Archive for December, 2011
Blog Statistics of 2011
Posted by viivihoo in Statistics, contests & other on 31.12.2011
I just love making these. I am still working on learning how to take screenshots on Linux and crop them in GIMP… :D
First up, statistics from National Treasure’s previous host, Vuodatus.net (I moved the blog to WordPress in May 2011). The blog still gets quite many hits although it has not been updated since spring..
Altogether (until December 31st 2011 around 1pm)
1820 visits from 1766 different visitors from 47 different countries (unkown countries are count as one).
1. Finland (1219) 2. United States (152) 3. Unknown (73) 4. Germany (54) 5. Russia (37)
And here are the statistics of monthly visitor statistics from WordPress:
I’m impressed! Since May 2011 there have been 2 838 page views, 90 a day at best (on November 2nd).
The Flag Counter was registered 22nd of November and has already collected 34 flags (two of which unknown).
Top visitors are still the Finns, but USA, Netherlands, Sweden and UK made it to the top 5. :)
I just want to thank all the visitors, commentators and likes on FB, Twitter and WordPress. This encourages me to write even more to know that there actually are interested people to read them. I would be honored if you recommended this site also to your friends, and feel free to comment or rate the posts you like, so I know what you want to see more here.
Have a happy year 2012 all you finnhorse lovers out there! :)
Horse vs. tractor
Posted by viivihoo in Work horse on 27.12.2011
Hevonen kyntökisassa traktoreita vastaan (Tyohevosharrastajat.net 2010) translated, all photos from the original article
Uuras, Siru and Tanja plowed well, though their speed was not as fierce as the Valmet on the neighbouring strip.
The tractor plowing championship competition was held 24th to 25th of September,2010 in Mäntsälä. On this event’s first day probably the most audience-attractive competition took place – a horse vs. tractor plowing contest! In this playful-spirited event a finnhorse, a 1959 Valmet and a 300 horse-powered Fendt tractor (the hottest, newest, biggest there is probably :D) all got their strips of field to plow.
The contestants in line hearing the rules.
The jury judged the performances in many aspects, for example exploitation of biofuel, emissions, dressing, the best team cheers and also the audience’s encouragement’s loudness. These judging methods were also able to change during the contest. After “tough thinking” the jury ended up to declare the contest a tie. ;)
The 2010 horse plowing contest’s silver medalist Uuras represented the genuine horse power, with owner Tanja Lundsten holding the reins and Siru Saarinen working with the plow.
There was also a chance for the audience to try plowing with a finnhorse. On the first event day gelding Uuras and second day the three-time horse plowing champion, mare Napsukka and her three months old colt Napsaus. Same horses also took people for a traditional carriage drives.
Saturday’s horse plowing exhibitioners, mare Napsukka, foal Napsaus, Eeva-Liisa Pitkänen & Reijo Nieminen (plow)
Carriage driving was popular. Tying the foal to his mother’s harness is a traditional way to accustom young horses to be walked in halter and later on to harness them. The mare is also much calmer when she has her foal by her side.
Stars’ Stable: Santeri Dahlia
Posted by viivihoo in Harness racing, Stars' stable on 26.12.2011
From Tähtien Talli/Santeri Dahlia
Stallion Santeri Dahlia won the trotting king race three times in 2001, 2002 and 2005. What makes these winnings exceptional, was that he never lost none of the part-races. He also took the Suur-Hollola race to his name in 2002. He became known by the public at latest in 1999, when he placed 2nd in the Derby. Santeri Dahlia’s strength was his merciless physics, which usually turned the final spurt fights to his advantage.
A horse can be nominated to Stars’ Stable (Tähtien Talli) for outstandingly good performances in the trotting races. So far 8 warmblooded trotters and 8 finnhorses have been nominated. See them all at Hippos.fi / Tähtien talli
Happy Tapaninpäivä!
Posted by viivihoo in Art & Culture on 26.12.2011
Photo by smerikal
St. Stephen is known as the first Christian martyr and the patron saint of horses. In northern countries the December 26th has been celebrated as the day of horses and horsemen. In Finland it was a custom of men to feast in the stable, to gain good luck with horses for the next year. The feast honoured Talli-Tapani (“Stable-Stephen”), the lord of horses. This is how St. Stefanos was fit to Finnish folk culture. A crucial part of the Tapani celebration was to have a leisure drive with the horses, which often included racing through the village. This served also as an opportunity to visit the relatives and neighbours.
Nowadays the Tapani celebration is not as big as it used to, but the horse people still honour their horses this day (even more than usual) and it is still common to go for a Tapani drive (with a sleigh if possible) or ride, and of course, if possible, with a flaxen-mained finnhorse at best.
Saint Stephen (en.wikipedia.org)
Tapaninpäivä (fi.wikipedia.org)
Rusko, lady of the house
Posted by viivihoo in Art & Culture on 25.12.2011
Rusko-tamma pyrkii taloon Ranualla (YLE Lappi 28.11.2011, free translation)
^click to see more photos and a 2-min video of Rusko :)
Rusko comes inside the house if the front door just happens to be unlocked. Photo from Yle.fi
Rusko, a finnhorse mare is a beloved pet of Olli Poikela. Father of four sons, Olli has now lived by himself in a house at Peurajärvi, Ranua, Lapland. Besides the 20-year-old Rusko he has two dogs and ten sheep on the farm.
