About The Studio Journal
The Studio Journal was born during a sabbatical that became something much deeper, a turning point.
What began as a pause from routine turned into a journey of unlearning, rediscovery, and reconnection. I wandered, I listened, I wrote. I stepped into unfamiliar places, both on the map and within myself.
This journal is a space to share what I’ve gathered along the way. It holds reflections from the road, questions from the quiet moments, and the stories that shape how we travel, live, and grow. You’ll find pieces of my journey here, but also prompts, insights, and encouragement for your own.
Because transformation doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in the in-between. And this is a place for that.
What You May Experience Through Luontopolku — Back to Your Senses® method
✔ A renewed connection to your own nature
✔ Greater clarity about what truly matters now
✔ Deeper trust in your direction and inner guidance
✔ Courage to move forward with alignment and intention
Horse Energy
Mirka, the tranformative travel coach on a horseback with Maiju, the Kannuskylä horse stable owner and riding instructor in Vitsai, partner at the Slow Travel Horse Holidays.
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
Horses Can Talk
Mirka and Anne-Marie riding horses during the last horse coaching session where she went out on her own horse Jack the first time.
How Jack the Irish Cob and a walk in nature led to courage, connection, and healing
We should walk the walk—not just talk.
I believe our steps can lead us intuitively to where we are meant to go.
Since I began walking—literally and metaphorically—serendipitous events have kept unfolding. I started my sabbatical tour of Spain by driving to Oliva beach in the autumn of 2024. Soon after settling in, I found Centro Hípico Oliva and went riding the very next day.
By January, I had moved to Dénia and, through booking a hairdresser, discovered she kept her horse at the same stables. I returned to ride with her. The natural beauty of Oliva's nature reserve—with water bodies, birds, and wildlife framed by mountains—soon became a grounding space for me. Alongside Montgó, it offered peace.
Meeting Jack
This July, a curious Irish Cob named Jack caught my attention. Observing me with his stablemates, he seemed to seek connection. He was talkative, a little cheeky, and clearly eager to do more. I suggested to his owner that I ride him out, but she was hesitant—terrified, in fact.
Jack had lived in Spain for a year but had never gone out on a hack. His owner only rode him in circles, gripped by fear from a fall when Jack was younger.
A Coaching Journey in the Saddle
Anne-Marie, Jack’s owner, had also recently acquired Novela, an 18-year-old Spanish mare. Longing to ride Jack outdoors again, she agreed to a one-week plan that combined intention setting, coaching, and gentle progress.
I rode Jack while Anne-Marie rode Novela. The horses sensed her nerves, and Jack, being a spirited soul, added a dose of macho energy to our first ride. We rode several times together, gradually increasing the distance, adding gaits, and building confidence. Anne-Marie and I also had one-on-one sessions to ensure everyone—horse and human—felt safe and seen. Jack responded beautifully—curious, expressive, and engaged. On day seven, Anne-Marie rode Jack confidently by my side, a moment she called a triumph.
Walking Toward Courage
Anne-Marie’s dream was to ride Jack to their new home in the countryside. But until we met, she hadn’t found anyone to support her in that journey. Yesterday, she did it—with me walking beside her.
It was exactly what she was meant to do, and she did it with pride. She's now smiling, glowing, and enjoying her horse—and herself—more freely than before.
Let the Journey Lead You
I don’t know how these things unfold—but they do. Since I’ve been walking my walk, staying connected to my senses and inner nature, I move lighter every day.
Would you like to dare something new for yourself?
Don’t let fear hold you hostage. You can walk around it.
Send me a note. Let’s see where your path can take you.
🌀 — Mirka Kristiina
Transformative Travel Coach | The Journey Studio