“As far as that level of competition goes, Alisha doesn't share her character's lofty goals, but does love participating in competitive jumping on Diva when she has the time, and someday would love to manage her own therapeutic riding organization.
She encourages horse lovers to get involved with them any way they can if owning their own horse is not possible.
"After several years on Heartland, I still couldn't afford to own a horse so I volunteered at a barn in Alberta and mucked stables. Once in a while, one of the owners would ask me if I wanted to ride their horse, so I got into the saddle that way. It wasn't glamorous, but I was able to build relationships with those horses and the people there."
Alisha has spent 15 of her 20 years around horses, and strongly believes that they're such a great learning experience - whether she's just sitting and observing their habits and personalities, or simply watching her friends ride. As she revealed to COWGIRL; "What I enjoy most about working with horses is that it's never the same. No matter how long you are around them, or what style you are riding, you are always learning new things and always evolving."
As far as what the future holds for this young talent, Alisha hopes to direct and produce a feature film before she's 30, and has already started the process by directing the short film Star Gaze, focusing on how young people process change, inspired by the time of COVID. Outside of work, she has aspirations as well, stating "I'd love to have my own little farm with horses, chicken, and even a pig!"
Actress and equestrian Alisha Newton from the hit series "Heartland" shares her personal experiences and views on mental health.
How has Covid affected your personal life and what do you do to cope with its challenges?
The pandemic has had a major impact on my personal life and mental health. This past year has been one of the hardest years of my life. I am grateful for the support system I've created that's helped me get through it. I attend therapy and try to practice self-care as a top priority in order to cope with these crazy times. One of the hardest things about the pandemic for me has been not being able to see my friends. Most of my friends live in far away places and I used to rely on travelling to be able to visit them and maintain those connections. It's been really tough not being able to visit them. I've been trying my best to FaceTime and keep up with my best friends as much as possible.
How has your schedule as an actress been affected by Covid? Do you have any upcoming projects?
It actually completely shut down a project that I was filming last spring but luckily the production was able to resume this winter. I was filming a 'Guest Star' role on a new drama/sci-fi series for NBC called 'Debris'. It will air on March 1st. We also had to delay the filming of an Independent film that I produced and starred in called 'Stargazed'. As a producer it definitely presented with many new challenges but we managed to complete the project and hope to start submitting it for film festivals later this year. It's actually a very timely film that tackles the current uncertainty of the world. Our story follows high schoolers weighed down by the fear of the future losing themselves in a whirlpool of a graduation party to ignore their anxieties... also, the world is ending. It's a metaphor for how when a chapter in life ends it can feel like your entire world is ending.
Covid also affected Heartland and delayed the start of season 14 by a couple of months. It has also had an effect on the number of opportunities or auditions for a while now. Luckily things are slowly starting to pick up as productions learn how to cope in the 'new norm'.
What's your best advice to teens struggling with their mental health?
My best advice to teens struggling with mental health is to reach out for help. I've struggled with mental health over the years and my support system is what's gotten me through it. I would also highly recommend therapy to anyone. Not just for when you're going through a rough patch. I maintain my therapy sessions even when I'm feeling my best.
How did you get into show jumping?
I've been riding horses since I was two years old with my grandma. I didn't start show jumping until I was about 10 years old. I started taking English riding lessons when I joined the set of Heartland and fell in love with the precision of the discipline. I started competing a year after and bought my first horse when I was 14. Horses are still a very important part of my life even though I don't compete or ride as often anymore. The best times in my life have been on a horse.
What has been your favourite memory working on the set of Heartland?
I don't know if I can pinpoint one specific memory on set. But I will say that I am incredibly grateful for what the show has taught me. Over the years I have learned countless lessons from the animals on our show, the wranglers, the crew, and our cast. I've built some of my most cherished relationships on Heartland and learned some of the most integral life lessons from my peers on that show.
What kind of things do you do to calm your nerves while performing?
I don't typically get a lot of nerves while filming. Since I've been acting for such a long time it comes fairly naturally to me now. I do however get anxious when going into an audition room. To keep myself calm I focus on my breathing and try to focus on what I'm doing as opposed to the anxiety I'm feeling. I try to remember that the nerves I'm feeling are a good thing and keep in mind that I'm doing what I love most.
