Many viewers have often wondered what are the horses’ names on Heartland? Since the show first premiered on Canadian TV in 2007, one thing that has had a grip on fans is the equine actors.
As we follow the lives of the Fleming-Bartlett family as they navigate the ups and downs of life on their ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, you cannot help but be amazed by the horses.
Although what starts as a tragedy, when Amy’s mother passes on as she tries to work on a wild horse, it catapults our favorite miracle girl into being an integral part of the lives of the horses she meets.
As she meets and works with the different horses, you can tell that they both benefit greatly from the interactions.
One thing that fans of the series cannot seem to get enough of is the beautiful majestic horses, some celebrities in their professions, and some newer to the acting arena.
However, this does not negate the significant role they play on the show, and of course, without these majestic horses, Heartland wouldn’t be Heartland. Plus, they always seem to bring with them their big personalities.
So with a cast full of stars, if you’ve been asking yourself about the horses on Heartland, then stay here as we take you through the list.
Spartan Is Played By Stormy, Stetson, Rocky, Zyda, And Sunny
Spartan is one of the original horses on the show. Fifteen seasons later, we cannot help but be amazed at Spartan’s job.
When he first started on the show, his first acting gig, he was only five years old, making him one of the most senior original equine cast members.
Spartan is Amy’s central mount, and the horse, her mom, dies trying to save her. He’s played by Stormy, a Quarter Horse Gelding, one of those horses that you can’t help but fall in love with.
He strides onto the screen in season 1 when Amy discovers her talents working with difficult horses. However, her work through Spartan himself leads her down this beautiful path.
Onset, Spartan is a real team player who does not spook easily during scenes and is a passionate jumper.
He loves the camera, but he doesn’t get bored quickly, which is a plus, especially for horses. Although Stormy does an excellent job during his scenes, he usually has a stand-in, Stetson, during jumping or roping scenes.
Stormy has also had a couple of stands over the years, mainly attributed to his arthritis affecting him as he grows. Zyada, a six-year-old Quater Horse, and Sunny, a 10-year-old registered Paint.
Amber Marshall says that Stormy understands his job, does it quite well, and even on set composing himself quite well, noting that their bond spills over into real life.
Little Foot As Sugarfoot
Little Foot first appears in season 1, episode 7, “Come What May.” Sugarfoot is a miniature white pony whose prominent role is being Mrs. Bells’ companion. As his name suggests, he’s a cream mini and cannot shy away from sweet treats.
When he’s not swiping carrot cakes from the retirement home, he pulls Mrs. Bells’ cart. In addition, he also acts as a therapy horse, helping other horses with their fears. Little Chief portrays Sugarfoot.
Although he’s a miniature horse, his acting skills are seasoned. He has a significant presence on the show, and Graham Wardle understands that.
When speaking to the media, Ty pointed out that the white mini is his favorite horse, and his strength can be seen on or off-screen.
Jag And Ghost Potray Phoenix
Phoenix, a grey Gelding, is first introduced in season 6, episode 1, after Georgie runs away from home. During their time together, they form an unbreakable bond.
Quater horse Jag predominantly plays Phoenix. He’s the leading horse and is used more in western riding scenes, while Ghost is a jumper for jumping scenes.
Jag and Alisha Marie, the actress playing Georgie, wasn’t always the easiest, thanks to her always wanting to be around him when she was younger.
However, as the years went by, they developed a real connection, and although Jag is still grumpy, he warms up to Alisha regularly, and they have an interesting bond.
Kramer
Kramer is a cow pony who belongs to Jake (Mallory’s friend). Mallory uses him for showjumping, and his first appearance is in season 3, episode 3 ‘Mans Bestfriend. ‘
Maverick
Mitch, a new hire at the ranch, comes to Heartland searching for Amy’s help with his brown Gelding Maverick.
Maverick is giving him trouble. However, at the end of the session with Amy, Mitch learns that Maverick missed his owner when he was at war, leading to his acting out.
