If you are a fan of horses, then you are most likely familiar with the show Heartland. Heartland is a television drama that is based on a series of books by Lauren Brooke. The series follows the main character, Amy Fleming, her family, and the horses that they help. Amy is known as the “Miracle Girl” in the series, being able to connect with and help any horse in need.
Amber Marshall is known for her role as Amy Fleming on Heartland, Canada’s longest-running drama series. Fans admire Amber for her television role, but I admire her for who she is as a person—both on and off-screen. Amber is kind, genuine, and down to earth—much like her character, which we all know and love on the show. I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Amber while she was in Kentucky for her first U.S. appearance.
Jewell: How have horses shaped you into who you are as a person?
Amber: Horses have really shaped me, and I feel like they've kept me grounded in everything that I do. You're a nobody to a horse until you bring your best self to them. I think that a lot of people can learn from being around horses. It's not your title, your status, how much money you make, or how famous you might be... it's who you are inside. I think that being around animals and horses has kept me sane and grounded, and you have a respect for your co-stars when they're animals on a whole different level than you would with a human.
They don't have egos. My co-star, Spartan, who has been on the show for 15 years of his life, and he's still the same old guy that he was when he started. I love that about horses and working with horses. I started riding when I was 4, so I've been around horses most of my life. I feel like they've gotten me through a lot of things that I would've had a little more trouble with in finding myself, who I am, and who I want to be if horses weren't in my life. In your teenage years, when girls can be harsh, there's some things that I look back on now that I think horses really helped keep me at a genuine connection to my true self. I think that's something a lot of humans can't do at certain times in your life, but animals can.
I've been fortunate to have animals in my life since I was a tiny kid. They have really helped me balance not only that work-life idea, but also in school. If you're really stressed out or something going on, if you wanted somebody to talk to that would listen and not necessarily give you their piece of mind, it was a horse. That's really been my go-to in my entire life when I've been feeling a certain way. You can go spend time with a horse and you instantly feel better.
Jewell: With your career being an actress, it's probably kept you really humble. Most celebrities live the "Hollywood" life, but you have horses to keep you grounded.
Amber: There's nothing like mucking out a stall or a shelter that keeps you on that grounded level. For me, that is my therapy, gym, fitness, my everything. I'm not someone who spends time in a gym or fitness center, I get all my exercise by doing my chores. Not only do they keep you physically fit, but they also keep your heart happy. Something about being out with animals in nature, you have a whole different perspective on the daily happenings around you. Things that might seem big and stressful at the time just seem to melt away when you spend time and company of animals.
Jewell: What are your favorite things to do with your horses?
Amber: For me, I've never been big into competition because I don't like the added pressure. I don't like the stress that it puts on me because there is a lot expected of me in my daily job. When I have time off, I just want to do what I want to do and don't have specific things I need to achieve with my horses. So, for me, my animals are my friends. They're not a tool or something I'm trying to push or get better at a specific thing.
It's my time to just enjoy, so my favorite thing to do in my off time is go on long trail rides with my horses. I actually love solo rides the best, it's time for me to decompress and be at one with my horse and nature. It's a time to think and reflect, and to just let yourself be still and quiet. I think that's really important for the mind. It's my form of meditation, just to let myself be there and be present in that moment with the animal.
Jewell: How has Heartland changed your life? Not only for your career, but how has playing Amy impacted who you are as a person?
Amber: It's incredible to think back that I have been on Heartland as long as I haven't been on Heartland. I was 18 years old when I got the role, and we just completed the 18th season of Heartland. To say that it's impacted me in ways that I don't even really realize at this point in my life because I find the people that you're around, the situations that you are put in, they build who you are, they create and shape you. I really don't know where I would be without this show. I probably wouldn't be in Alberta.
I grew up in London, Ontario and it was the show that brought me out west. I don't see myself just venturing out there without a reason or purpose. I can't imagine my life without Heartland. I think that I would probably still be in London, Ontario. I would have horses and animals in my life because I always did, and I always will. To have the opportunity to travel out west, to meet new people, to form connections with talented horse people like Dan James that I never would've had the opportunity to before... Heartland has opened up so many doors for me. It has created a life where I never dreamed that I would be living at this point. I think that it truly has pushed me in a path that I always was drawn towards, but didn't quite know how to get there.
Jewell: Fans get to see Dan James' horses on set, so how has your experience been getting to work with Dan and his horses?
