Kristin, a traveller from Australia, visited Kamisak Farm in Finnish Lapland in March 2013 and went for a ride on a finnhorse. You can read more about her adventures around the world in her blog “A Pair of Boots and a Backpack”, linked above.

What comes to mind when you think of animals in Lapland? Reindeer? Huskies? Polar bears (and no, they don’t actually live there)?

One animal I certainly wouldn’t have thought of before I went to Finnish Lapland was the horse. Like the cows that didn’t last very long in Honningsvåg, I thought horses wouldn’t survive in such a tough land, one that wouldn’t provide them with much food in the winter or temperatures that they would be comfortable in.

It turns out that I was very wrong. Finland is actually home to its own breed of horse, the Finnhorse, that is confusingly called a “cold-blooded horse.” No, they haven’t found a way to make a horse that’s not a warm-blooded mammal; in this case “cold-blooded” means that the horses are “muscular, heavy-set horses that are bred to be calm, steady, and patient.” Read more

I have a few ideas in storage, but I would like to hear your suggestions. So please, tell me what would make you click that submit button?

A nicely edited and sporty looking video resume about all kinds of things you can do with a finnhorse. :)

Video by SpiderTiipa

Tuulensuun Sinuhe, photo by Heini Luttinen

The song on the video is “Juokse sinä humma” sung by Tapio Rautavaara. Translation for the lyrics at Lyricstranslate.com:

Intiaani is a splashed white! (photo from the source article at hevosurheilu.fi)

It has been widely argued wether this rare color gene exists in finnhorses or not. Valto Klemola, a scientist who researched color genetics already in the 1930s, said it did, and now his theory has been proved true. Splashed white is said to be extremely rare and wanted color on horses.

There are multiple examples of finnhorses with exceptionally big white markings, both in living horses and in old photos. But still there seems to have been some lack of evidence that wasn’t known until now. The gene test had to wait until 2012. It was made in Davis University in California, and the test showed that this gene is indeed found in the finnhorse.

The horse that was tested is called Intiaani. She was tested for splashed white and sabino genes. Sabino test came out negative, but the current gene technology can only find one of the many mutations that gives the sabino coloring, so she might be a carrier of some other mutation. Intiaani is a heterozygous splashed white, which means that she got it from either her sire Turtuma or dam R.R. Vilma.

“Hevonen” by Viivi Huuskonen available at the Blurb Bookstore.

Just to inform and celebrate, since I can’t help but be excited about this. It’s a milestone! My first book!

“Hevonen” (horse) is my self-initiated college project. It’s a 20-page book with hard image wrap cover. I made the first order of these books for my friends and family, and got them a few days ago.

I can assure you it’s a quality print job, and I’m very happy with it. The poem I wrote and illustrated for the book is my ode for the horse, a way of showing my thankfulness for everything they have taught me during the years.

You can see the book on e-preview at the Blurb Bookstore. The bookstore price is 32.89€ or 38.24$.

For now it’s only available in Finnish, but here’s a translation of the poem:

“The Horse

They say that you live in a moment
but you have the knowledge of a thousand years in you
from this life and the past.

You carry the weight of the world
silently, without complain.

One earns respect only then
when he stops asking for it
you have taught me that
through countless mistakes.

When I’m telling others about you
I tell more about myself
what I am and what I would like to be.

You show me what I am.
Thank you, my friend, the horse.”

Samantha wrote another great post to her Haynet blog in March 10th, (when the British celebrate Mother’s Day) thanking all those horsey mums who support their children and their horses and ponies over years. Many great horse people stories wouldn’t have had a chance to begin if those parents would have said no to their child’s wish to start riding lessons. in Finland we celebrate Mother’s Day on second Sunday of May.

There are also the mothers out there that do not have the funds or the interest in horses to bring riding to their children to this level, but they find money for riding lessons or sharing a pony. I am not from a horsey family at all, but my mum did pay for me, every week as a child to have lessons at the local riding school. They were still expensive in those days but she enabled me to ride and this is how my love for horses started. This paved the way for me to become involved with horses and without those lessons I am sure I would not have the horse bug that has been with me since those childhood riding school days. (Samantha)

Wood anemone, traditional gift on mother’s day. Photo by Artem Topchiy/Wikimedia Commons

There are many stories like this, including mine. My parents always wondered where did that horse bug come from to bite me, since they had no interest in horses whatsoever.

But my mum let me do it, later on granted my wish of a pony and looking back that must be the best thing that ever happened to me. Every child should have an opportunity to get in touch with animals, and in my opinion having a pony or horse is far from spoiling your child if they learn the right attitude towards life from them: respect, facing ups and downs in life, hard work, coping the pain that is inevitable, yet living one day at a time and most of all, never giving up. And they get plenty of fresh air and exercise while learning these important life lessons, too.

Priori, photo by Heini Luttinen