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.

Horses by Katriina Viljamaa-Rissanen - movement and light

Horses have been an inspiration for many artists. Katriina Viljamaa-Rissanen is one of them.

Aamu-usva, Morning Mist

"I want to tell what our current Finnish horses are like. All represent one of the four different breeding directions.

For me, photography is the first stage of sketching, I throw myself into the trot of horses. As a rider I experience the pace and feel the movement. I read their facial expressions; intentions and spirits. It's pure joy!

Ear postures, fire in their eyes and vibrating nostrils. Movement and light bring rhythm to my work. I tell about the Finnish horse as an individual, lively and wise."

Finnhorse "Huiske" (Whisk, Swinging)

"I have been with horses all my life. We have had horses for over thirty years and I have had a possibility to observe them on a daily basis, as a rider, owner and artist. The anatomy and movements are familiar and watching them free in orchards and pastures has deepend my vision."

Finnhorse "Jytke" (rhythmic thumping)

Finnhorse foal "Lentäjän Poika" (Aviator´s Son)

"Classical drawing is my thing. Visually I´m interested in movement and light."

Finnhorse foal "Raikuli" (endearment word for a "Wild Boy")

"At first I had just Finnhorses, later, as the riding hobby continued, the half bloods as well.

This is my Coco."

Bracelet Naomi by nannasalmi made of Coco´s tail hair and silver.

Thank you, Nanna! The bracelet is even more lovely than I could ever imagine!

I expected a bit more variation in the tones, but you have found such beautiful striping, it´s like a dream.

And so Coco! Sensibility, intelligence and hardness - it´s all in the pattern. Adorable, loveable challenge as a horse.

Metal parts shimmer like square mirrors. The bracelet lives, shines and flashes and hair shimmers so beautifully in light. The refinement of hair you can´t see in a picture, you have to experience it.

Silver was a right choice. My zodiac is Gemini and air and light are the most important elements for me. Silver is space and freedom. So perfectly well designed, composed and woven. 

Thanks and huggs, Katriina

Nanna´s late jackrussellterriers Pauhu (left) and Hauke by Katriina

Katriina Viljamaa-Rissanen

Graduated from the School of Art and Design in 1968.

Specializes in illustrations.

In recent years, a free artist specializing in horses.

Received several illustration prizes, the most significant being the Finnish State Prize and the Rudolf Koivu Prizes.

Works and lives in Lappeenranta, Finland

The source of the text and photos and more about Katriina on her gallery page: galleryhorses.fi

Midsummer Magic

You can always try these... And if you want to make a wish, instead of

"husband" you can wish for a horse - or at least a little pony...

Roll around naked in a wheat field and your future husband will appear in your life
within a year. If you wish to become more beautiful, do it when there´s morning dew...
You can collect dew in cloths and press it into bottles for the year to come.

          "But is there anything - or anybody - better
                                 than a loyal, beloved horse?"

Look for a four-leafed clover from the yard in the evening. Hide it under your shirt,
next to your bosom. By the midnight, let your hair loose and run to the field. Walk
around the field three times. When the person you love will eat bread made out of the
wheat from that specific field, he will fall in love with you.

Collect eight different flowers or herbs. Hideout the bouquet underneath your pillow. 

You will see “the one” in your dream.

Dandelions, daisies and buttercups

In the night, climb up somewhere high – on a hill, on top of a fell or a big rock. Your
future husband will come from the same direction as the first sound of the morning.
If you hear music, it means an approaching wedding.
If you hear a child crying, it is a sign of birth.

                               The mist of the nightless night

Midsummer, the magical time of the midnight sun and meadow flowers.

For these photos we thank Jessica and her beautiful Finnhorses. We think that
in these photos she has beautifully captured the spirit of the midsummer night and
the nature of a Finnhorse, our national treasure.

We wish you all a happy Midsummer Eve!

Read more about Finnish Midsummer:

Midsummer - the best time of the year!

nannasalmi in Facebook:

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Jouhikorut nannasalmi

Happy Independence Day, Finland!

Finland's Independence Day and a flag day, held on the 6th of December to celebrate Finland's declaration of independence from the Russian Republic in 1917.

To keep our independence a Finnhorse has played an important role in all the military conflicts Finland has had. That´s why we want to thank today our war veterans and the Finnhorses.

Ystävämme suomenhevonen / Our friend finnhorse
Official music video here

melody & lyrics in Finnish Suonna Kononen © manus
English translation mm

Where would we be without you,

you with four legs, pale grey mane, wet muzzeled

our friend Finnhorse

Missä olisimmekaan ilman sinua,

sinä nelijalkainen, hallavaharjainen, märkäturpainen

ystävämme suomenhevonen.

I´ve got nothing else in the world:

sky is the ceiling, road is my carpet and the walls are the trees of the forest

and as a friend Finnhorse

Eipä ole mulla maailmassa muita:

on taivahan katto, maantien matto ja seininä metsien puita

ja kaverina suomenhevonen.

With you my grand dad waded the fields,

where the wedge flew, soon flowered oat

here you are - my friend Finnhorse

Sulla ukkini raivasi pellot.

Missä lenteli aura, kohta heilimöi kaura,

ole hyvä, hevonen – ystäväni suomenhevonen.

And when the tanks were roaring in Kannas,

it was freeze, crust of snow - you were more to rely on than the machines

our friend, Finnhorse

Ja kun Kannaksella ryskyivät tankit,

oli pakkanen, hanki – sinä olit konettakin luotettavampi

ystävämme, suomenhevonen.

