Aland Islands. Year of the Horse
About stamps and plots
23.10.2025
On October 23, 2025, Åland Post issued a souvenir sheet in anticipation of the upcoming 2026 Year of the Horse.
Unlike the usual issues featuring stylized images of horses as symbols of the year, inspired by Chinese traditions, the concept of this souvenir sheet is radically different.
The series' creators conceived the idea of focusing not simply on the horse as a cultural and philosophical metaphor, but on the place and role of the horse in modern life.
The souvenir sheet was designed by renowned Norwegian artist and engraver Martin Mörck. At first glance, the miniature depicts a stable and the everyday life surrounding it: grazing horses, riders on a walking path, and a horse-drawn carriage in the distance. In fact, the story this stamp tells is much deeper than it appears.
In developing this series, the artist was inspired by the real-life Stall JoY stable in the village of Samuelstorp in Hammarland. It is the only stable in the Åland Islands that provides hippotherapy for children and adults with disabilities.
Stall JoY was founded by physiotherapist Jeanette Eriksson. In 2001, she and her partner bought a small farm and began realizing their dream of creating a hippotherapy center. Hippotherapy is based on contact with horses, riding or riding in special carriages, caring for the animals, and participating in stable activities. She believes that horses and nature evoke a multitude of feelings and emotions and can provide physical and psychological support in the rehabilitation and recovery of patients. Over time, Jeanette has succeeded in creating a safe and motivating environment where adults and children interact with horses and receive therapy. Over the years, the stable has housed many different horses, currently housing a Norwegian Fjord, Icelandic, and Finnish horses, as well as three half-breds and a Tennessee Walking Horse.
The farm also hosts the Stall JoY Horse Club (Stall JoYs handikappklubb r.f.), which offers horseback riding lessons for people with disabilities. Martin Mørck has said in interviews that the association's philosophy greatly inspired him and imbued his creative work on this series with new meaning.
The postage stamp features a pair of children with Fjord horses in the center of the souvenir sheet. The successful layout of the souvenir sheet allowed the artist to harmoniously depict the stable in the background, the grazing horses, and the horse-drawn carriage, while the semicircular walking path running through the sheet adds depth and creates a sense of movement. The occasion for the issue is recalled by the Chinese characters for "Year of the Horse" in the lower left corner of the sheet.
Incidentally, the horse-drawn carriage depicted in the upper right corner of the sheet pulls a cart specially adapted for the needs of the Stall JoY association. It was purchased with funds raised by Åland Post during the 2008 Christmas stamp sale.
After reviewing the Stall JoY Equestrian Club's website's photo archive for several years, I was able to find the photographs that served as prototypes for the designs on the souvenir sheet.
In addition to the souvenir sheet, the post office designed a first-day cover and a maximum card, as well as two special postmarks, which, in my opinion, aptly reflect the duality of the issue. One postmark depicts a flying fiery horse as a symbol of the year, while the other depicts a child's hand gently stroking the horse's muzzle, a symbol of mutual care and concern.
Incidentally, this Åland series was the first issue in honor of the Year of the Horse. The Åland Post seems to have been imbued with the speed, energy and movement symbolized by the fire horse.
Sources: alandstamps.com, happy.ax
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This text has been translated using Google Translate
I apologize for any errors or inaccuracies
I apologize for any errors or inaccuracies