Ronivaara · Kuusamo, Finland

Sustainability & responsibility at Ronivaara

Everyday choices for animals, people, nature and the place we call home.

Responsibility is part of everyday life

At Ronivaara, responsibility is part of the ordinary decisions made every day: how we care for the animals, meet people, use the farm and its buildings, work in the surrounding nature and develop our services.

Animal welfare, people, the environment, local culture, safety and the long-term continuity of the farm are connected. The same principles guide tourism as well as the other professional work carried out at Ronivaara.

Responsibility also means paying attention to what happens in practice. We follow our work, listen to feedback and observations and keep developing the way we do things.

A good day has room for the horses, the people and the place around them

Responsibility means taking all three into account when we decide how the day and its activities are carried out.

Animal welfare is part of every decision

The animals at Ronivaara are individuals with their own health, character, needs and ways of communicating.

For the Finnhorses, a good life includes familiar herd companions, movement, food, rest, care and suitable work. Their wellbeing, workload and recovery are followed as part of everyday life.

If one horse needs a lighter day or more time to recover, that is taken into account. Because several Finnhorses live and work at Ronivaara, another suitable horse can often take its place in an activity.

Horse welfare is described in more detail on its own page.

Read About Horse Welfare

Metsätarhat, aukeat pellot sekä yhdessä asuminen pihatoissa tukevat hevosten hyvinvointia Ruska Laukan tallilla Ruka-Kuusamossa

Responsible tourism begins with clear information

A responsible visit also means knowing what you are coming to do.

We want guests to have clear information about the experience, the environment, required skills, clothing, weather and other things that affect participation before they arrive.

The activity, group, horses, conditions and safety are considered together. Routes and use of the farm surroundings are planned according to the season, weather and ground conditions.

Small groups also give time to guide people properly and to pay attention to both the horses and the guests.

Nature is part of everyday life at Ronivaara

Snow, frost, spring thaw, summer pasture, rain and autumn ground conditions all change the way the farm and its surroundings are used.

Fields, pastures, meadows, forests and other farm environments are cared for over the long term. Grazing animals are part of maintaining the rural landscape, and the condition of routes, paddocks and pastures is considered when they are used.

Vegetation, ground wear, weather and biodiversity are part of these decisions.

The aim is practical: the same land needs to support animals, farm life and people not only today, but through the years ahead.

Ruska Laukka tallin Suomenhevosia kesäyössä Ruka Kuusamossa

Repair, reuse and keep what still has a place here

Old buildings, materials and objects remain part of Ronivaara when they can be safely repaired, adapted and used again.
This rebuilt silage silo is one example of how something old can find a new place in the everyday life of the farm.

The farm has grown by using what is already here

Ronivaara has developed step by step, and existing buildings and materials are part of that story.

Old buildings and spaces are repaired and adapted for new uses when this is safe and practical. Furniture, building materials, equipment and structures are maintained and reused when they still have a useful life.

Used and reusable materials can also find a new place when spaces are repaired or developed.

The choice always has to work in its actual surroundings. Materials and structures must still meet the needs of safety, hygiene, accessibility and animal welfare.

Repairing, maintaining and finding new uses for what already exists is both a practical part of farm life and part of preserving the character of Ronivaara.

Local culture lives in the present

Ronivaara’s story grows from the real history and present-day life of the farm.

The Finnhorse, Finnish rural life, old buildings, changing northern seasons and the ways people have worked with animals and the land all belong to that story.

We preserve and use old buildings, objects, working methods and materials when they still have a meaningful place. At the same time, the farm continues to change with the people, animals and work that are part of it today.

Local skills and cooperation also matter. Ronivaara works with local businesses, associations and other partners and values knowledge that is rooted in the surrounding area.

Ruska Laukka tallin pihapiiristä kesä- ja talvikuvia Ruka-Kuusamossa

People should know how they can take part

Responsibility also means meeting people respectfully and giving them enough information to make their own choices.

Guests can ask questions, tell us about their needs and limits and take part within the possibilities of the activity and environment.

The farm, animals, weather and outdoor surroundings can all affect participation. We therefore aim to describe relevant conditions and possible barriers in advance rather than leave them for the guest to discover on arrival.

Accessibility and participation are developed within the possibilities of the farm, its buildings and the activities offered.

The same principle applies to safety. Activities are planned carefully, appropriate equipment and guidance are used, and observations, risk assessment and feedback are part of developing the work.

Long-term responsibility also needs a sustainable foundation

Caring well for animals, maintaining the farm and providing safe services require enough time, professional skills and resources.

For this reason, the long-term sustainability of the business is part of responsibility too.

The work behind a service includes the care and upkeep of the animals, professional time, safety, facilities, equipment and maintenance. Group sizes and ways of working are planned so that the wellbeing of horses, people and staff remains part of the equation.

Purchases are also considered in terms of actual need, useful life, safety, repair and the possibility of reuse.

This is how the farm can continue to care for its animals, people and surroundings in the years ahead.

Quality gives us tools to keep developing

Responsibility is also supported by external quality systems.

Read About Sustainability & Responsibility

Sustainable Travel Finland

Ruska Laukka has the Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) label.

At Ronivaara, responsible tourism includes practical decisions such as considering horse welfare when activities are planned, keeping group sizes appropriate, giving guests clear information and taking the environment and local surroundings into account.

SRL Quality Stable

Quality Stable is an official certification system managed by the Finnish Equestrian Federation (Suomen Ratsastajainliitto – SRL). It is the highest quality seal awarded only to equestrian businesses that pass a rigorous, independent expert audit.

When a stable holds this status, it means they operate at an exemplary, professional level that far exceeds the minimum legal requirements.

The quality work supports professional, safe and horse-centred stable operations and the continuous development of everyday practices.

HyväTalli – Silver level

Ruska Laukka has approved to The Finnish Central Organisation for Trotting and Horse Breeding HyväTalli Silver level.

The quality system supports systematic attention to horse welfare, health care, feeding, movement, rest, living conditions, safety and stable practices.

The labels and quality systems support the work, but welfare is ultimately built through the decisions made with the horses every day.

Responsibility develops through observation and learning

The seasons change, animals grow older, buildings need care and the needs of people and services change.

We use feedback, safety observations, risk assessment, information about animal welfare and observations from everyday work when we review our practices.

Sometimes development is very practical: repairing a structure, changing how an area is used or finding a better way to give guests information before their visit.

Responsibility at Ronivaara is therefore something we keep working with, not a separate task beside everyday life.

When you visit Ronivaara

You are coming to a family home, a working Finnhorse farm and the everyday environment of the animals who live here.

Following the guidance given around the animals, farm areas and surrounding nature helps us care for the same place together.

For us, responsibility is made from these ordinary things: knowing the animals, looking after the land, keeping the farm in good condition, meeting people well and being willing to learn as the years change Ronivaara.

Read About Horse Welfare

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