What advice can you offer for aspiring young actors?
To aspiring young actors, I advise you to never stop learning. Take as many classes as you can, and ask as many questions as possible. Never be afraid to ask questions. Success comes from hard work and dedication. Many believe that the film industry and the success of actors comes from lucky and this is just untrue. If you apply yourself and believe that you can do it, you will get there and you will succeed.
What challenges have you faced in your career or life, and how have you overcome them?
Growing up in the public eye and growing up as a working actor has come with many challenges. I did not have a normal childhood. I worked over 60 hour weeks when you include school, which made it hard to find time for a social life. I did not have many friends growing up and I still do not have many friends. I felt I was forced to mature a lot faster than other kids my age which made it hard to connect with people unless they were much older than me. Throughout my childhood I was surrounded by adults, so these are the people I've always gotten along best with. Other challenges that came with working on set were being away from home for months at a time. This was really hard on me and was a source of stress for a long time. I actually lost half of my hair a few years ago due to the tremendous stress and pressure I was under. It made me realize the importance of prioritizing self-care. And I don't mean the frilly cute side of self-care like bath bombs and face masks. I mean taking the time to get to know yourself and asking for help and taking a break when you need it.
What's at the very top of your bucket list?
Something at the very top of my bucket list is travelling to my favourite places. Specifically, I've always wanted to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia. Many people think that's an odd choice for a dream destination. I've always been obsessed with the history there and the architecture is so beautiful.
If you could play any other character on Heartland for just one episode, who would you choose?
If I could play another character on Heartland it would probably be Tim Fleming. I think he is one of the most complex characters on the show and it would be really fun to dive into that. I also really admire Chris Potter as an actor. I believe he's one of the most talented actors I've ever met so I'd take any opportunity to learn more from him.
How do you practice gratitude and stay so humble?
Gratitude has proven to be one of the most important tools I've used to get through this year. I believe gratitude is one of the most important things to practice daily. It keeps you humble and encourages positivity in your life. You can always find something to be grateful for. This year has made me realize how grateful I am for so many things in my life.
What do you do to overcome lack of motivation?
Something I found helpful when trying to overcome lack of motivation is counting. I know that sounds so silly and simple but it really works. Counting to three before I do something has helped me a lot. For example, I could be laying in bed not wanting to get up, not wanting to work out, not wanting to start my day. To get myself going I will count to three and on three I will get up. Even if I don't know what I'm going to do, on three I will get out of my bed and do something, anything.
What's your number one beauty/self-care tip?
My number one self-care tip is to wash your pillowcase. I feel like people don't talk about this enough. You should be washing your pillowcase once a week MINIMUM.
You lay on your pillow every night. Give yourself a fresh place to rest your head an a clean surface for your face. It feels nice and your skin will thank you. Fresh sheets in general I find always make me feel better. But specifically washing your pillowcase is important.
What is the one word that describes you best?
One word that best describes me is probably the word emotional. Many people think being emotional is a negative thing, but I think being emotionally aware is very important. I'm a very emotional person and I feel things very deeply. I'm grateful for this even though it can be draining sometimes. I feel that being an emotional person is what allows me to build such deep connections with my peers and it has helped me so much with my career. Emotional intelligence is very important to me.
Have you ever struggled with mental health, and if so, how did you overcome your challenges?
I've struggled with depression and anxiety for many years of my life, the pandemic has definitely made it more challenging to take care of my mental health. This past year has been really difficult so I'm trying my best to make time for myself and reach out to my friends and family when I'm feeling unwell.
Therapy has likely been my most valuable tool this past year. I'm so grateful for the valuable tools my therapist has provided me with to cope with anxiety or harmful thoughts. Some days are better than others, but overall I am proud of the place I am in right now mentally.
Some things that have helped me overcome this year's challenges have been maintaining a healthy routine, attending therapy, going on long walks in the forest with my dog, and reaching out to the people I love when I feel like I need help.
