Russian horse breeder Krasin arrives to 30s Kyrgyzstan to open the first Soviet stud farm here and breed a new breed of horses by crossing Don Argamaks and local Karabairs.

A young woman, disillusioned with her beloved, leaves for a mountain village. Her connection with nature and with wise, sincere people brings her a sense of wholeness in life, something she thought was lost forever.

The plot is based on events that took place during the severe drought of the early 1970s at the construction of the Toktogul Hydroelectric Power Station. The commissioning of the station's first phase was complicated by the fact that the water needed to start it was also desperately needed by the parched fields. There were many debates (with both personal and professional ambitions involved), and in the end, the problem was solved purely mathematically—rather than by agricultural engineering: salty water from the Kyrgyz Sea was diverted to the fields, while clean mountain river water was directed to the first turbines.

At the center of the film is the character of Asan, a collective farm foreman. Asan is a principled man who makes many enemies among the lazy, drunkards, and dishonest people. As a result of these rumors, Asan is dismissed from his position, but this does not break him. He continues to act according to his conscience.