Stable Staff

Elisa

When Espoo Stable owner Elisa Tollet found Espoo Stable, she fulfilled her own childhood dream and set up her own riding school together with her family.

”Now I work at the riding school in my dream job as both a stable manager and an interpreter of emotions, making sure everything runs smoothly and everything needed is always in place", says Elisa.

According to Elisa, the rustic surroundings and large paddocks of Espoo Stable create an excellent foundation for a riding school.Here the horses have the opportunity to live a true horse's life with their companions", Elisa notes.  

In Elisa's opinion, the best thing about Espoo Stable is its successful atmosphere and wonderful customers and staff. "Everyone working here, both the two-legged and four-legged, are treasures who make it easy for all riders to come and feel at home", Elisa concludes.

Hanne

I am Hanne and I teach at Espoo Stable from Tuesday to Thursday, and on Mondays I take care of the horses' training and muscle care as needed.

I started riding myself at the age of 11 on a beginner course. At that time my family could only afford one course, and after that I occasionally got to take single lessons. However, I enjoyed horse care the most and riding was not very important to me. In the summers I cycled over 20km just to get to take care of horses. I learned a lot and in exchange for helping at the stable I got to ride a Fjord horse independently without a saddle (I fell off every time the horse broke into a canter at first). So two years went by puttering around at stables and riding bareback. However, the bareback riding gave me very good balance, and when my family was able to properly support my hobby after I turned 13, I got my own horse. My first horse (a 3-year-old Finnish horse) was definitely not the wisest purchase (a story too long to tell here), but fortunately we had a good trainer to help us whose instructions we followed perfectly, and our journey together was full of rosettes, including three championship appearances. A strong will to learn and good competition results also made it possible to learn from the best trainers in the country, and all of these experiences together led to horses being my profession since the age of 18.

My coaches in dressage (Advanced A) have included Maarit Raiskio, Håkan Wahlman, Janne Berg, and a host of visiting international names.
In show jumping (120cm) my coach at the start of my career was Dominique Barthelaix and later Christopher Wegelius.
In eventing the aforementioned coaches and Håkan Wahlman.

Although as a child I never dreamed of riding professionally, that is exactly what happened.
Although I never thought I would teach riding, that is exactly what happened.

Despite having spent almost all my time at stables, I have also formally trained in the field at Harju Learning Centre (2006). In between I continued working first in Finland as a stable hand for Håkan Wahlman and later in Belgium as a horse trainer. While working as a trainer, I developed a desire to know everything about the horse's musculature, so I studied as a massage therapist at Tampere Sports Massage School (2011). And my latest impulse decision, to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, I finally completed in December 2017 (this application genuinely happened on a whim).

When teaching, I always aim for the rider to have an "aha moment". I try to explain things in many different ways, taking into account different learning styles. I want the rider to experience, hear, see, feel and become aware of what they are learning. It is very common in my lessons for me to come and tug on a rider's leg or hand or otherwise guide their seat. I strive to see satisfied horse-and-rider combinations in my lessons: riders and horses working together in a relaxed manner, trusting each other. One of the greatest advantages for a riding school rider is the variety of different horses, each of whom always has something new to teach!

Jan

Espoo Stable owner Jan Tollet is a business executive whose tie is swapped for a pitchfork and boots on weekends.

”"I spend Saturdays and Sundays with a pitchfork in the horses' stalls. It is my way of supporting the horses' wellbeing and ensuring that the horses are always comfortable in their stalls", says Jan.

The Tollet family has shared a dream of their own riding school for a long time, during the years spent abroad, and a suitable location was searched as far as Hungary and Southeast Asia. Eventually their own rustic horse paradise was found on the history-laden grounds of Espoonkartano.   

”Here on the lush grounds of Espoonkartano we have plenty of peace and space so that the horses can live a natural horse's life", says Jan.

In Jan's opinion the best thing about Espoo Stable is its pleasant and encouraging atmosphere. "We are building Finland's equestrian future together here and riders of all levels are always warmly welcome", Jan concludes.

Mia

Mia Pasanen is a riding instructor with extensive experience working with horses. She has previously run her own stable for about twenty years and has also worked as a head trainer at a German horse stud farm, among other roles. 

Mia's own seat-sensitive mare once introduced her to the seat-focused Centered Riding method back when the teaching method had just arrived in Finland – and she continues to apply these valuable lessons in her lessons to this day.

Espoo Stable earns praise from Mia for its atmosphere. "We have a really good spirit at the stable. There is a desire here for the horses to feel good and to be themselves – and people are also allowed to be themselves", says Mia.

Mia also appreciates that at Espoo Stable the lessons are held outdoors, with nature and the seasons present. "Horses don't mind the rain. They belong outside and that is where they are happiest", Mia notes. 

Pia

Horses have come into riding coach Pia-Maria Nyholm's life through her heritage, passed down from her mother and maternal grandfather.

Before coming to Espoo Stable, Pia-Maria worked as a horse trainer in Belgium, among other places, and ran a small-scale riding school there.

At Espoo Stable, Pia-Maria works as a riding instructor and teaches varied lessons at different levels for both child and adult riders.   

In Pia-Maria's opinion the best part of teaching is seeing a shy student discover their own enthusiasm, courage and confidence, or seeing from a rider's expression that they have just understood and learned something important. "That joy of learning visible in the students is the best reward of all for the work", says Pia-Maria

Amanda Tamminen

I am a riding coach, dressage judge and early childhood education teacher born in 1988 in Espoo. I started riding at the age of five and ever since it has been the dearest thing in the world to me. Alongside attending riding school, I had numerous lease horses at some point and gradually the riding school life was left behind. Later two horses of my own entered the picture, and now lightening my wallet is a charming Finnish horse gelding named Ykä (Kipunan Yllätys), whom I bought in August 2017.

I have always wanted to ride with purpose, to become better and to learn more. Dressage was chosen as my discipline at a fairly early stage due to its aesthetics and endless challenges. It is incredible how beautiful dressage can be at its best, when the horse and rider are in perfect harmony and everything looks effortless. Competing is also close to my heart. Ykä and I compete at national HeA level and I have also competed to some extent on my clients' horses.

The best part of teaching is seeing students discover new things and take joy in them.

Noora Mäkelä

I am Noora Mäkelä, one of the instructors at Espoo Stable. I have been riding since the age of six and have experienced all sorts of things along the way. The idea of riding came from my own mother, who also used to ride and was quite the horse girl herself. I started the hobby at Espoo Stable when it was still called Espoon Ratsastustalli and I am still here today. 

Even as a young child I have always loved teaching. My grandmother often laughs that I never played anything other than school, always in the living room by the fireplace. 

The most important things to me in my work are the students and the horses. The chemistry between them and the fact that there is always something to take away from each lesson. The best part is seeing those expressions of success on the students' faces and the contented horses.

William Tollet

I am William Tollet and I teach riding at Espoo Stable. I am a riding instructor by profession and am currently studying to become a teacher. Horses have been part of my life since I was young, almost as if by birthright. As children, my brother and I could be found at the stable every day. We lived with my family for 8 years in Asia, where I also got to pursue riding. I consider it a wonderful and valuable experience to have been able to see the equestrian world in different cultures. This knowledge and skill gained and experienced around the world is something I want to share in my lessons as well.

Alongside riding I have pursued various sports since childhood, such as floorball and tennis. Sport is still one of my passions and I make use of my athleticism and knowledge of it in my teaching as well. 

The best part of my work is the teaching itself. Noticing how riders enjoy themselves while learning something new. In my lessons it is important to me that everyone can leave feeling happy and proud of themselves.