Heart warming

When our clients order a piece of jewellery, we often hear lovely and touching stories about the relationship between our customer and her/his horse and their shared journey. So in this case too! 

Krista received a bracelet Puella Star as a gift from her mother. The ribbon is woven of tail hair of her late Ferrari. We got a wonderful story from Krista about her and Ferrari's time together and, of course, these stunning pictures, as she is a professional photographer.

"Ferrari and I traveled together for more than sixteen years. That's more than a half of my life so far. Though losing the one you love the most leaves behind a daily sadness, I will be forever happy for the special time we had together.

Sometimes, perhaps by chance, two souls who are lost in their lives meet, grow a support net which supports each other out of their incompleteness, and create a healing bond of trust that reaches the ends of the earth."

"As we grew together I learned a lot not only about horses, but also about myself. Ferrari showed me the strength dormant in my own sensitivity and showed me how a whisper can be louder than a shout. During our walks together I used to whisper to Ferrari that it was the finest horse in the world, my most precious treasure and a dream come true - more than I could have ever asked for."

"Though we no longer hike along the paths of this world, I will always have my own treasure with me. Grateful for our unique journey I can now wear the touch of Ferrari on my skin in the form of a bracelet and feel that my loved one is still close to me."

"With her perfectly developed hand skills Nanna was able to capture the most characteristic and authentic parts of Ferrari in a beautiful creation. I am particularly impressed by the similarity between the ribbon and Ferrari. Knowing Nanna's professionalism, I expected nothing less - all my wishes regarding the details of the jewelry came true. The sparkling heart gives a perfect finishing touch, and  diamonds' vivid shimmer reminds me of the twinkle in the corner of Ferrari's eye." 

- Krista Kuusela, Finland -

Photos by Krista Kuusela, all rights reserved.

If you, too, wish to have the most valuable piece in your jewellery collection, proceed as follows: 

1) Contact us and tell us which item you would like. In the reply mail you will receive detailed instructions, e.g. about the amount and length of hair strands needed, and of course the answers to your questions.

2) After we have received the hair strands, Nanna has checked them and all the details related to your order have been agreed, we will send you an invoice by email. Once the invoice has been paid your jewellery will begin to be manufactured. Delivery time is 3-4 weeks.

 3) When the jewellery is ready, we will contact you again. You will receive your item as a courier delivery or a registered mail and get a tracking code. 

Send e-mail to minna.maattanen@nannasalmi.com or use contact form on our website. 

Feel free to explore the jewellery models and choose the one you like best! Please note that nannasalmi rings are very massive. They are convex on the inside and have raised edges that protect the band. In this way the most valuable part of the jewellery, the woven ribbon, is best protected from hits and abrasion.

www.horsehairjewellerynannasalmi.com

Estonian Draft

The Estonian Draft or Eston-Arden (Estonian: Eesti raskeveohobune) is a breed of
draft horse developed in Estonia. They were developed from a cross of Estonian Native
horses and Swedish Ardennes and officially recognized by the Estonian government in 1953. Population numbers have decreased since the early 1990s and today inbreeding is of significant concern and the breed is considered to be endangered by the Estonian government.

Where is Estonia? Look here in a MAP

Estonian Drafts are large, relatively heavy. 

They are notably good looking, upright and express power. The horses have spacious, good movements. The body is rectangular, neck is strong and muscular. Hindquarters are broad and round. The head is well-proportioned, expressive and their eyes are friendly. Estonian Drafts are generally bay or chestnut in color. Height 158-175cm.

Estonian Drafts are very energetic and healthy, cooperative and docile, brave, intelligent, social and benevolent. They can be used as well as working horses as "hobby horses"of the whole family.

Sources

Wikipedia

The Finnish Society of Estonian Drafts

Kristina had dreamed about a draft horse for a long time. She had considered an Irish Cob (Tinker) as well but when she found this beautiful, young stud in Finland, she decided to have him. Viking isn´t even one year old yet and alraedy such a handsome boy.

(By the way - do you know why are the Irish Cobs called "Tinkers"?
Read the answer in the end!)

"I find these rather rare breeds interesting. I also have a Yakutian Horse", Kristina says. "These breeds are worth treasuring and as cold blood horses they are calm, easy to handle, friendly and versatile in use. I attend to drive and ride Viking in the future".

