Global Horse Culture

The Finnish Horse

What a delightful historic video I found today on YouTube. User Ishexan edited this from old film footage featuring the Finnish Horse - also known as the Finnish Universal or Finnish Trotter or Finnhorse. These are all-round horses, Cob-like in build, strong enough for draft work, fast enough at the trot for good racing, and also used for riding, including jumping. They are most commonly chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail, though other colors occur, including silver dapple (silver bay). There is a breed site in English here.

Four Horsepower

What a sweet photo of four Fjord ponies pulling a sled in Canada. Fjords are a stocky draft-type horse (or pony - they are short in stature, but due to their strength are often referred to as horses). Their distinctive dorsal stripe is traditionally shown off by trimming the mane to stand up, so the black stripe is clearly visible. Originating in Norway, the Fjord is now quite popular throughout the US and Europe, both as a driving or draft animal and for pleasure riding.

Photo: pmarkham on flickr.

From Norway to North America

The Dole horse is a native of Norway, and until recently not found in the USA. Tangle Tree Ranch in North Dakota has introduced them, and their site has lots of interesting info and nice photos of this unusual breed. Dole horses are a light draft breed, and have some similarity (in appearance, not necessarily genes) with the Canadian Horse, Irish Draft, Highland Pony and other stocky northern breeds. They are traditionally prized for logging and other draft work, but are now popular for all around pleasure riding and driving.