Finnhorse in a forest work

In many cultures, the horse has always been an important partner in forest work and fields, in Finland, too. The importance of the horse in forest work was emphasized when the forest industry with sawmills and paper mills needed large amounts of wood raw material from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Back in the early 1960s, the timber cut from the forests was almost entirely hauled away by horses. Although tractors started to become more common on farms, agricultural tractors were initially too inefficient for forest work. In the procurement period 1960-1961, there were still around 55,000 horses in forest work in Finland, but in 1970 only 17,300.

Source: Kajaani.fi, Kajaanin museo

Following photos by Tessa Lepistö and Tanja Lundsten

Today they are hardly used at all, but now their use has started to be appreciated again and many manage their own forest with a horse and offer services to others as well.

Finnhorse Tuohivirsu enjoys forest work. He loves it being in the forest and work, and of course he enjoys the company of the team. Tuohivirsu´s owner is Tanja Lundsten.

A horse and winter are a good combination in terms of the well-being of the forest. In Finland the ground freezes to a depth of 20–60 cm on average during the winter months, in the north the depth of frost can be up to 120 cm. The icy ground protects the roots of the trees, and the passage of a horse in the forest does not damage the soil. A horse can also travel through a denser forest than a machine, so when working with a horse there is no need for clearcutting.

Hay for Tuohivirsu...

...and coffee for the rest of the team. "Sootpot coffee" tastes extremely delicious outside by the fire.

"You gave me the very first horsehair jewellery you made from Nitte´s (Nanna´s first horse) and Ogi's tailhair. One was a graduation present and the other as a thank you for Nitte's care. It especially felt and still feels particularly meaningful. Nitte is one of those horses that has been special to me in my life, Tuohivirsu, too."

Teija Ranin, Finland

Thank you, Teija, for your kind words and letting us to see these lovely pictures. We wish you, Tanja and extremely handsome Tuohivirsu many happy working years yet to come!

Follow Tuohivirsu in Facebook or in Instagram, and see more!

"Horse forest work is a suitable alternative for small and sensitive harvesting sites. For example, cultural and historical sites, it is possible to manage ancient remains and urban forests with the help of a horse logger. The harvest mark is really little and horse harvesting does not cause emission or noise problems. The demand for horse forest work will continue to grow in the future."

Thesis, Kirsi Nuutinen: Suomenhevonen metsätyössä (Finnhorse in a forest work) 2011

Forest work in 1950´s, photo from Kainuun museo collection.

And if you wonder what "Tuohivirsu" means: it´s a name for a traditional

Finnish shoe made of birchbark.

Horseshoe - A Good Luck Charm, But Why?

Did you know...

...that an early form of hoof protection was seen in ancient Asia, where horses' hooves were wrapped in rawhide, leather or other materials for both therapeutic purposes and protection from wear.

...that the Romans appeared to have attempted to protect their horses' feet with a strap-on, solid-bottomed "hipposandal" that has a slight resemblance to the modern hoof boot.

...that in 1897 four bronze horse shoes with what are apparently nail holes were found in an Etruscan tomb dated around 400 B.C

...that around 1000 AD, cast bronze horseshoes with nail holes became common in Europe. Common was a design with a scalloped outer rim and six nail holes.

Source Wikipedia

From these it has been a long way to the modern horseshoe. Nowadays horseshoes are available in a wide variety of materials, but also styles, developed for different types of horse and for the work they do.

Horseshoes have traditionally been common lucky charms. You can often see them hanging over the entrance of a home. Horseshoes are thought to bring good luck and protection over the centuries. But why people around the world believe in the luck of the humble horseshoe?

"In the Irish story of the blacksmith and the devil, one day a blacksmith was working hard in his shop forging horseshoes. Suddenly, the devil appeared and demanded his own shoes. The blacksmith, recognizing the devil, took a burning hot shoe and nailed it deep into the devil's hooves. After walking away, the devil was in such excruciating pain, he ripped the horseshoes off and swore he would never go near one again. Thus, the tradition of hanging a horseshoe over the entrance of a house to ward off evil spirits was born."

