Summary
John Grady's family has owned a ranch in Texas since the mid 1800's. However, his father, with a severe case of PTSD from WWII, and mother, who already left them, have sold the ranch. This pushes him to go down into Mexico with his best friend Rawlins on horseback. Along the way they run into a younger kid on a beautiful horse who claims his name is Jimmy Blevins. Soon they are caught up in a storm where Blevins loses his horse, after tracking it to the town of Encantada, Blevins goes and steals the horse only to be chased and split up from John Grady and Rawlins. While on the run from the rangers John Grady and Rawlins follow a cattle drive to a large ranch where they are promptly hired.
After arriving on the ranch the owner recognizes John Grady's talent for breaking horses and moves him to the ranch house to break his every growing herd. There he falls in love with his daughter Alejandra, and they develop a romantic relationship. In a few weeks, John Grady and Rawlins are arrested and brought to a jail in a remote village where they find Blevins. They are then transferred to a prison, but Rawlins is killed by the captain and rangers on the way there. In prison, Rawlins is stabbed and taken out, and then John Grady kills a boy who tries to assassinate him, but has enough wounds that he is hospitalized for a few days. After he recovers, he and Rawlins are bought out of jail by Alejandra's aunt, who John Grady then goes to see at the ranch. She explains that Alejandra got him out on the condition that she would never see him again. He leaves to find Alejandra in another town where she tells him she cannot be with him and leaves. Once this happens John Grady goes back to Encantada to steal back his and Blevins horses by kidnapping the captain. After the crime, he makes it back to the states and sees Rawlins, and says goodbye to him.
After arriving on the ranch the owner recognizes John Grady's talent for breaking horses and moves him to the ranch house to break his every growing herd. There he falls in love with his daughter Alejandra, and they develop a romantic relationship. In a few weeks, John Grady and Rawlins are arrested and brought to a jail in a remote village where they find Blevins. They are then transferred to a prison, but Rawlins is killed by the captain and rangers on the way there. In prison, Rawlins is stabbed and taken out, and then John Grady kills a boy who tries to assassinate him, but has enough wounds that he is hospitalized for a few days. After he recovers, he and Rawlins are bought out of jail by Alejandra's aunt, who John Grady then goes to see at the ranch. She explains that Alejandra got him out on the condition that she would never see him again. He leaves to find Alejandra in another town where she tells him she cannot be with him and leaves. Once this happens John Grady goes back to Encantada to steal back his and Blevins horses by kidnapping the captain. After the crime, he makes it back to the states and sees Rawlins, and says goodbye to him.