Showing results by narrator "Natalie Budig" in All Categories

What does a three-pound brain have to do with one’s sex life? A lot, actually. Hooked is about what’s happening to your brain when you’re having sex. Learn about your brain, the positive effects of sex within permanently committed relationships, and how you can protect yourself (especially your brain) from the dangers of casual sex.

It's been two years since Blackie, the horse Sam raised from a foal, threw her in a near-fatal accident. She's been separated from her family, her ranch, and the wild mustangs she loves. Now she's home again, but her beloved Blackie has been missing since the day Sam was injured. Then, on the night she returns, a mustang comes to Sam. Is it Blackie, grown up and gone wild? Is it the legendary stallion known as the Phantom? Or could it be both?

The Phantom's lead mare is missing from the herd, and Sam's worried she may have been captured. When Sam finds the mare safe - in government custody - she's desperate to set her free. But the horse is badly injured, and setting her free on the range could slow down the mare's entire herd, putting them at risk in the dangerous winter months. How far should Sam go to help the horses she loves?

When Samantha rescues a beautiful draft horse from an auction, she's sure he'll be perfect to groom for resale. The giant horse - named Tinkerbell! - is so big, Sam can barely saddle him. He's great at jumping - over pasture fences. Will he be helpful at a ranch or too much to handle? Then disaster strikes River Bend, and it's Sam who needs help. And just in time to save the day, Tinkerbell's true strength is revealed.

Cougars have been spotted nearby, but they haven't hurt the ranch horses - yet. So Samantha is outraged when a neighboring rancher vows to kill the mountain lions on sight. Her family's horses may be safe, but out on the range, Sam spots a wild young stallion without a herd. Being alone puts this horse in danger. Sam is determined to protect the rebellious mustang and still save the cougars.

As Samantha and her friends prepare for a charity horse race, they're very excited. Sam is riding Ace, and her race partner, Jake, plans to train a pinto filly running free on reservation lands. But the wild pinto has other plans. When the filly escapes and runs off with the Phantom, Sam is torn. If she helps Jake, she's taking the filly away from the Phantom. Will she betray her friend or her wild horse?

When Sam finds a home for a group of "unadoptable" mustangs, she feels like a hero. But when she promises to help care for the horses - especially the blind filly among them - she's overwhelmed with responsibilities. Then the filly wanders off alone in a snowstorm. Will Sam be able to find her in time? Or will the Phantom be the one who saves the day?

Samantha can't wait for the holiday break from school. But there's no time to relax: Brynna's baby is due any day; the local authorities are gathering more mustangs from the range; and her best friend Jen's ranch is in upheaval—its owner, Linc Slocum, has just been arrested, and no one is sure what will happen to Jen and her family. But then, disaster strikes: A terrible blizzard traps the Phantom Stallion's band. Sam has to help them, but she's terrified they'll be captured. Can she save her beloved mustangs and keep them free—for good?

When a hard-luck horse named Jinx comes to River Bend, everyone thinks he's a curse. Samantha knows he's not, but he is unruly, skittish, and the fastest horse she's ever seen. Then there's a runaway in the middle of the night, and someone gets a snakebite. Is the bronco really a jinx? Or could he be the good luck charm Sam needs to save the day?

When an ambitious rodeo contractor comes to town, Sam's worried. The contractor wants to buy tamed mustangs from local ranchers, including Sam's dad, and doesn't seem to like taking no for an answer. Then Sam spots the Phantom's herd - without him. She's sure he's been captured by the rodeo, but how will she find him? And even if she does, how can she set him free?

Samantha's friend Ryan wants to recapture his lost horse, Hotspot, who has been running free with the Phantom Stallion's herd. But Hotspot's foal, Shy Boots, needs her back at home—the young horse is having trouble without his mother to protect him.

Summer is ending, and Samantha's dad's birthday is right around the corner. When her stepmom picks out a mustang for his present, Sam thinks it's a perfect idea. But will her dad agree?

The Phantom Stallion's new foal is ready to be born, and River Bend Ranch's own Dark Sunshine is the mother. Samantha couldn't be more excited, and she's sure she can handle the new baby while everyone is gone on the annual cattle drive.

When a friend needs Samantha's help with his new colt and its mother, she's torn. Sam wants what's best for the horses, but her friend's plan could put them in danger. So when the two horses go missing, Sam feels responsible. She's sure the mare has run away with the Phantom, but what will happen to the colt? Can Sam bring him home before it's too late?

When the Phantom's wild colt is burned in a brushfire, both his body and mind are scarred. His healing begins when a teenage boy, partly paralyzed in a car accident, meets the young horse. Can they support each other on their road to recovery?

Darby Carter loves horses, even though she's never actually ridden one. Darby's grandfather is an expert rider—in fact, he owns a horse ranch in Hawaii. So when he agrees to take her in–along with the beautiful mustang Darby saved on the range in Nevada–she knows she can't refuse, even if she is a little terrified! But Darby's filly arrives in bad shape, and Darby's grandfather wonders if the wild horse will ever trust a human again. Can Darby take the reins and save her horse–or has she lost the mustang forever?

Samantha discovers a plot to wipe out the wild horses near her family's ranch, but she can't convince anyone else that the Phantom's herd needs help. When her insistence that the mustangs are in danger pits her against her family, her classmates, and the local sheriff, her only friend left is the Phantom Stallion. Can he help her solve the mustang mystery before her dad sends her out of harm’s way, back to San Francisco?

Sam and the mysterious mustang known as the Phantom have become friends, and Sam is determined to defend his freedom on the open range. But the mustang has been accused of stealing tame mares from local ranchers. Sam knows the Phantom isn't to blame, and she races to prove his innocence. Then, a local rancher offers a reward to anyone who can capture the wild stallion. A price on his head means it's not just the Phantom's freedom Sam is fighting for - it's his life.

When a pack of vicious hunting dogs is found running loose on the range, Samantha is worried they might attack the Phantom Stallion's new foals. But the Phantom is busy protecting his herd from New Moon, a rival stallion and the Phantom's fully grown son. If Sam can't help the horses, will the stallions learn to band together in time?

The Phantom's lead mare is injured, and Samantha wants to help her. But she can't call the vet—what if he won't let the mare return to the wild? So Sam starts treating the mare's injuries in secret. But the horse seems awfully calm for a mustang, and she matches the description of a missing mare from California. Is Sam helping a mustang, or has she accidentally stolen someone's horse?