Finnish Universal

Originally from Finland, there are two types of Finnish horse which have basically descended from the same stock. There is the Finish Universal and the now quite rare Finnish Draft Horse. The Finnish Universal is a descendent of a mixture of ancient warm and cold-blooded breeds. Native ponies were crossed with various other European breeds, including the Oldenburgh, of both heavy and light build, to produce the Finnish Universal. The studbood was opened in 1907 and from then on there has been a process of selective pure breeding to maintain the admirable qualities of the breed.

As their name suggest, the Finnish Universal is an extremely versatile small horse, capable of great pulling power with speed, endurance, and agility. They are still used in some areas for light agricultural work, especially over terrain not suitable for mechanized vehicles. They are also used in the timber trade, for working in the forest, where they cause less damage than large vehicles. As well as agricultural uses they make good riding horses, having an aptitude for jumping, and are suitable for use in riding schools and trekking, due to their calm and sensible nature. The Finnish Universal can also be extremely fast when required and is widely used throughout Finland in harness trotting races, at which they excel. They are known for their toughness and longevity.

In appearance, the Finnish Universal is somewhat plain, having been bred for function rather than looks. They tend to have an unremarkable, but honest type of head with small alert ears. The neck if of average length and very muscular, set to extremely powerful and muscular shoulders typical of a draft horse. The chest is broad and deep, with withers quite prominent, the back is straight and quite long, the hindquarters muscular with a sloping croup, and a low set tail. The legs are short, but very correctly put together, with no feathering, good bone, strong joints and hard feet. They are mostly chestnut in color, but can be bay, gray, or occasionally brown or black, and they stand at approximately 15.2 hh.

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