Horse Energy

There are things that pull us, quietly, yet powerfully, drawing us closer to see, explore, and experience.

For me, that pull has always been horses.

My earliest memory is of holding onto the leg of an old workhorse, hugging him with complete devotion, to the horror of my grandfather, from whom I had escaped. A few years later, I climbed from that same leg onto the back of that great Finnish breed. From there, the path continued naturally: riding school, working at trotting stables, and eventually owning my own mare.

Growing up with a horse

As a teenager, growing up with a horse was an education in responsibility but even more so in relationship.

It meant learning nuance, presence, and trust.
Learning to understand another being beyond words.

My mare became a grounding force in my life. A companion on nature trails, a quiet friend I sometimes even slept beside. We learned to read each other, to respond to the subtle shifts in energy that each day brought.

A thread that follows

Life later took me across the world from studies in the United States to family and work across Asia and Europe.

And still, horses remained.

Sometimes close, sometimes more distant but always there, gently calling me back.
A western saddle, a dressage lesson, a bareback ride by the sea.

Back in Finland, returning to my lakeside summer place in Vitsai, I connected with a neighbour’s horses and began a long relationship with a gentle thoroughbred I rode for fourteen years.

The dream

For years, I had a recurring dream.

A horse in a barn; hungry, thirsty, waiting to be fed.

Each time I woke from it, I felt a quiet urgency. As if something in my life had been left unattended. A responsibility not fully met. A connection not fully seen.

Only later did I understand.

Returning after burnout

After my sabbatical travels following burnout I found myself once again close to horses and their owners. This time, I gave space to riding in a different way.

The more I responded to their presence, the clearer their “voice” became.

I remember guiding a tinker horse who seemed to long for movement beyond the stable. Together with his owner, we returned to the forest trails. It was a quiet triumph for all of us.

Since then, I have continued working with both horses and people supporting courage, presence, and the connection between them.

Horses in the Luontopolku® journey

As my coaching deepened, horses naturally became part of my Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® experiences.

From this, an opportunity emerged to co-create horse holidays with Pegasus.

It felt like a natural progression to bring together:

• slow travel

• Finnish nature

• and the presence of horses

At my lakeside home, Blueberry Villa, built by my father in the 1990s, I now welcome guests to experience this way of being.

Here, on Taipalsaari island by Lake Saimaa, life slows down.

In Finland, horses spend their summers on green pastures. During our 5- and 7-day retreats, we collect our horses from the nearby field, walk together to the stables, and set out onto gently curving trails through birch and pine forests.

There is no rush.
Only presence, rhythm, and connection.

Feeding the inner horse

The dream of the hungry horse no longer returns.

Somewhere along the way, my inner horse was fed.

And perhaps this is what draws people here too.

Not only to ride but to reconnect.
To listen.
To respond to something within that has been waiting.

I hope to meet you there, by the lake, and to gently support you in feeding your own inner horse.

After all, it is a time to trust your energy and follow where it quietly leads.

If something in this story resonated, you don’t need to leave it here.

Each summer, I host Slow Travel Horse Holidays at Lake Saimaa, where you are paired with your own horse and guided through nature-based reflection using the Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® method.

This is not just about riding.
It is about reconnecting with nature, with the horse, and with yourself.

→ Discover upcoming Horse retreats at The Journey Studio
→ Or book a discovery call to explore if this experience is for you

Seeking Answers

I still get lost sometimes and need to return to my nature trails to reconnect. Even in the excitement of building something new, there is a mountain of tasks waiting, not always favourites, yet necessary.

What Is Weighing on Me?

This week, between pitching competitions where I got to speak about my Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® method, the way to Finnish Happiness, to the finals and receive supportive feedback from wellness-tourism leaders, I found myself wondering: What is weighing on me?

There is the pressure of things undone, the constant whisper to do more, the old feeling, shared by so many of us, that we still need to prove something. Even after letting go, the echo returns. In conversations this week, we explored that balance: how to stay engaged without losing ourselves, how to understand what is “enough,” and how to find a renewed sense of meaning and direction.

When I Return to the Trail

Every time I return to a trail intentionally and start listening to the nature around me, something shifts.
The stormy waves inside quiet down.
A pigeon lands and meets my gaze.
A poster on a wall brings back a memory of who I used to be.

When I note down the intuitive thoughts that arise, I begin to see what is missing, why I feel the way I do, and what needs to be released or added to feel whole again.

Nature Shows Us the Way

Nature shows us the way if we choose to listen.
But when we are burned out, overwhelmed or moving through transitions, we often don’t hear anything at all. We operate in a trance, not fully present in our own lives.

We need to break that cycle. Step out.
Travel helps awaken the senses and shift perspective, but we are not always able to travel far. In the end, it wasn’t the height of Machu Picchu that changed me. It was the depth I needed. Myself I sought.

About Luontopolku Back to Your Senses®

The Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® method I developed during my Travel Coach studies doesn’t require distance. It requires listening.

In Finland, we say:
“The forest answers what you shout into it.”

Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® is a nature-based transformational wellbeing and travel method that guides individuals back to clarity and inner balance. Rooted in mindful presence, nature practices and reflective guidance, it offers a structured yet intuitive pathway toward emotional renewal and meaningful change.

Finnish research shows that even 10 minutes in nature calms the heartbeat. Nature walks lower cortisol, support burnout recovery, prevent depression and increase mindfulness.

Luontopolku, nature trail in Finnish, draws from ancestral knowledge, Finnish science and global wellness insights, including the principles of Japanese forest bathing.

Slowing Down to Listen

Meaningful change happens when we slow down, tune in and allow nature to support our inner journey. Through movement, reflective exercises, sensory awareness and meaning-centered travel coaching, Luontopolku becomes a gentle companion toward self-understanding and inner clarity.

By following the steps in the Luontopolku® guide, you begin by asking what you wish clarity on. Then you step into nature, holding the question lightly.

Magic happens: answers appear in leaves, patterns, symbols.
You pause. You listen.
You write down the intuitive thoughts that surface.

The more intentionally we return to nature, the clearer the inner voice becomes.

A Path You Always Walk With Yourself

At 54, I gained the courage to change my life.
And so can you.

You are always journeying with yourself: listen closely to know when to stay on your path, or when it’s time to turn.

Wishing you a wonderfully slow weekend.
Take a mindful walk.
And if you feel called to explore your personal journey through a guided session, online or as a reflective Luontopolku Back to Your Senses® walk, you’re warmly welcome to make a booking.