Inga Lindström: Sprung ins Glück (2005)

Louise Stenfelt is a successful show jumper, but at this competition she has a feeling that something is wrong with her horse, Pilot. Her boyfriend, Markus Segerstadt, urges her to finally get to the starting line. At that moment, Axel Hasselroth appears. He went to school with her and is now a veterinarian, filling in as the competition’s vet. Louise wins the event, and she runs into Axel again during Pilot’s doping test. They start talking and reminiscing about the past. Louise explains that she left the Rosenfeldt stud farm because of her stepmother, Marianne, and will not return as long as Marianne is there. Louise and Axel are now planning to take over a horse-breeding operation in Dubai. Axel tells her that Marianne intends to sell the stud farm, something Louise knew nothing about. During one last visit to the farm, Louise meets Henrik, Axel’s father, who sincerely asks her not to go to Dubai and to help him save the farm. But she has made up her mind. When she runs into Marianne, the two women argue over who is to blame for what. To calm down, Louise rides out on her favorite horse. When she stops for a break by the lake, Axel happens to come by. He also tries to persuade her to stay, but he soon has to leave because he has an appointment with Marianne to vaccinate the horses. Marianne, who once had an affair with him, wants to rekindle their old relationship instead of dealing with the vaccinations. Axel rejects her. When Louise returns, she meets Maria, the housekeeper, who has been at the stud farm for ages. Thanks to her, Louise immediately feels at home again. Axel meets with his father and talks about the sale of the farm. Neither of them knows what to do or how to change Louise’s mind. Maria comforts Louise and reassures her that neither Marianne nor Louise is to blame for their falling-out. Later, Axel tells Louise that Pilot was doped at the last competition. She is stunned and drives straight to Markus. He brushes it off and acts as though he knows nothing about it. When she goes to Pilot’s stall, she realizes that he is unwell. She calls Axel, who diagnoses the horse with severe pneumonia and says he definitely cannot go to Dubai. Markus admits that he knew about the illness and had asked Per Niklas to administer the drug. Louise tells Markus that under these circumstances she will not go to Dubai, and takes Pilot to Axel’s so he can recover. So she can stay near him, she moves into Axel’s guest room. During a visit to Henrik, Louise learns that she could lose all her licenses because of the doping unless she can prove Markus was behind it and that she knew nothing about it. Louise meets with Markus and demands that he admit to the riding association that he alone was responsible, but he will never do that. Her only hope now is Per Niklas, but nobody knows where he is. Axel comforts Louise, and they spend the night together. The next day, she tries to find out in the stables where Per might be. Malin, one of the stable hands, overhears their conversation and slips Louise a note with Per’s address. Louise goes to him right away and tries to persuade him to testify before the riding association. At first, he refuses because he would incriminate himself, but Louise does not give up. If he presents it as Markus having deceived him, the blame will fall on Markus. Axel happens to run into Marianne and learns that she has already found a buyer for the stud farm and that the contract will be signed the next day. Louise gets a call from Markus: the sheikh plans to sue her for a $50,000 penalty if she does not go to Dubai. Axel asks his father once more to do everything he can so Louise does not lose her licenses and can take over the stud farm. Marianne visits Axel at home and tries to seduce him. Louise arrives at that moment and is utterly bewildered. Axel tries to calm her down, but she no longer knows what to do, now that she has learned the sheikh intends to sue her. Louise goes to Maria and tells her everything. Maria then calls Henrik and asks him to speak with Louise. During their conversation, she learns that Per Niklas has testified in her favor, but that it is no use because the penalty means she cannot take over the stud farm. She wants nothing more to do with Axel, either. Even so, she still wants to say goodbye to him. Axel asks his father whether he could speak to the sheikh, whom he met a few years earlier. After that, Axel tries to stop Louise from leaving, having brought her the good news. They go together to the notary to prevent the sale of Rosenfeldt. When the buyers learn that Louise wants to take over the stud farm, they withdraw from the contract. Afterwards, at her father’s grave, she reconciles with her stepmother. At home, she learns that Henrik has managed to find the sheikh a replacement, so Louise will not have to pay a penalty. Now nothing stands in the way of a future together with Axel at the Rosenfeldt stud farm.