parents about it. Michael decides to take Tommy to Disneyland to make up for it. However, in route to the theme park, Michael receives a phone call from Gina pleading for him to meet her at a racetrack so she can introduce him to her father. Michael capitulates and leaves Tommy at a children's day-care centre, then drives to the track for a brief visit. Michael charms Gina's father over the course of a couple hours. When Michael realises how late it is, he hurries back to pick up Tommy, and accidentally collides his Porsche Boxster with another vehicle, belonging to a woman named Diedre White. Afterwards, Michael learns Arlene had picked up Tommy several hours earlier. Coming home, Michael is confronted by Arlene again and Tommy vows to get back at him someday.
Tommy returns to Montana. During dinner, Michael's mother, Jacey, informs him that she got a call from his aunt, Jules, complaining how Tommy never got to do anything. Glenn agrees, mentioning that Arlene told him about Michael's selfish decisions in leaving him at a children's day-care centre and is furious. He confronts Michael for his maltreatment of his cousin and demanded to know why he didn't ignore Gina and spend time with Tommy. Michael tries to defend himself, but it further annoys Glenn and Jacey. Soon, the cops make a visit looking for Michael and they soon learn about his accident at the racetrack. Even though he did the right thing by giving Diedre his information, she wrote down his license plate numbers on her pad. Fed up with his selfishness, Glenn and Jacey determine that the appropriate disciplinary action is to have him work on his aunt Jules' ranch in Montana for a month. If Michael's parents get a negative telephone call from the Biggs regarding him, they intend to cancel his upcoming trip with Gina to the French Riviera. Michael arrives at the ranch, where he meets Jules' ranch hands, Twister and Mule, as well as Tommy.
Michael is put to work early the next morning, although every task he is assigned by Tommy is deliberately sabotaged to make his labour harder, as revenge for his earlier neglect. Michael eventually confronts Tommy regarding his behaviour, and reveals that he only got along with him at their family reunion years ago because they were the only children at the event. Michael, no longer caring if his parents cancel his trip, demands Tommy to leave him alone. The next morning, Twister reprimands Michael for his lazy behaviour and his treatment toward Tommy. During their discussion, Michael is surprised to learn that the Biggs are suffering financial problems. He wonders aloud why no one told him this. Twister points out that his family thinks Michael is too spoiled and lazy to understand this. He tells Michael off to re-examine his attitude at once.
Michael realises how selfish he has been and begins adapting to life on the ranch. He mends his relationship with Tommy, who reveals his father was terminally ill, and his medical bills combined with the loss of labour from his death snowballed into financial woes. Later, Michael is upset when Jules tells him that the ranch will be foreclosed soon because of late mortgage payments as the result of low profits. The bank plans to auction the family's ranch and personal property at the end of the month. This makes him feel a lot worse upon realising why Jules sent Tommy to Los Angeles and further regretting not putting his social life on hold for family.
Michael returns to Los Angeles after a month on the ranch, but realises that he no longer enjoys his old lifestyle. He is able to tame a nervous horse from a lesson he learned from Mule in Montana. Michael ends his relationship with Gina after realising that she is a rich snob. When Michael chastises Glenn for not helping the Biggs, he learns that Glenn had offered them financial aid, but Jules was too prideful to accept it. Michael sells his Porsche and returns to Montana to present the money from the sale to keep the ranch operational until a permanent solution can be devised. Jules graciously rejects Michael's offer and suggests that it is time for she and Tommy to move on.
On the day of the auction, Michael recalls a real estate class he took that taught about the concept of a land trust, which, if arranged in conjunction with the bank, would allow the Biggs to remain on the property indefinitely regardless of the debt. Michael successfully negotiates the terms with the bank. Jules agrees to let Michael continue working on the ranch and spend more time with the family. Later, Tommy and Michael finish a tree house that Tommy and his father had never completed.
== Cast and Characters ==
* Joseph Lawrence as Michael Woods
* Andrew Lawrence as Tommy Biggs
* Susan Walters as Jules Biggs
* M. C. Gainey as Twister
* Leann Hunley as Jacey Woods
* Robin Thomas as Glenn Woods
* Jolie Jenkins as Gina
* Steve Reevis as Mule
* Freda Foh Shen as Arlene
* Ian Ogilvy as Miles
* Nancy Renee as Professor Mallory Baynes
* Channing Chase as Deidre White
* Mike Trachtenberg as Lou
* Dan Martin as Officer
* Holmes Osborne as Mr. Hawthorne
* Matthew Lawrence as Cowboy in Airport
* Tom Virtue as Investment Banker
== Sequels ==
* Jumping Ship
Category:Disney Channel Original Movies
Category:Films
Category:Live-action Films
Category:1999 Films
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