Amber: He has such an incredible energy with animals and people. If you've ever spent time with liberty horse trainers, they have to be calm. They have to have this presence that the horses resonate with. If you're going to work your horses at liberty, they have to respect you, but they also have to understand that you are a calm and gentle leader. If you're not, they're going to sense that.
Dan is the person who taught Niki Flundra and was a big mentor in her life. She has been one of the main horse trainers on Heartland since the beginning. To be able to learn from her and then learn from Dan and know that a lot of those same teachings that she taught me that Dan taught her, just comes full circle. To see how all that ties in with one another is really cool. Niki has been involved with the show for the last 18 years and she was the one who taught me all of the liberty knowledge that you see on the show that Amy has done. It's really special for me to be here and to be able to work with some of the top liberty horse trainers in the world, and to reflect on the things that I've learned and to learn new things as well.
Jewell: We see your character, Amy, do a lot of liberty training throughout the years, since the beginning of the show. How has that experience been for you and did you have any prior liberty training experience before Heartland?
Amber: I didn't have any prior liberty horse training experience. I always thought it was so magical, something whimsical about it. When I first experienced it was just before season 5. Season 5 was Amy's start into the liberty world. We had met Niki previously and she had her horses on the show for anytime we needed a horse to rear, lie down, or things that we didn't have specific trained horses come and do. We would bring in Niki and her team of horses. I always loved watching her and her connection with her horses, and being able to say, "wow, your horse trusts you so much just to be able to lay down, which is a very vulnerable position for a horse in front of a crew of 100 or more people."
That's a connection that is above and beyond, there's something really special about that. When we decided to bring that storyline into Amy's world, I got so excited because this is an opportunity for me to be able to learn these things and to put that into the show. I went and spent as many weekends as I could with Niki and her horses, just learning as much as I could so I could do a lot of these things myself. I thought it was super cool, and I wanted to learn it, but I think it also gives a realism to the character and the show when viewers can watch me doing it. To be able to do that to show not only the viewers, but my friends and family that I could do this was really special to me. For that reason, season 5 really sticks out because that was my journey into the world of liberty.
Jewell: You mentioned stunt doubles. I'm sure you try to do as much as you can I assume.
Amber: I would love to do it all. I think some of the things that people don't think about is when we see Amy crashing to the ground on the show, that doesn't just happen once. We do that seven, eight, nine times in a row... then another seven, eight, nine times from another angle. If we're doing a stunt, that stunt person comes in and just do the falls, they get to go ice up and leave. I would have to continue on the day with a sore back or sore head, whatever it might be.
For insurance reasons, but also for my own general health and well-being, I am so fortunate to have super talented stunt doubles. They are trained to fall, they are padded up, and they practice and practice. Not to say something couldn't go wrong too. We've been very fortunate on Heartland that our stunt people are great and there haven't been many major things happen. What happens if they fall a certain way and break their arm, if that was me, I can't film the rest of the month or two months with a cast on my arm. I understand why stunt people are needed and are really respected in what they do.
For me, I know I couldn't do everything they do, and they make me look good. I always say Amy Fleming is definitely the Miracle Girl, because she can do it all, and do it all well... which we all know as horse people is not that obtainable. I have a different stunt person for jumping, falling down, and they all come in and have a very specific discipline that they excel at. That way Amy Fleming looks good all the time.
Jewell: If you could own any animal that you've never had before, what would it be?
Amber: An emu.
Jewell: You have mentioned in previous interviews that you don't take much time to watch tv, even though you are on tv. So, do you actually watch Heartland yourself?
Amber: Yes. I find that we put so much time and effort into creating the stories, and also the longevity of the show means that I want to better prepare myself for upcoming episodes and seasons. I hope that Heartland goes on for many years. By watching the episodes, I learn what works and what doesn't... especially with the horse work. There are certain camera angles that are used that really showcase what we're doing. By watching the episodes, I can help for the next time to make sure that everything gets better each year.
Jewell: Does your husband, Shawn even watch it?
Amber: No. He'll watch certain episodes with me, but he doesn't really watch tv either. Neither of us do. For me, a lot of times I'll watch it when I'm on a plane or when I'm going somewhere and have the time to sit down and stay still. I try to plan it to catch up on things when I'm traveling or in a hotel by myself.
Jewell: If you could be any character from Heartland in real life, who would you choose?
Amber: Well, Amy Fleming of course. I would not want the pressure of being Lou. Lyndy would be fun, growing up as a horse crazy girl on a ranch... but Amy is my final answer.
Be sure to follow Amber on social media to stay updated on Heartland news, her animals, and her journey!
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