Amber Marshall: The Real Horse Girl Behind Heartland

When Heartland wrapped filming its 14th season during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Amber Marshall was completely drained.

“I think all of us were,” she says. “You’re giving everything to the scene—and then the second it ends, you’re reminded to mask up, follow protocol, no chatting over snacks. That social part we all love, it just disappeared.”

It wasn’t an easy season. The production team navigated new restrictions to keep the show running in Alberta’s breathtaking ranch country. And despite the hurdles, viewers—especially in Canada, where the series draws about a million people a week—never missed a beat.

For Marshall, it was another chapter in a role she’s held since 2007: Amy Fleming, a young woman with a deep, almost spiritual connection to horses. For a deeper look at how Amy Fleming has grown through the seasons, explore her character journey here.

The crash that changed everything

Marshall’s entrance into Heartland was unforgettable. In the first episode, Amy and her mother are driving through a lightning storm, pulling a trailer with a badly abused horse named Spartan. A sudden crash sends their truck off the road. When Amy wakes up in the hospital, she learns Spartan survived—but her mother didn’t.

Amy’s grief leads her deeper into the world of horses at Heartland Ranch, under the guidance of her grandfather Jack (Shaun Johnston), her older sister Lou (Michelle Morgan), her estranged father Tim (Chris Potter), and the mysterious Ty Borden (Graham Wardle), a troubled teen working off his probation.

The show is based on a book series for young readers—but its TV version has long outgrown that niche. By 2015, Heartland had become Canada’s longest-running one-hour drama, beating out Street Legal. Its loyal fanbase spans generations and continents, drawn to its mix of family, animals, and Alberta scenery.

And right in the middle of it all is Amber Marshall—grounded, grateful, and deeply connected to the life she plays on screen.

"I knew I was home"

Raised in London, Ontario, Marshall grew up riding horses and helping at a vet clinic. Acting was always part of her world—but it didn’t fully click until she arrived in Alberta.

“I think some places just adopt you,” she says. “The minute I stepped into Alberta, I felt embraced. I thought, ‘Okay, this is it. This is home.’”

She began riding at age three. By her teens, she was caring for horses, cleaning barns, and learning the language of animals. Acting came naturally too. She joined Ontario Kids Theatre at eight, landed an agent by 12, and at 14 played the lead in The Elizabeth Smart Story, a dramatic retelling of a real-life kidnapping.

But the road wasn’t smooth. Rejections piled up, and driving to auditions from London to Toronto took a toll. “I remember saying to my agent, ‘I don’t think I can keep doing this. It’s costing too much and I’m not getting anything.’”

Then came Heartland. She missed the first two auditions while filming elsewhere. But her agent urged her: “Get home. Put something on tape.” She recorded a VHS at home and had it transferred and uploaded.

It nearly didn’t work—slow playback and buffering almost lost the moment. But once the producers saw her say, “Hi, I’m Amber Marshall. I have two horses and I love to ride,” they were hooked. What followed was years of emotional storytelling, especially in Amy’s relationship with Ty Borden—a fan-favorite pairing that still touches hearts today.

Why horses understand more than we think

Horses, Marshall believes, don’t just see what’s in front of them. “People say animals have no judgment. They do. But not like humans. Animals judge you by what’s on the inside—your intention, your energy, your heart.”

Her portrayal of Amy is steeped in this belief. She doesn’t see herself as a “horse whisperer” but more of a listener.

“So many people think training a horse is about breaking it. Amy’s way is about understanding. Every animal is different. They need patience, not dominance.”

Marshall’s own connection to horses carried her through difficult teenage years. “There were bullies who made fun of me for being on TV. People would prank call our home and say horrible things. But going to the barn, having a creature that needed me—that was healing.”

Behind the star, a grounded life

Offscreen, Marshall’s life closely mirrors the one Amy lives. She and her husband, photographer Shawn Turner, live on a ranch filled with animals. She blogs, runs a quarterly magazine, and sells Canadian-made goods on her website.

“I didn’t set out to build a business,” she says. “People would ask, ‘Do you have any jewellery? Any clothing?’ So I started creating things that felt meaningful and local.”

And every year when filming ends, she doesn’t rush back into acting. “I tell my agent, ‘Let’s pause. I need to breathe.’ Then I go outside and sit on a fence and watch my animals. That’s where I find inspiration.”

She laughs about one change marriage brought: “I never owned a TV until my husband moved in and said, ‘We need one.’”

"I still love it every day"

Many actors want something flashier after 200 episodes. But not Marshall.

“I don’t think this lifestyle is for everyone. Some actors want to be in Vancouver or Toronto, chasing different roles. And that’s okay. But this—this is what excites me. I still love Heartland every day.”

That love radiates through every scene, every horse interaction, every quiet family moment the show delivers. And for millions of fans around the world, Amber Marshall isn’t just Amy Fleming.

She is Heartland.