These villages are getting empty

the roads not ploughed and people getting old

but still there are them - and some horses

Once I leave this world,

this icy, slipery road of my life -

bury me next to my horse

Nämä kylät ovat tyhjiksi käyneet.

Ei aurata teitä ja vanhuus vaivaa jääneitä,

vaan vielä on heitä – ja joku hevonen.

Kun kerran minä erkanen täältä,

tämän maantien päältä, elämäni talvitien liukkaalta jäältä –

haudatkaa mut hevoiseni viereen.

...........................................

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Horsehair Necklace Salinero - given as an unforgettable gift

If the husband has such a wonderful wife and she has had such

a wonderful horse, what would be a better birthday present

than a horse hair necklace made by nannasalmi?

Finnhorse Meijämboik (Our Boy)

We received the tail hair, they were washed and dried and the

shortest once were taken off from the bundle.

Clean, dry, beautiful tail hair

Then Nanna chose the different shades and colors to create the most beautiful pattern.

Ready woven ribbon

Meanwhile the goldsmith does her work. The metal parts of nannasalmi™ 

horsehair jewellery collection are cast with one of the oldest jewellery casters in 

Finland,  K. Raiskinen Oy. They are known for their high quality and their 

respect to the craft traditions.

Each part is hand finished by the goldsmith Marjut Viitala.

Necklace Salinero

The ready item is packed and shipped with the hair left over.

Happy birthday from us too! 

You have a loving and thoughtful husband...

www.horsehairjewellerynannasalmi.com

If you wish to make someone happy, please contact us!

minna.maattanen@nannasalmi.com

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Finnhorse Kullannuppu visiting Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum

Luostarinmäki (Cloister Hill) Handicrafts Museum is an open-air museum in the center of Turku, Finland. As an open-air museum it is even globally exceptionally valuable entity as the buildings in the area are located in their original positions. 

Luostarinmäki is the only area of wooden houses in Turku which remained the Great Fire of Turku in 1827. The museum was opened to the public on 29th of June 1940.

It is one of Finland's nationally significant
cultural environments. 

www.turku.fi

Finnhorse Kullannuppu fits well into the scenery!

There are eighteen wooden blocks, more than thirty wooden houses, built at the end of 1700s and in the early 1800s. Houses are decorated in the pre-industrial urban artisans workshops and homes. During the summer craftsmen work in the workshops so visitors can see traditional crafts.

Museum administrators, guides and artisans are dressed in the old fashioned costumes.

www.turku.fi

www.turku.fi

www.turku.fi

The museum also has it's own post office,
café and two shops. 

In Höökari´s Sundry Shop you can buy old-fashioned sweets and in a museum shop Hantvärkki you can buy handicraft products made by the artisans in the museum.

The museum has been awarded by the tourism writers and journalists of the International Federation F.I.J.E.T. Golden Apple Award in 1984 as the only one in Nordic countries. The award gave Luostarinmäki craftsmen impetus to set up their own guild.

Since 1943 the highlight of the summer has been in August, the celebration of the craftsmen:
about 40 different professional craftsmen come and present their work. Also Kullannuppu spent three days in Luostarinmäki to delight the visitors.

Horses were very important in the old days,
as important as the craftsmen!

She´s so calm that she can be let walk free...

Tourists need maps, Kullannuppu manages without!

During the days she found a quiet corner for having a nap, 

and also a tack shop!

We very much appreciate the old skills are kept alive. 

The more time goes on and all kinds of new things and inventions come out,

the more important it is to remember how it all started.

Finnhorse is our national treasure and we are glad to see how they 

are appreciated nowadays as well.

On the way home.

Well earned!

If you wish to see more of Kullannuppu, read this:

Perfect Finnhorse - Kullannuppu

More about the Finnhorse in general:

Finnhorse - A Loyal Companion

Thank you, Heikki, again, for these wonderful pictures of Kullannuppu.

She is a special treasure as you are a special master and treasure for her...

It´s Always a Miracle - A Foal

Perhaps you remember Hovin Inka? A beautiful Finnhorse mare we have 

written about before?  In May 2015 it was about a Finnhorse in general. We

think she is a perfect example about this horse race:

Finn horse - A Loyal Companion

In February 2016 she showed us what the real winter is - with Finnhorse:

February - The real Winter Month

Now she is a brand new, proud mother!

Tinka´s (Inkan Totinka) father is Vihi-Totti. Mating was performed as an artificial insemination
17 and 19.5. "During the gestation Inka became, if possible, even smoother and easier as she had no more rutting seasons. In the end of gestation she spent a lot of time alone, away from other horses, but toward people she got more cuddly," Juha tells.

This picture was taken in the end of April. She seems to think that it is no time for foaling yet.

"Oh yeah, let it snow... I´ll wait for the better weather..."

After 348 days, 30th of April, Inka started foaling. In only one hour the brand 

new baby was out in the world and standing on her own feet. 

The perfect little horse got a name Tinka.

 (Inkan Totinka)

What a place to start a new life!

"As a mother Inka is calm, confident and gentle. It´s heart warming to see how she shows the world and teaches the small one. She´s not very jealous or over protective, but sometimes she tells the other horses not to come near. With people she is confident and lets us near the foal with no problem."

Juha tells that Tinka is very brave and curious. And super sweet!

This is how it was in the old days. When mom had to start working, the

children followed her in the fields and forests. And for sure they

learned something, too.

Hovin Inka is a working mother. 

Here you can get to know her business better:

www.inkantinki.com

Inkantinki in Facebook

Photos by Sanna and Juha Kujala

Text mm