I'm a very competitive person, so I identify with Kris in that way. Sometimes she has a little more confidence than I do, which is cool. I'm a big tomboy and I like sports, but I'm also girly and I giggle a lot more.

My biggest thing is, I'm learning what it's like to carry myself in a personal way and also a professional way, how I can be a leader and do multitasking."

I have some cool talents. I'm really flexible and can do all sorts of twisted yoga positions. And I'm a big athlete and especially love soccer.

I love Kris's simplicity when getting her point across. I use circumlocution too often and instead of getting my point across I tend to babble.

I learned to ride from my mom, she is the ultimate rider. When she was Kris's age she used her horse to escape and ride up Mount Diablo. I learned a lot from her and a ton that I incorporate into the character of Kris.

For the series we are using a couple of horses, most of which have worked on Sea Biscuit. Mattie, Reno, Finder and Houdini, all of which have extraordinary talents. Bobby, their trainer has them so well trained and attentive, they hit their marks without anyone holding on to them. They can rear, lope and stop when asked. Bobby even had me train on his horse Houdini with no hands while he told him how fast and where to go. It was an incredible and liberating experience and I gained a lot of trust and confidence from it.

Kris has never really had a mother, she's always been the mother. That whole definition of mother is a new thing for her, so it's a power struggle. Does she submit, or does she fight? A big part of her wants to be loved so badly. It's hard, because she has to challenge that. She's never been loved. She's been hurt very badly.

I love the possibility that anything can happen in any moment with acting. That you have the opportunity to experience lives and adventures that you may not have otherwise.