Top 25 Heartland TV Show Quotes
Heartland has been on the air for sixteen seasons and is still going strong. The show is about love, family, hard work, and of course – horses. Considering how long the show has been running, it should be no surprise to hear that there are many inspiring quotes from the different characters that speak wisdom into all kinds of life situations.
What are some of the best Heartland quotes? Heartland is full of nuggets of wisdom, and no character hands out more of them than the beloved (Grandpa) Jack Bartlett. Because of the show’s emphasis on family, hard work, and ranching, the wisdom and insight throughout the series can apply to the lives of almost every viewer. Below I’ve listed 25 of my favorite Heartland quotes of all time.
Heartland Quotes from Jack Bartlett
Jack Bartlett is the family patriarch and the grandfather of Amy and Lou Fleming. Throughout the series, he has been a rock for his family while navigating a challenging and friction-filled relationship with his former son-in-law, Tim Fleming.
At the beginning of the series, his daughter Marion died tragically, leaving room for the young Fleming sisters to step into roles of leadership on the ranch. Jack’s wisdom and life experience have led to him being the top contributor to this list of ultimate Heartland quotes.
“Revenge is like biting the dog ‘cause the dog bites you. It’s a waste of energy, and all you get’s a mouthful of hair.” This is one of my favorite quotes of all time and is a fantastic visual of the dangers and futility of seeking revenge.
“You never want to give up an opportunity to be close to your family.”
“It’s kind of hard to sling mud and keep your own hands clean.” Grandpa Jack hits the nail on the head again with this quote – clean hands don’t tear other people down.
“Keeping secrets from the people we love; that never ends well.”
“Just ‘cause you think nothing is something doesn’t make something out of nothing.” This quote is one that makes you think. It is ultimately about the art of distinguishing between reality and perception.
“The goodness in a man runs much deeper than one moment in time.” This is something we should always remember, not only when thinking about other people but also when thinking about ourselves.
“A word to the wise… take that Internet stuff with a grain of salt. It betrays as much as it enlightens.” True… except for this site, of course.
“If you act like you’ve only got fifteen minutes, it’ll take all day. Act like you have all day, and it’ll take fifteen minutes.” This is wisdom that we can use not only with our horses but in our everyday lives.
“I would not want to meet the liar who says their life turned out exactly how they imagined.”
“The boys, they come and go. The horse is with you for the long haul.”
“You keep ten feet away at all times. Any part of you that crosses that line will be removed.”
Heartland Quotes from Amy Fleming
Granddaughter of Jack Bartlett and daughter of the late Marion Fleming, Amy Fleming is the protagonist of the series. Practicing the art of natural horsemanship, she has a gift for healing and working with horses that have had rough beginnings. Being the main character of the series, Amy has many nuggets of wisdom for us in the following quotes. Her horsemanship style will be obvious in most of them.
“Horses will forgive practically anything. If you work at it.” I have found this to be absolutely true when working with rescue horses.
“We don’t whisper things to horses. We let them speak to us.”
“My horses are my friends, not my slaves.”
“It wasn’t easy, but in the end, I realized how much we needed each other.”
Heartland Quotes from Ty Borden
Ty Borden is the ranch hand that was raised by Jack Bartlett after he escaped his abusive past. With encouragement from Jack, he is inspired to study to become a veterinarian, which he accomplishes in later seasons. He is one of the main characters of the show and the love interest of Amy Fleming (for most of the series).
“To be a winner, you don’t have to be the first to cross the finish line.”
“Why do you have to always see the best in people? Why can’t you be judgemental like the rest of us?”
“Watching you work with that horse… is what made me fall in love with you.” The gentleness, strength, and determination that it takes to work with a horse are attractive qualities in anyone.
“Don’t get used to having me around all the time. And don’t make it too hard for me to leave.”
Heartland Quotes from Tim Fleming
Tim Fleming is Amy and Lou Fleming’s father and Marion Fleming’s ex-husband. As such, his relationship with Jack Bartlett is often filled with contention. Having gone through addiction and various other trials, the show follows Tim’s attempts at healing his fractured relationships. There are several insightful quotes from Tim Fleming that we can include here. Below are three of them.
“One of the great lessons every cowboy learns is no matter what, you gotta get back on the horse.” This is a lesson that Tim Fleming learned the hard way, time and time again. There is often redemption found when one gets back up on that horse.
“Why don’t you come for a ride? There’s nothing like sitting on a horse to help gain some perspective.” Sitting on a horse certainly does quiet the mind, helping the brain to process whatever dilemma it is experiencing.
“Guess what I’m gonna do? Something stupid.” This should be Tim Fleming’s catchphrase.
Additional Heartland Quotes
Of course, Jack, Tim, Amy, and Ty are not the only characters in Heartland. Equestrian TV shows need a great supporting cast, and that is something Heartland has.
Having run for as long as it has, the show has seen the introduction, departure, and recurrence of many characters who have helped breathe life into the series. As for quotes, there are a few more honorable mentions here, courtesy of Georgie Fleming Morris, Caleb Odell, and Victor Whitetail.
“Amy’s mom said, ‘You can’t call yourself a true rider until you’ve fallen off at least 20 times. 19 more to go.’ “ Georgie Fleming Morris. Georgie is the daughter of Lou Fleming (sister of Amy Fleming) and husband Peter Morris. Lou and Peter adopted Georgie, who was in the foster care system and separated from her biological brother after being orphaned as a toddler. Georgie has a natural talent for horses, which leads to her interest and participation in trick riding.
“There is no such thing as death, just a continuation of spirit. A change of worlds. Around the wheel we go.” Victor Whitetail. Victor Whitetail was a good friend – and at one point, romantic interest – of Amy and Lou’s late mother, Marion. Victor Whitetail is a wise man who is good with horses, though having a different approach to them than does Amy. Nevertheless, he helps Amy now and then on the ranch.
“Basically it’s ‘cowboy up or go sit in the truck.’ “ Caleb Odell. After Ty takes a break from the ranch, Jack hires Caleb Odell as his ranch hand. Caleb faces various health, addiction, and romantic trials throughout the series but is determined to find redemption. As this quote reflects, Caleb’s get-through-it attitude is what assists him in finding recovery.
What Is Heartland About?
Heartland is one of my all-time favorite shows, and I’m not alone in that. The Canadian series debuted in 2007 and is still going strong, making it the longest-running hour-long television series in Canadian history.
The show follows sisters Amy and Lou Fleming, who return to their grandfather’s ranch after the death of their mother. While helping their grandfather, Jack Bartlett, with the running of Heartland, they experience various trials and grow together as they face life’s ups and downs.
The show airs on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) but can be viewed on a variety of US-based platforms as well. If you’re in the States, you can watch Heartland on Netflix, Up Faith & Family, Hulu, Pluto TV, Crackle, and Tubi. If you haven’t already given the show Heartland a chance, I highly recommend watching it on one of these platforms.
The Wisdom Of Heartland Quotes
Heartland is known for its wise and insightful characters, led by the infamous Grandpa Jack. A show about family, horses, and working through life’s trials allows the series to relate to just about anyone. It’s an excellent show, proven by how successful the franchise has been, and is appropriate for virtually all ages.
If you haven’t yet checked out Heartland, but you are looking for a wholesome, endearing show that is safe to watch with the whole family, give this show a chance. It will likely pull you in from the very first episode, like it did me, and gets even better with time.