Viking spends his days in a corral with a Shetland Pony "Justus". Justus is very young, too, only two years old. Although he is also a stud and a teaser who likes to be in the center of attention, these two get along very well.

"I think my little pack is now perfect."

Well, Kristina, like we all know, there is nothing as imperfect as perfect... We´ll wait and see what kind of horse moves to you next!

If you wish to read more about Yakutian Horses, click here: Yakutian Horse, a gutsy survivor

And then the answer to the question Why are the Irish Cobs called "Tinkers"?

Tinker, Gypsy Vanner - these names come from the times when travelers used these horses to pull their wagons and many of them where tin smiths by profession. The Irish term is "tinceard".

Thank you, Kristina, for letting us know Viking and Justus.
We wish you all all the best and good times working together!

Yakut Horse - A Gutsy Survivor

We all have seen all kinds of horses, but last weekend, in Helsinki Horse Fair,
we saw something new... A small, beautiful brown horse, Yakut horse.

There he was, charming every one!

First question was: "where on Earth is Yakutia?"

Yakutia is in northeast Asia. It covers 20 % of Russia and it´s four times as big as France. The country has only about 1 000 000 inhabitants. Over 70% of acreage is mountain range
and the highest point is Mountain Pobeda, 3 147 m. Climate is continental and it´s coldest
area of Siberia. Winters are long and hard, summers short and hot. In Yakutia you get everything between -50° C and +40° C.

There is tundra and taiga, polar nights and light summer nights. In Yakutia you find endless steppes, enormous wasteland and huge rivers. Yakutian lakes are full of fish, forests full of berries and wild animals. To survive in Yakutian wilderness, the animals have to stand extreme cold - buffalos and these unique horses can - and they know how to find food under ice and snow.

See more pictures in www.capitalbay.news

Yakut horse looks a lot like Mongolian, Icelandic or Przewalski's horse. Finnhorses are also related to this breed. In Yakutia the horses live wild but also domesticated. They are used for transportation, riding and producing milk and meat.

Yakut horses are gutsy and tough and they can be ridden earlier than "ordinary" horses. They don´t wear shoes and their wintercoat can be 10 cm long. Height is about 140 cm but even if they are that small, they can carry a man. They have four gaits: gait, trot and gallop. Yakut horses are not suitable for dressage or showjumping because of their size and build, but they are a perfect companion for trail riding, no matter what kind of conditions. They are kind, cool and meek but a bit stubborn.

There are not too many Yakut horses outside of Russia. In Helsinki we met the lucky lady, Kristina Mäkäläinen, who had brought her three year old stallion, Zardon, to the show.

"My father comes from Tiksi. It´s a small town in Yakutia, on the coast of the Arctic Ocean. When I was a child my father told me about these extraordinary horses", Kristina remembers.
"He told that the horses lived on their own, wild. He also said that usually the horses  werewhite or yellow and he, as a small boy, wore boots made of horse leather. It all sounded
so fascinating, exotic and exciting..."

"Since I was a child I´ve been dreaming of having a Yakut horse... A friend of mine had the same dream and then came a day we decided to look for ones and bring them to Finland! Bringing horses from Siberia to Finland would have been very expensive and complicated,
but we were lucky enough to find a breeder near Moscow."

"We brought four horses with us: mares Myshka, Zolodinka and Fialka and the stallion
Zardon. Buying and bringing horses from Moscow to Finland was quite an experience, but next time we will go all the way to beautiful Yakutia..."

Zardon is the only Yakut stallion in Finland. He´s still young, only three years old.

He lives at the stables in Espoo, Nupuri.
Nupurin Hevosvaellus in Facebook
www.nupurinhevosvaellus.fi

"Zardon is the `dear boy´ in our family. He is the only stallion in the herd
and considers himself as the `BOSS´", Kristina says laughing.

Myshka lives now in Lapland: 

Siberia - Arctic Horses

At this stable they organize trek riding with arctic horses

and husky safaris.

It was fantastic to meet you, Kristina and Zardon!
Hopefully we´ll meet again...

