"Variety"'s Todd McCarthy praised the film as "wonderful", called it "the best horse-and-kid picture since "The Black Stallion"" and "a young adult drama that rings emotionally true, with nary a manufactured note struck" that is "sharply observed and acted". Similarly, Stephen Hunter in "The Washington Post" described it as "a well-made family drama pitched to young adults that's honest, tough and surprisingly engaging" while praising McGraw's, Bello's and Lohman's performances. In the "Toronto Star", Daphne Gordon also praised Alison Lohman, claiming that she "makes the whole thing worth watching" but conceding that "there are some flaws in the script that make the drama seem overwrought and manipulative".