Paint
After he retired from the rodeo, a white and red American paint horse, the Gelding was gifted to Jack Bartlett, Amy, and Lou’s grandfather.
Jack and Paint have a close relationship thanks to the amount of time they spend together moving cattle. Although he dies of arthritis in season 9, he remains a favorite.
Buddy As Bullseye
Real name Bullseye, Buddy is a trained western horse who joined the show after Paint’s demise. He becomes Jack’s working cattle horse after Amy and Georgie find an abandoned ranch where they spot a horse (Bear) injured at the edge of the farm after a bear attack.
Bear can take Amy and Georgie back to where Buddy was, and together they save him. Buddy plays a vital role in the following seasons.
After Paint’s untimely death, Jack refuses to ride any other horse. His arrival at the ranch is God-sent for them as they find solace.
Jack is not the only one with a soft spot for him. Bullseye is also Alisha Marie’s favorite on the set.
Pegasus
With a name like Pegasus, you can’t help but love this whole Gelding. We first see him In season 1, episode 2, “After the Storm.” Tim raced with a grey gelding on the rodeo until they were involved in an accident.
After the accident, he goes through a lot of difficulties. However, Marion, Amy’s mother, can heal him. He later dies from Strangles in season 3.
Apollo
Apollo is a chestnut Gelding first ridden by Ashley Stanton, Amy’s nemesis. However, her mom Val owns him. He lives at Val’s equestrian Center, and we first see him in season 1, episode 1, “Coming Home.”
However, after Ashley refuses to show jump, Val sells Apollo to a meat trucking company. However, Ashley finds him on a meat truck, and Apollo gets a new home at Briar Ridge.
Champ
Champ is Tim’s Palomino working horse. He’s been riding him for years, and it’s not until season 7 ‘Smoke n Mirrors’ that he names the horse Champ.
Shorty
When Mallory decides she wants to become a cowboy, she rides Shorty. The grey Quater horse is primarily Caleb Odells’ roping horse.
Storm
In season 2, after Amy’s 16th birthday, Tim buys his daughter the grey jumper. Although a great gift, Amy decides to sell Storm to Nick Harwell, a jumping coach, who believes Spartan needs her more than Storm.
Slick And Betty
In season 2, Slick and Betty won over our hearts as they stuck close to Lou’s friends’ who had visited the ranch. Betty is blind therefore sticking to her brother.
Ghost
Ghost is an exceptional horse in the Heartland universe. He is a grey Appaloosa who appears as part of a herd of wild mustangs headed for the slaughterhouse.
He plays a vital part in the show, usually reappearing during significant events in the Bartlett and Fleming family, i.e., when Amy gave birth to Lyndy, he came to say hi.
Copper
First appearing in season 1, episode 4 as Lou’s horse, he becomes Mallory’s horse after buying him. Copper’s real-life name is Midget, and according to the cast, he’s a calm and loveable horse.
Pogey
A small white bay pony, pogey is Katie’s horse, a gift from Tim, her grandfather. She names him after her favorite stuffed horse, and together, they go on wild adventures.
Who Owns The Horses On Heartland?
One thing becomes evident to fans throughout the season: the bond that the cast shares with the horse.
Whether it’s crying or a set where there is a lot of roping, the connections are there. And this connection might lead some fans to believe that the cast owns the horses. However, that is the opposite.
Except for a couple of horses, most of the horses used on the show belong to John Scott, the head stunt coordinator, and wrangler for Heartland.
With over 50 years of experience, he’s a well-known horseman supplying horses to different movie sets and TV shows.
Conclusion
The top stars of Heartland might have started as their human counterparts. However, the equine companions have stolen the spotlight and our hearts.
Whether that is the wilds running across the fields or the ‘difficult’ horses brought to Amy for her to work on, one thing stays true.
Horses are majestic beings that can do incredible things, and whether or not you’ve ever been around one, magic happens both on our screens and off, thanks to these horses.
That concludes our list of the horses shown on Heartland. However, they are not the only ones, but they offered something extraordinary in the first 10 minutes of their screen time.
