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.