The Finnish horse

The Finnish horse or "Finnhorse" is the only native horse breed in Finland. It is a lighter coldblooded breed distinguished for it's outstanding constitution, and it is among the fastest and most versatile coldbloods in the world.

The Finnish horse stands between 15-17 hands high. The most common colors are chestnuts and sorrels. They are enduring, hardy, strong muscled horses with good limbs and tough hoofs.

This great horse has as much of inner as outer beauty. They are extremely reliable, honest, willing and very smart. They are most often easily handled, but despite of it's calm disposition the Finnhorse is usually very alert and well spirited. it is the perfect all around horse.

The exact descent of the Finnhorse is unclear. It most likely evolved from some northern European warm and coldblooded breeds. However it's true origin is buried into the midst of the prehistoric unknown.

Some say the breed is over 1000 years old and there is definite evidence, that the Finnish horse existed already back in the middle ages. In 1555 the breed is mentioned in a book about the northern nations, which was written in Latin by a Swedish pope, Olaus Magnus Gothus. The book was published in Rome. The mention of the Finnish horse was: "Equi Finnonici. Bonae qualitatis sunt," which means, that the Finnish horses were of good quality.

The Finnish horse studbook celebrated it's 100 year anniversary last year (2007.) It was started on the 17TH of September 1907 in a small northern Finnish town called Ii. The goal of the pure blooded Finnish horse became a good all around farm horse.

In it's history the Finnhorse's most important job serving man became to defend it's country's freedom and independence at war, and the rebuilding of it's home regions after the declaration of peace. There weren't enough horses for the Finnish army, so the court martial ordered all capable working horses to be collected from farms around Finland for the army's use.

There are heart warming stories of how the survived horses were returned to their owners after the wars were over. They were simply let loose at the appropriate railway stations to find their own way home. And they did!

They returned to farm work until the early 1970's when the machinery slowly took over and the Finnish horses future was threatened. The breed was saved by recreational breeders, who like their fathers found, that their working partner also made an excellent sport horse. And the unbelievably versatile and adaptable breed could take on yet even bigger challenges as harness racing horses as well as all around riding horses.

Today there are about 20,000 Finnish horses in Finland (compare to the 400,000 in 1950) and it's population is slowly increasing with approximately 1000 foals born each year.

About 75% of the Finnish horses are harness racing horses, the rest are used in mounted disciplines such as dressage, show jumping, eventing and endurance racing.

Perhaps because it's rich history and perhaps because of it's great all around qualities, the Finnish horse is very much appreciated and celebrated in Finland.

There are several tributes made for the Finnish horse, books, songs, poems and artwork. The breed has it's own special classes at shows and at harness races.

The Finnish people love this special horse, that gave so much in so many ways for their people and their country.

Horsing around in Finland

During my resent Finland trip I was fortunate to spend a couple of days with a childhood friend of mine, Anu, who competes in show jumping on national level at a "Finnish horse" class. A Finnish horse is a native breed of Finland, and it is so celebrated, that the breed has it's own classes at shows. (Read more about the "Finnhorse" in the previous post.)

The first day, that I visited Anu, she participated in a national competition with her Finnish horse Tahti Tintti "Tiitu" Here they are in action.I was very intrigued to see the competition and I believe a few years back I would have been thrilled about it all together, however now I quickly became shocked of the roughness of some of the riders and quite insensible use of the crop. I could not comprehend that a horse would ever want to go near a jump again after being whipped next to it following a refusal. These are the scenes of the horse world that I grew up around also and sadly it all used to feel normal. Although never have been a very competitive person myself, I still enjoy taking part in shows, but when winning becomes more important, than the relationship between the horse and the rider I cannot appreciate it.

My friend, Anu however did very well breezing through to the second round and taking seventh place (and, by the way, I did not see her whip her horse.) She is an excellent rider and I used to always look up to her. And although we may see things in a bit different light these days, we still had a wonderful time sharing the same passion for horses we both have had since little girls, when we skipped with stick horses through the pines in our backyard. She has taken that passion to the top of show jumping in Finland. As for me, I have turned a new leaf in my horsemanship, that is vast and full of possibilities.

The second day we had a wonderful ride through the forest and galloped up to the top of "Laajavuori" which in winter operates as a ski mountain. The scenery from the top was breathtaking and the ride on the Finnish horse I got to ride, "Hali" was fantastic! The only bummer was, that I wasn't able to carry a camera and take photos, since it poured rain so hard the whole time, that we were soaked through to our underwear when we got back.

Tiitu (on the left) and Hali in their private pasture. Notice the lake on the background. The place was absolutely gorgeous.

On our last week in Finland my friend Kirsi had also organized a trail ride for us in the town of Kuortane (where I was born) at Polestar stable.

Two hours on horseback through the forests and the beautiful Finnish country side with such a great group of people was an unforgettable experience. there were fife of us all together;Virpi and I, my friend Kirsi and another childhood friend of ours, Mia and also our leader, yet another Kirsi, who, as it turned out was an old class mate of Virpi's from grade school. What an interestingly small world.Our leader Kirsi on the very right on her own Finnish horse. Virpi is the second from right on "Fyrry," also a Finnish horse as she had wished. My friend Kirsi in the middle on a very warmblooded "Illi." I'm the second one from the left, on a little German riding pony "myy" who despite all the stable owners warnings behaved like a champ and was in fact quite a pleasurable ride. And My friend Mia on the very right on a Finnish horse "Letti."

We all really had great time and will definitely go back and do it again on our next visit to Finland.Virpi, Mia Kirsi and I.