Heartland is a 25-novel series written by Lauren Brooke. The series started in 2001 with Coming Home and is continuing with the latest book: A Summer to Remember. The series is about a 15-year-old girl named Amy Fleming living in Virginia on a horse farm called Heartland, where they heal horses. The owners of Heartland attempt to help abused horses by using psychologically-based therapies instead of more traditional training methods. Throughout the series, the main character, Amy, finds healing along with the horses that she treats every day. Eventually, Amy is faced with tough decisions that put Heartland's future and fate in her hands. The target readership is 8 to 12.[1] Heartland has become a very famous show.
Heartland has been made into a TV series in Canada and is currently airing on the CBC network.
The Heartland Series
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Amy Fleming - The main character of the series. After the death of her mother in an accident that put her in hospital, Amy is challenged with both her runaway emotions and managing the equine sanctuary, Heartland, she calls home. With the help of her friends and family, she pulls through and decides to take over her mother's legacy. Her natural talent with horses have cured and saved many otherwise neglected animals, and despite the doubts of many, she stays strong to her beliefs. Over the years, her relationship with Ty, the stable hand, changes and they grow closer to each other. Amy faces hard challenges in her life, especially when it comes to deciding her future: college or Heartland. Amy has a brief cameo appearance in the Chestnut Hill series, also by Lauren Brooke.
Jack Bartlett - Amy and Lou's grandfather. He is a kind man and often helps the girls with the horses and acts as a counsellor to characters in the books. He helps the girls get through their grief after their mother's death, and re-introduces Tim Fleming, Amy and Lou's father, into their life. Jack has never forgiven Tim for leaving Marion after his accident.
Lou Fleming Trewin Amy's 23-year-old sister. With her British accent, people find it hard to see them as sisters. Lou is organized and runs the business side of Heartland after her mother's death. She is married to Scott and they have a daughter named Holly. Amy and Lily look up to Lou; she is practical and brave, like Tim. Lou is very close to her dad and they were inseparable during her childhood. Lou blamed horses for Tim's accident and for Marion's death.
Ty Baldwin - The stable hand at Heartland, Ty dropped out of high school to pursue a permanent position at Heartland. He helps cure the horses. Ty is one of Amy's closest friends throughout the series. He helps her through personal and professional challenges, and he often understands her when no one else can. Ty and Amy have a close relationship in the series,they become boyfriend, girlfriend later in the series.
Scott Trewin - The local vet to Heartland. Scott agrees with Heartland's alternative methods of treating horses. He is also Matt's older brother. He is married to Lou (as of "From This Day On") and thus is Amy's brother-in-law and Lily's half brother-in-law. Scott and Lou have a daughter named Holly. After Lou and Scott marry, Scott begins to take care of the horses and the ponies at Heartland for free.
Matt Trewin - Amy's other best friend. He fancies Amy very much in the beginning, then Ashley Grant, but in the end, he realized he truly likes Soraya. He appears multiple times throughout the series. Matt eventually breaks up with Soraya. In "From This Day On" he becomes Amy and Lou's brother-in-law when Lou and Scott marry.
Soraya Martin - Amy's best friend since the 1st grade. She helps Amy through hard times and, as a horse lover her herself, occasionally helps at Heartland as well as going on countless trail rides with Amy. During the series, she becomes romantically involved with Ben Stillman and, later, Matt Trewin.
Ashley Grant - Amy's rival in the series. Ashley's parents own Green Briar Stables, a competing horse stable. Ashley often competes against Amy in jumping competitions. Possibly as a result of her parents' constant pressure and high expectations, Ashley is extremely competitive and hostile towards Amy and her peers.
Val Grant - Ashley's mom and Ted's wife. Val has short blond hair and perfect white teeth. The owner of Green Briar, Heartland's rival, Val is described as overbearing and snobby. Val believes in using very firm discipline- for example, whips and uses crops- on her horses; many of her students agree with her techniques. Val considers it a waste of time to develop a relationship with horses. Val schools her ponies to respond to the commands of any rider and her horses learn to "excel in one area and complete a course to win". Val, Ted and Ashley periodically attempt to shut Heartland down. Val is often an antagonist in the Heartland novels.
Ted Grant- Ashley's dad and Val's husband. Ted helps Val run Green Briar.
Tim Fleming - Lou and Amy's father. Tim and Amy have not seen each other since Amy was 3, but their relationship evolves as the series progresses. He left Amy's mother and her family after he was hurt in a riding accident. Tim was paralysed in his accident; he is now in a wheel chair. After some time, Tim evidently began to regret leaving Marion, Amy and Lou; he found out where they were living and he sent a letter asking forgiveness, which Marion did not respond to. After Marion's death, he comes to visit Lou and Amy ("Thicker Than Water") and Amy finds out she is closer to her father then she thinks. He now is remarried to Helena and has another daughter, Lily.
Daniel - Amy's good friend. He works at Nick Halliwell's barn and competes horses in shows. His horse, Storm, originally belonged to Amy; she sold Storm after realising she wanted to dedicate her time to managing Heartland. Daniel briefly has feelings for Amy.
Ben Stillman - Ben's aunt sent him to work at Heartland. However, he realised that he wanted to focus more on his riding skills than his skill with troubled horses. He went to work for Nick Halliwell along with Daniel. They both compete in riding, Ben with his horse, Red, and Daniel with Storm.
Helena Fleming - Tim's second wife, Lou and Amy's stepmother and Lily's mom.
Lily Fleming - Tim and Helena's daughter. Lou and Amy's younger half-sister. Lily is sweet and enjoys spending time with her sisters. She loves looking at pictures of Lou and Amy.
Marion Bartlett Fleming - Jack's daughter, a horse listener. Lou and Amy's mother and Tim's ex-wife. Heartland, and its alternative therapeutic methods, are described in the series as being Marion's vision; Amy credits her knowledge of herbal remedies and training techniques to her mother. Marion dies in the beginning of the series in a trailer accident as she and Amy are trying to rescue an abandoned horse. Marion started Heartland after Tim divorced her.
Holly Marion Trewin - Lou and Scott's daughter. Holly is shy at first but she eventually warms up to Amy. Holly is born in the holiday special edition A Winter's Gift.
Joni - the stable hand that fills in be stillman's place after he leaves heartland.In A Season of Hope she also helps treat a horse with acupuncture.
Amy and the staff at Heartland are depicted over the course of the series using several alternative treatment methods for horses. One of the most common of these is the Bach flower essences, used to treat anxiety and induce calm. Amy also uses behavioural techniques to help skittish or abused horses; for example, "Join-Up" or "hooking on", a technique developed by "Horse Whisperer" Monty Roberts. She is also periodically seen using massage and acupuncture.