Read more about the Yakutian Horse Breeders:
One of toughest jobs in Yakutia, Russia’s Siberia

Finnhorse - Winter Horse

There is always, I mean always, something to complain about the weather.

In summer it is too hot or cold or raining too much. If it´s not raining, it´s 

not raining enough and it is too dry.

Spring does not come quick enough and it´s wet and cloudy. During

the night it gets so cold that in the morning it´s slippery and icy. You don´t

know how to dress up: it´s really, really cold in the morning and during the

day time the sun warms ( = heats) you up.

Autumn sucks as well. It´s dark, cold and wet and everybody is just

waiting for a two weeks holiday in the sun and Christmas and the first snow

that brightens up our lives.

And then - winter. The worst season ever! 

First it does not come in time. The autumns are getting longer and longer,

wetter and wetter and so, so dark. Then when it comes, it comes over night:

we get 20 cm of snow and - 20 C. Who can take that?

Well - a Finnhorse can!

They don´t mind. Winter, ice and snow

seem to be their elements!

We should stop complaining and get dressed! If you can still

move yourself with all that gear, get on the back 

of your horse and enjoy!

We keep forgetting that we should be grateful for the possibility

of various winter sports with horses! We have fields, forests

and frozen lakes to do all kinds of things with them.

Imagine yourself in a snowy, quiet forest on a warm horseback.

If you like speed get on the skis and let the horse and rider pull you!

Take a carriage or the sledge and let the horse enjoy working...

If you want to enjoy winter with horses, welcome to Finland!

#blackandwhite #horsehairjewellery

photos Peppi-Emilia Salmi

text mm

Europa from Brazil

Hi Nanna,

On November 29 we held a retirement ceremony for Europa. She will now be retired at our small farm where she will enjoy a stress-free life!

For the past 23 years she has won more state and national titles than we can remeber and is, until today, the horse who has won most titles in Brazil! I couldn't help but wear my treasured ring as another way of honoring her today and forever....

So here is a photograph for you - thank you for being a part of our story!

Adriana

We would like to thank Adriana for choosing nannasalmi ring Coco and wish

many happy years for Europa!

Ring Coco

Silver - cubic zircons 4 x 2 mm Gold and white gold - diamonds 4 x 0,03ct White gold 2660 € - diamonds 4 x 0,03ct Total width 8,8 mm Ribbon 6 mm Hair strands needed 80 pcs, minimum length 50 cm (20”)

Enquiries and orders by email

minna.maattanen@nannasalmi.com

nannasalmi rings

www.horsehairjewelleryannasalmi.com 

Iceland Horse - The Breed Of Fire And Ice

Iceland horse is one of the most exceptional horse breeds. They are original and pure, small but strong and sure-footed. They have one "extra" gait, a tolt, and if you ever rode one, you know that it is very comfortable.

Like most cold blood breeds Iceland horses are calm, independent and very, very charming.

Iceland horse is one of the eldest horse breeds and represent the closest link to the early domesticated horses. They were brought to Iceland in the years 874 - 930 by the vikings who settled on the island.

Embroidered cloth made in England in the 1070s

As the Vikings traveled the Atlantic Ocean in open, small rowboats, transporting horses was not easy. They brought the lot they needed and since then there have been no horses imported in Iceland.

Before the motor engines, for centuries, the Iceland horse carried people, goods, mail, building materials etc. The Iceland horse was a very important part of the culture and the religion, too. The Viking God Odin was a horseman and rode Sleipnir, a horse with eight feet.

Odin riding Sleipnir - an 18th century Icelandic manuscript

Nowadays a horse back riding is a very popular sport and hobby in Iceland. Although it´s not possible to import horses in Iceland, thank God, they can be exported and it is possible to ride and have them in many other countries, too.

Icelandic horses can be kept outside all year through. They have a thick fur coat and they are used to hard weather conditions. There are stables built in Iceland, and the riding horses are kept in them. Breeding horses and young ones stay out all year.

Gigja Einarsdottir is an Icelandic Photographer who was born and raised with the Iceland horses. She captures the nature of the horses and the beautiful landscape of Iceland so that you immediately see the connection between the breed and nature. We hope you enjoy her talent.

