Me and the horses
I live in Espoo, in the middle of Nuuksio national park with my family, which includes a spouse and two daughters, two dogs and four horses. I started riding and spending time with horses at ten years old and my first horse, Arabian crossbred Ka'bom (Bomb), I bought 20 years ago and since then I've always had horses of my own. The horses live in my own yard in an open shed stable and are shoeless and mainly bitless. My children have been spending time with horses since they were babies.
By profession I am a chef and a practical nurse, specialized in disability work.
I've been trimming my horses' hoofs for about six years now. At the beginning I took Vainikan aitta's trimming course and took it from there. I also took Vainikan aitta's online course which helped me a lot to get more skilled. I've been trimming customers' hoofs for two years but I don't do it much. My own horses' hoofs I trim weekly so that they have a specific shape and are easy to keep in order. The online course you can find here.
Limb correction is a skill you learn from a ''master to apprentice''. Sure there are schooling and courses for limb correction for humans but not really for horses. I've gotten an amazing opportunity to learn about limb correction from ''my own master'' Siw Kykkänen.
Horses are my lifestyle, friends and partners. We listen and respect horses, of course you must be firm but soft values guide us. Our small herd is really harmonious and equal, everyone is at ease and it can be seen from the horses. Our horses live in our own home yard in an open shed stable where they can move inside and out as they please according to their needs. In summer they graze in a large nature's field and during winter they also have lots of space in their enclosure to run and move in a versatile outdoors.
Päivi Kärkkäinen
e. Godiwa ox
Galla tuli meille laitumelle 11.5.2019. Jännitti hieman, miten nuo siskokset tulevat juttuun koska ovat kovin samanlaisia, Gallan kanssa olimme siis jo ennestään tuttuja. Alku olikin yhtä kiljumista ja jotenkin kovasti jännittivät toisiaan. Noin viikossa löysivät toisensa ja sen jälkeen ovat olleet niin paita ja peppu ettei me voitu niitä erottaa ja Galla jäi meille asumaan. Galla on meillä ylläpidossa, mutta tarkoitus on, että olisi loppuelämän kodissa. Galla on hieman tasaisempi versio Miinasta, mutta jos menee hermot niin silloin ne menevät ja kunnolla! Herkkä hevonen kovalla päällä on myös aika jännä yhdistelmä! Galla on kovasti Miinan perään ja ottaa mallia Miinasta, niin hyvässä kuin pahassa. Vaikka ikää on 18 -vuotta niin se ei kyllä missään näy, Felixin kanssa on aikamoinen taistelupari, välillä tapellaan hampaat irvessä, mutta sitten taas pötkötellään vierekkäin ja syödään samalla heinäkasalla. Galla on lempeä ja rakastaa rapsutuksia!