Helper and good company
Rusko was bought to serve as a riding horse for Olli’s sons, but has already retired from it. Now her job is to keep the yard’s grass short. She likes to also help in other chores too, including getting firewood to the house.
- She follows me as I go to the shed, and helps me, takes wood to the wheelbarrow in her teeth and so on. She is also quite hungry for attention. If I have guests at home, she comes to stand in the lobby and if she feels like no one is paying attention to her, she might grab a shoe and throw it on the wall.
Lady of the house
…means Rusko.
- Maybe she thinks that since I come inside the house, she should do it too. Of course it is easy when the door is open, but she also opens it herself if necessary. If I don’t want Rusko inside, I have to lock the door. That’s why the doorhandle looks so chewed, smiles Poikela.
Despite of her size, Rusko has never broken a thing inside. Getting outside is not a problem neither, she backs out gently. This smart horse sure knows how to get her snacks. Carrots and dark bread are her favourites, tells Poikela.
Original article by YLE Lappi / Raimo Torikka
Merry Christmas!
Posted by viivihoo in Statistics, contests & other on 24.12.2011
Snow is an important part of Finnish Christmas -the best it shows when the sun is shining and temperature goes just a few degrees below zero. Starring Karu Usva. :)
Photo by Peppi-Emilia Salmi
Christmas Calendar day 23: Foal
Posted by viivihoo in Breeding & pedigrees, Statistics, contests & other on 23.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 22: Tutuari
Posted by viivihoo in Harness racing, Statistics, contests & other on 22.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 21: Vieno-Kaneli
Posted by viivihoo in Pony-sized horses, Statistics, contests & other on 21.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 20: A.T. Unikuva
Posted by viivihoo in Pony-sized horses, Riding, Statistics, contests & other on 20.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 19: Tähti Pirteä
Posted by viivihoo in Statistics, contests & other on 19.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 18: Dallidens Vimma
Posted by viivihoo in Pony-sized horses, Statistics, contests & other on 18.12.2011
Christmas Calendar day 17
Posted by viivihoo in Breeding & pedigrees on 17.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 16: Linkker
Posted by viivihoo in Riding, Statistics, contests & other on 16.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 15: Hilokki
Posted by viivihoo in Riding, Statistics, contests & other on 15.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 14: Tsipulis
Posted by viivihoo in Harness racing, Statistics, contests & other on 14.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 13: E.V. Jovankka
Posted by viivihoo in Pony-sized horses, Statistics, contests & other on 13.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 12: Jaiku
Posted by viivihoo in Riding, Statistics, contests & other on 12.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 11: Sun Helmi
Posted by viivihoo in Statistics, contests & other on 11.12.2011
Christmas calendar day 10: mother’s pride
Posted by viivihoo in Breeding & pedigrees, Statistics, contests & other on 10.12.2011
Christmas Calendar day 9: Elmina
Posted by viivihoo in Riding, Statistics, contests & other on 9.12.2011
Christmas Calendar day 8: a nice pair
Posted by viivihoo in Riding, Statistics, contests & other on 8.12.2011
Finnhorses from Hessi-talli at the trotting championships races. They brought the winning horses’ owners, trainers etc. to the winner’s circle from the stable area and also lead the parades.
Photo by Viivi Huuskonen
Christmas calendar day 7: Tähen Ponkaus
Posted by viivihoo in Harness racing, Statistics, contests & other on 7.12.2011
Christmas Calendar day 6: leaving for war
Posted by viivihoo in Statistics, contests & other, Work horse on 6.12.2011
The sixth of December is Finland’s independence day. Finland was announced independent in 1917 after fighting for years, and yet more was to come in 1939-45. Finnish independence day is not very wildly celebrated, it’s more about honour for the veterans of our wars and thanking them. Tuntematon Sotilas movie plays on TV every independence day and for many people it’s a tradition to watch it annually.
Us horse people, beside the veterans, remember also the work finnhorses did on our wars. They were the heart and the legs of the cavalry, the food suppliers, they brought the injured back home and pulled the canoons to their positions. They were irreplaceable helpers that served honestly even under the most horrible circumstances one could imagine. Hopefully anyone won’t have to experience that ever again.
Horses and carriages requisitioned in the mobilization before Winter War.
Photo from Wikimedia commons
Stars’ Stable: Viesker
Posted by viivihoo in Harness racing, Stars' stable on 6.12.2011
Viesker won the trotter king’s title five years in a row 1996-2000. Viesker still holds the Finnish record of a one-mile group race 1.19,9a. The record was made in Mikkeli 23th of July 2002.
When he raced at homeland, Viesker was often so overpowered even in advance, that the others were racing mostly for the second place behind him. Perhaps his biggest achievement was winning the Elitkampen race in Sweden in 2000, when he even had the time to gallop once before he strafed pass the Norwegian and Swedish coldbloods, who were considered to make a fool out of finnhorses. The winning time was 1.20,2. He made two world records in his name during his career.
It’s no wonder that Viesker has been a popular stud as well. He already has over 1000 foals progeny and is still standing in stud.
A horse can be nominated to Stars’ Stable (Tähtien Talli) for outstandingly good performances in the trotting races. So far 8 warmblooded trotters and 8 finnhorses have been nominated. See them all at Hippos.fi / Tähtien talli
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