(Click the pictures to see them bigger)

To see more:
Gigja Einarsdottir in Flickr
Horses, horses, horses... Worth visiting!

www.gigjaeinars.com
All kinds of photographs from Gigja Einarsdottir

Follow in Facebook
Gigja Einars Photography

Blog
Iceland Horses Photography

Some of our Island horse "customers" photographed by their owners:

Learn more about the Icelandic horse: 

www.icelandhorse.org

Finnhorse - A Loyal Companion

"The Finnhorse originates from the Northern European domestic horses. The Finnhorse 

is the only native horse breed in Finland. There are about 20 000 Finnhorses, which 

amounts to 25 per cent of the total amount of horses in Finland. The Finnhorse and the 

Finnish people share a common history – the horse has worked with credit in the wars 

and also been a great help to the farmers in their work both in the fields and the 

forests. The Finnhorse plays both today and in the future a part in the equestrian 

sports, it has a role in entrepreneurship and it’s a suitable hobby horse for children, 

young people as well as adults." 

Read more: 

-www.hippos.fi- 

Juha Kujala finds the Finnhorse very special. He lives in southern Finland, 

in Paimio, and the horses are very important part of his and his family´s life.

"We have had horses since 2008 when we got two humorous shetland pony studs, 

the father Viikari, 19 yrs and his son Keimo, 17 yrs. In 2009 came a Finnhorse gelding 

Renny. He was such a great horse and made me fall in love with the breed."

Renny with the daughters - cool! 

"The horse of my life, a mare Hovin Inka, came to me in 2011 when she was 6 years old."

Juha likes to do many kinds of things with the horses. For his wife and him it is also 

important that their daughters can handle the big horse. 

"The Finnhorse is close to my heart for two reasons: it is an original and traditional 

Finnish horse breed and it is incredibly versatil breed. With a Finnhorse you can do what 

ever you desire: ride, jump, work, race, drive... They are clear headed, loyal and they 

function in all kinds of envirements and weather conditions."

Finnhorse is traditionally a working horse. It does not matter if it is - 25 C degrees outside - you get the work in forest done and firewood brought back home or you can take your family on a sledge drive!

"I have used Inka in lumber work just as a hobby and mostly in our own forest. I respect the professional lumberjacks working with horses and I´m very happy to have met them through my hobby. Lumbering with the horses is - of course - much slower than with the modern machines but it saves the undergrowth and the forest does not look like a war zone afterwords."

Juha is very interested in the working tradition with the Finnhorse, so interested that he has
studied how to make a collar and a harness by himself .

"It feels quite special to harness a horse with a collar and a shaft bow that you have made with your own hands - starting with the birch stump in a forest! The first ones were not so great but with a patience and help from the masters anything is possible!

I also wish to continue this kind of horsemanship: you take care of your horse, it takes care of you, you work together and do and make as many things by yourself as possible."

Girls flattening the riding court with Inka

Inka enjoys jumping. This couple has been very succesful, too!

Aili, 91 years, lived the times there were no cars. Bringing back 

memories... Jukka´s wife, Sanna, driving.

To work with a horse demands special skills. It does not matter what you do with it, some education and wisdom from the experienced people is always good for you.

"I have taken various different classes and of course I have learned from the elder horse men. And after that - practising, practising, practising..."

"But - the best teacher is the horse itself! When you work with it, spend time with it and listen to it you learn to read it and you start understanding how much you can teach it for the moment. Patience and small steps enough guarantee that you both are happy and safe.

This is something I wish to pass on to my daughters. I think they have learned it too!"

"The Finnhorses had a big role during the war. One of the most touching moments I have experienced with Inka was when we met a war veteran. He looked at Inka straight in the eyes and said: 

"Thank God, we had horses like you back then..."

Juha says:
"Human being should be more like a horse: humble and willing to learn. To forget about a rush, you don´t learn anything in a day. We are not in a hurry - we have a life time to learn!

It is possible to hire Inka, Juha and this beautiful carriage 

for your special day! 

www.inkantinki.com

Hovin Inka in Facebook Inkantinki

Thank you, Juha, for sharing us your thoughts and these beautiful 

photos of your beloved ones! 

Facebook group Suomenhevonen, paras hevonen

(Finnhorse, the best horse)