"Another story has more to do with the metal in the horseshoes. Early Western Europeans believed that iron had magical powers. Iron could drive away evil, and folklore of the time told of many malevolent fairies and mystical creatures. Since horseshoes were made of iron, they kept the badly behaving fairies away. Other legends said that witches were so afraid of iron horseshoes, they traveled on broomsticks instead of on horseback."

Source: people.howstuffworks.com

Horseshoes, like many other goods in our daily use, include both: practicality and beauty. Sometimes we just forget about the beauty of them. In a jewellery, the functional beauty can be very delicate, and can you imagine a better good luck charm for yourself than a ring, bracelet, necklace, tiebar or a plastron needle with your own horse´s tail hair? We bet you can´t!

Ring Artema Star. Also available without stones.

In the nannasalmi collection you find many designs with a horseshoe.

Which one would be your favourite lucky charm?

Bracelet Shoe-shoe, ribbon 6 mm

Bracelet Cedric, ribbon 9 mm

Necklace Salinero, ribbon 6 mm

Necklace Coriano

Plastron needle Max

Tiebar Poco Loco and matching cufflinks

An "everyday good" can become something special. Something fine that brings you good

luck and gives you the possibility to have your horse near you, every day.

Please, visit our website for more details:

www.horsehairjewellerynannasalmi.com

Best Moments with Your Horse (1)

 

Early May morning. It´s quiet, all you hear is birds singing. You walk through the stable yard, gravel snarls under your feet. The sun hasn´t risen yet, but the skyline is already pale pink.

Approaching the stable you hear a friendly neigh. Your horse has recognized your steps and knows what is to come.

A heavy stable door squeaks when you open it. You sense the familiar scents of the stable: hay, manure, leather - and horses. You think that nothing smells as good as a horse. 

You go to greet your horse, give him a little morning hay. But still he must remain in the stall. You head to the tack room first. Your friend is waiting with a basket of a thermos flask full of hot coffee and stuffed breakfast rolls. You drink coffee together, you enjoy the silence of the stable. On the walls saddles and bridles shine cleaned, bits washed and shiny, and you realize that coffee doesn´t taste so good anywhere else. 

Once you have finished your little breakfast, you take the saddles on your arms, bridles to the other hand, and go back to the horses. They are waiting for you vigilantly, ears chortling, eager but calm. 

You brush the horse's sides and back quickly and brush the face a little just for being close. The saddle feels light to get up on the horse’s back. Bridle slips like itself on the head. When the bits snap into place, you hear that familiar sound as metal chinks on the teeth. The horse chews a few times and the bits settle in comfortably. You are ready. 

The hooves clop on the stable floor as you two lead the horses out. Now you get in the saddle and a wonderful, peaceful trek through the dewy meadows and spring-awakening forest begins.

"Moments like this," you think, "I want to cherise in my treasure box of memories."

Worth your memories,

www.horsehairjewellerynannasalmi.com

Any day can be the last one

Every horse owner knows that any day can be the last one.

It goes for horses as well as for us humans.

When going to the stables, you look forward hearing the familiar, friendly neigh.

You know how it feels when a dear friend puts its muzzle against your cheek -

and can´t wait for it.

But one day, suddenly, everything can be different.

For a year we all have read the terrible news about the virus that has no borders or limits.

It´s everywhere. It can choose anyone, no matter if you are young or old.

And now we hear the news from Valencia, Doha and Florida. Riders, grooms and vets say

the same words than the first doctors in Europe a year ago: "It is hell here".

By the time writing this, six horses are reported dead. For sure there is more to come.

There are no words that can comfort those people who have lost their horses.

Any day can be the last one. We all know that. 

It can be a broken leg in the corral. It can be swell. It can be bad laminitis.

