It’s wild to think Amy Fleming has been part of our lives for nearly two decades now. It really does feel like yesterday she was just the horse-obsessed kid at Heartland Ranch.
Our girl, Amber Marshall, is all grown up. She’s been playing Amy that whole time. Plus, she’s celebrated seven years of marriage to her own cowboy, Shawn. She’s really made a life she loves, and honestly, that’s the best secret anyone can have.
I know we all feel like the Heartland cast is family. Amber feels that way too. She started on the show when she was just nineteen. Almost half her life has been spent with this crew.
She says that’s why the time flies so fast. She just blinks, and another year is gone. It makes sense. When you genuinely enjoy your job, the clock moves differently.
Of course, the onscreen family keeps growing! Amy is a mom now. Amber talked about working with the Spencer twins, Ruby and Emmanuella, who play Lyndy. She said it’s been so gratifying.
She loves how real they make the scenes feel. It’s hard to imagine the show without those little girls running around.
She compared acting with children to working with horses. That made me smile. She says they both have this natural, innocent energy. They are totally present.
It makes the acting easier because you stop acting and just live in the moment with them. They keep everyone on their toes in the best way possible.
That’s a lovely way to look at it.
One thing that never changes is Amber’s true love for horses. It’s not just for the cameras. She makes sure she spends plenty of time with her own herd when she isn’t filming.
She and Shawn have five horses. She had a great foundation in riding before she even got the role, covering both English and Western disciplines. No wonder she looks so good in every scene!
The hardest part of horse acting isn’t the riding, she shared. It’s dealing with the fact that horses don’t read the script! You have to adapt to their reactions in the scene. But the crew works hard to keep the scenes natural for the equine actors.
And yes, she has a favorite. She says Stormy will always have her heart. He’s been Spartan for fourteen years. Think of all the long days those two have worked together!
So, how does she manage all this? Amber has mastered the work-life balance thing. She wakes up early, around 5 am, and the first thing she does is check on her animals.
After breakfast, wardrobe, hair, and makeup, it’s time for blocking and shooting scenes. These are long days, sometimes three to five hours for just one scene.
When the cameras stop rolling, most people might chill on the couch. Not Amber. She heads straight back to the barn. She and Shawn have a whole farm going on: five horses, four cows, dogs, cats, an alpaca, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and rabbits.
I love that her favorite way to relax is just watching all her animals interact. They really thrive living naturally on their property.
Amber has truly created a life she loves. It’s full of love, animals, and good people. That makes every day worth it. She isn’t counting the years or seasons anymore. She’s counting the good moments and memories. And with Season 14 coming soon, we know we have many more good times to look forward to!
