Bright sunshine, glittering powder snow and colourful northern lights - these are the ingredients for your Finnish winter fairytale! Experience the fascination of the Far North in winter: With horses and huskies as well as on snowshoes and skis you will explore the deep snowy fir forest. In the evening you can warm up in the Finnish sauna, which is traditionally enjoyed with lots of steam. Not far from the farm there is a large lake with another sauna and an ice hole. You will stay in a cosy wooden house in beautiful double rooms, completely in the Nordic style. There are only a few guests on the farm at any one time, so the programme can be arranged individually. The family welcomes all nature lovers. Sustainability is very important to us and we deliberately avoid motorised transport. Several Icelandic horses and about 40 huskies live on the farm.

Itinerary

Example for your riding & activity week in Finland:

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to the horse and husky farm. During dinner you will get to know the other guests and your hosts and discuss the programme.

Day 2: After a short test ride on the course, you will undertake your first ride (approx. 1 hour) through the winter forest. Watch out for the tracks of birds, rabbits and other wild animals jumping on quiet paws through the snow. In the afternoon you can, for example, track down the dippers by the stream on snowshoes. In the evening the Finnish sauna is heated up.

Day 3: In the morning you will go for another ride through the beautiful winter forest (approx. 1.5 hours). Afterwards you will have lunch in a forest hut where you can enjoy typical specialities by the fire. When you are all refreshed, strap on the wooden skis and hike through the snowy forest back to the farm.

Day 4: Today you spend the day at the frozen lake Iso Särkijärvi. For the trail (approx. 5 km) along a beautiful forest path and along a river, wooden skis and snowshoes are provided. After a lunch by the campfire you enjoy the sauna by the lake. In between you can cool off in the snow or, really Finnish, take a bath in the ice hole!

Day 5: The morning is dedicated to the huskies: After an extensive breakfast the dogs are harnessed. Each participant gets his own sled with four huskies. After a short briefing you can finally start and glide silently through the magical landscape. The eagerness and power of the dogs will inspire you! In the afternoon you can, for example, use the excellent cross-country skiing tracks.

Day 6: You will get back into the saddle of the good-natured Icelandic horses and enjoy a last ride through the powder snow (up to 2 hours). Afterwards you can go out into the snow again with snowshoes, cross-country skis or the pedal sledge. If you like, you can enjoy a sauna again before the farewell dinner is waiting.

Day 7: Departure after breakfast. Non-riders take a second dog sled ride instead of the rides and can otherwise go on further excursions with skis, snowshoes or a pedal sled. Husky week on request. The exact sequence of activities varies. Subject to change at any time! A minimum age of 15 years is required to drive a dog sled independently. Younger children ride with the dog handler.

We reserve the right to make changes due to unforseeable incidents.

Husky-/Activity week: For non-riders the Husky week is ideal, where you ride a dog sled instead of riding. The program includes 4 rides with your own dog sled (4 dogs per sled). On the first day, before the ride, you will be instructed in the technique of dog sledding by the mushers.
The dog sled program is offered for young people aged 15 and over. Younger children/young people have the opportunity to ride as passengers in the guide´s sled.

Accomodation

You will stay in a small, exclusive pension in the Finnish country house style in the middle of nature. The 6 double rooms with shower and WC are of a high standard in terms of equipment and space. In 4 rooms there are sleeping galleries for 1-2 more beds. The dining room is made of honka (ancient pine wood) and birch. A fireplace made of natural stones from the surrounding area spreads a particularly cosy atmosphere. Board games and books provide entertainment.

In the house there is a sauna and a gymnastics room with home trainer, dumbbells, table tennis etc. Another sauna is located by the lake Iso Särkijärvi, 3 km from the main house.

Saddle & Tack: Icelandic saddles and water bridles.

Experience: You should have first riding experience, the rides will be adapted to your skills. In winter the rides are a bit shorter with 1-2 hours, because of the low temperatures. Rider weight maximum 85 kg with good riding skills.

Horses: Icelandic horses, all well ridden and very reliable.