It does not have to be very "dramatic", but it´s always a great loss and tragedy for you.

But you can´t start to worry about all that or let worrying thoughts take over,

it would drive you crazy.

What you can do is to enjoy every day you spend with your dearest friend, your horse.

And take the best possible care of it.

And to cherish its wisdom, frienship and love it offers you.

Next time you go to the stables, give your horse a big kiss and an extra apple.

Condolences to those who lost their horses and and many thanks to all those

who have rushed to the rescue, either financially or concretely.

Stay safe, humans and horses.

Pictures pixabay.com

From the Wilderness to be a Top Model

Signed photos by Wojtek Kwiatkowski, others from Ursula´s home album

Luna in the Baroque Horse Magazine. They published a photo of Luna once and later asked Ursula to submit her story of taming her.

Ursula:

I often dreamed of adopting and taming a Mustang. The first time when I was a kid in Germany after watching the movie "Misfits". I used to look at internet adoptions when I lived in England after reading the book "Shy Boy".

Then on this day ten years ago I went to a BLM adoption event, I met some nice Mustangs, watched a gentling demo, met great people and went home with some pamphlets.

I sent a friend request to the TIP trainer that I met there and looked thru her photos......and there she was.

It was love at first sight. A few days later I went back just to look at her, but knew right then and there that I had to have her. That mare had other ideas, but with a lot of patience, time and never giving up this wild horse took me into her heart. ( I can't even type this without tears) 

I named that mare Luna.

She had a colt a few months after she was captured.

Luna and I. Learning to lead.

There was a time when I seriously doubted that I would be able to teach Luna anything.

But she started teaching me.

I am incredibly blessed to have her as my friend.

Ursula, Luna and Stella (borzoi)

Pure love.

• 2018 more than 80,000 horses were shipped out of the U.S. for slaughter.
• Many American cattle ranchers ranch on federal land. Every month they pay the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) a certain amount of money for their cattle to be allowed graze the terrain.
• When the cows feed on the grass, they prevent it from becoming fuel for wildfires.
• Comparatively low feeding cost of cattle and doing business with the government keeps beef costs down for consumers.
• Cattles share the ranges with wild horses.
• Mustangs and burros are protected since 1971 by the federal Bureau of Land Management and there are population limits on cattle herds based on how many horses the land can sustain.

Cattle ranchers don´t like that.

For decades, BLM has rounded up wild horses and burros, aiming to do it every three to five years. In 2018 the bureau removed over 11 000 wild horses and burros nationwide. But the taxpayer-funded corrals and pastures, where horses wait to be sold or adopted, are nearing capacity.

Slaughtering horses for food is illegal in the U.S., but a market exists in Europe, Japan and Russia. This is why brokers called “kill buyers” send trailers full of horses, both wild and domestic, into Mexico and Canada, where slaughter is legal. In 2018 81,573 horses made the trip.

BLM tries to control herd populations through operations known as "gathers". For weeks or months at a time, agents and contractors lure horses to water traps, and chase them with helicopters into temporary pens—six-foot metal fences covered in burlap. The horses are trailered to one of 20 permanent facilities the agency owns around the country. There, the stallions are gelded, and along with the mares, are branded with a freezemark.

Adopters used to pay a $125 fee, but in March 2019 the BLM began paying them $1,000 as an incentive. Adopters get half up front, and receive the rest after BLM checks in, at the end of one year, and finds them to be doing a responsible job. After a year and a day, the adopters can buy the horse, and become his legal owner.

Activists focused on the plight of wild horses beginning in the 1950s, largely due to the crusading efforts of Velma Johnston, better known as "Wild Horse Annie". Johnston convinced Americans that mustangs, which had been set loose on range land as they were replaced by cars and tractors, were national treasures, and that roundups were ruthless and excessive. Congress agreed, and in 1971 passed the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which declared the animals to be “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.”

