Heartland (novel series)
Heartland is a 25-novel series written by Lauren Brooke. The series was ghostwritten by Linda Chapman and began in 2001 with the novel Coming Home. The series is about a 15-year-old girl named Amy Fleming, who lives in Virginia on a horse ranch called Heartland, where she, friends, and family heal and help abused or mistreated horses. The owners of Heartland attempt to help the 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 ages 8 to 12. In 2007, a TV series based on the novels debuted in Canada on the CBC network.
Series
- "Coming Home"
- "After the Storm"
- "Breaking Free"
- "Taking Chances"
- "Come What May"
- "One Day You'll Know"
- "Out of Darkness"
- "Thicker Than Water"
- "Every New Day"
- "Tomorrow's Promise"
- "True Enough"
- "Sooner or Later"
- "Darkest Hour"
- "Everything Changes"
- "Love is a Gift"
- "Holding Fast"
- "A Season of Hope"
- "New Beginnings"
- "From This Day On"
- "Always There"
Special Edition Books
- "Amy's Journal"
- "A Holiday Memory"
- "Beyond the Horizon"
- "A Winter's Gift"
- "A Summer to Remember"
Characters
Amy Fleming - The main character of the series. After the death of her mother and the injuries of Amy in an accident during a storm when Amy and her mother went to rescue an abandoned horse they had named Spartan, 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 helped her to cure and save 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, develops 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 counselor to characters in the books. He helps the girls process 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.
Samantha Louise "Lou" Fleming Terwin - Amy and Lily'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, with whom she has a daughter named Holly. Amy looks 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.
Tyler "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 Terwin - The local vet for 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, as well as a half-brother-in-law to Lily, Tim's daughter with Helena. Scott and Lou have a daughter named Holly Marion. After Lou and Scott marry, Scott begins to take care of the horses and the ponies at Heartland.
Soraya Duval - Amy's best friend since the 3rd 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 stable for competition horses. Ashley often competes against Amy in jumping competitions. Perhaps as a result of her parents' constant pressure and high expectations, Ashley is extremely competitive and hostile towards Amy and her peers.
Valerie "Val" Grant - Ashley's mom and Caleb'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 riding 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.
Timothy "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 than she thinks. He is now married to Helena and has another daughter, Lily.
Benjamin "Ben" Stillman - Ben's aunt sent him to work at Heartland. However, he realized 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.
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 having been Marion's vision; Amy credits her knowledge of herbal remedies and training techniques to her mother. Marion dies in the beginning of the series from a trailer accident as she and Amy are trying to rescue an abandoned horse. Marion started Heartland after Tim divorced her.
Use of Alternative and Herbal Treatments
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 utilized by natural horsemanship trainers everywhere. She is also periodically seen using massage and acupuncture. One of the used massages is called the T-touch, where Amy places two fingers on the horse's ear and slowly rubs in small circles.