Horses around the world
The Finnhorse
FINLAND IS HOME to only one native breed of horse — named, appropriately enough, the Finnhorse — so it’s no surprise that this striking and versatile equine was declared the national horse of Finland in 2007.
The breed was developed in the country’s dense forests and snowy pastures into a strong, hardy, surefooted companion who was equally at home as a farm horse, riding and cavalry mount, sled and carriage horse, and as a harness racer — in 1817 the first trotting races were held on the ice of the Aura River. Today the Finnhorse is highly prized for its ability in trotting races and is said to be the fastest coldblood in the world.
There has been a Studbook for the breed since 1907, with a distinction drawn as early as 1924 between the heavier, draught animal and a lighter, military riding horse type. Like many other working breeds, however, the Finnhorse went through tough times after the Second World War. As agriculture declined, and people left the countryside for the cities, the equine population plunged from over 400,000 to less than 15,000 by the mid-1980s.
In 1971, the breeding regulations were overhauled and the Studbook was divided into four distinct categories — workhorse, trotter (around 75% of Finnhorses are registered in this section), riding horse, and pony-sized horse.
The Finnhorse is a versatile, multi-purpose breed. It is compact and sturdy, with a round and well-balanced body, fine legs and good hooves. They are renowned for being cooperative and very good natured. Over 90% of Finnhorses are chestnut of varying shades.
The remainder are brown, with a smattering of greys, blacks and roans. Roans run in only one family tree.
The riding horse type is becoming increasingly popular in Finland and shines in all disciplines from lower-level dressage and jumping to trail riding and endurance. Its calm nature, sturdy build and smooth, low paces make the breed wellsuited to riding therapy too.