Summary from the original article by Sam Bloch / The Counter:

"How America’s wild horses end up in slaughterhouses abroad" (link to the original article)

Luna´s little friend, late Carlos, was a rescue pony.

A bracelet Faune was made for Ursula. Here is the ribbon woven for it:

nannasalmi horsehair bracelets

Thank you, Ursula, for sharing your story and these stunning photos with us! Luna and you are a perfect example of power of love, care, patience and trust.

DIY Equestrian Christmas Decoration

Tail hair is beautiful material. 

This year Nanna made some Christmas decorations with horse hair.

It´s easy to make your own, try!

All you need is some tailhair, glass beads, glue and

ribbon of your choice.

The diameter of the circle is 5 cm. For this size you would need

hair strands ca. 20 cm long. There are 35 hair strands.

Tip: 

Pull hair off rather than cut. You can also collect hair strands when grooming

the tail. You will be surprised how small bundle 35 hair strands is!

Thread the beads to hair strands and use a little drop of glue

to keep them in place.

                             "They sparkle beautifully in the

                                                         candle light!"

Tie hair strands together with the chosen ribbon.

Use the colors of your Christmas on the beads and ribbons.

Have a lovely Christmas time!

www.nannasalmi.com

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Sleepover at the Stables

Sometimes it would be nice to stay over night at the stables,
especially if a foal is expected!

Make yourself comfortable in hay, have a good friend along...

But which are the necessities for a long night? 

Warmth!

If you choose pure wool or cashmere you will have a blanket for the rest of your life.
When choosing high quality and timeless patterns you will have a blanket to take 

with you where ever you might need some extra warmth!

Photos and Blankets from Burberry

Light.
Oil lamps or candles are the most ambient, but they would
be an extremely dangerous combination with hay.

LED lantern is a safe choice!
This one by Winsome House you can find in a webshop
www.hayneedle.com

Caffeine.
Tea or coffe with caffeine keep you awake and a good thermo flask

 keeps them warm. Which would be your favourite one?

Top row: Design Ross Lovegrove , Daines & Hathaway 

Below right: Chinese thermo flasks, Alfi Albergo in the middle and

on the left a steel bottle  from airam.fi   

 Food. A lots of food.

The baits are usually the best part of the picnics and sleepovers. Make delicious 

sandwhiches, take nuts and fruits along, not forgetting fresh water. They will keep 

you going all night long. And to avoid the damage the mice might do, 

pack your bait in a basket! This traditional ‘Devon Maund’ picnic hamper is  

handwoven by master basket-weaver Hilary Burns using Devon willow and hazel. 

You´ll find it here: www.thenewcraftsmen.com

For music and a weather forecast - a radio!

Digital Radio Ruark R1 was chosen as a most beautiful radio in the world 

by some magazine. And that´s true, it is very beautiful! 

The radio link will take you to the pages of  a German webshop "Manufactum".

If you prefere classic stuff and high quality, that is your place to shop,

There you find everything from toothbrushes to garden furniture in 

the best possible style and quality.

And here is also something in the best possible style and quality:

Photo Hilary Halliwell

After all-night vigil and excitement it´s time to celebrate new life!

Could you do it any better way than having a glass of champagne with 

hand made truffels? 

This cool horse bit cooler is from The Longest Stay Ltd and

if you wish to make the truffels by yourself, you fnd a recipe from 

the blog Rice&Flour, "Three ways to make truffles".

For the proud mother, of course,  a special treat.

We wish you all a succesfull foaling time and many happy

moments with the newcomers.

P.S. When the tailhair of your foal is long enough, you can have some of it 

woven into one ribbon with it´s mother ´s (and/or father´s) and have a beautiful

keepsake for ever.

Ring Amate in silver, gold or white gold

hand woven ribbon 3 mm

- Hand crafted in Finland, custom made for You -

www.horsehairjewellerynannasalmi.com

Enquieries and orders by email

minna.maattanen@nannasalmi.com