Hobby-Horsing Is the Latest (and Strangest) Craze Among Finnish Teens

This just in: You no longer need a horse to be an accomplished equestrian—just grab a plush horse-head-on-a-stick and you’re set!

Hobby-horsing is the latest athletic trend to sweep Finland, namely amongst the country’s teenage girls.

Although it may a look a tad silly, the sport is very physically demanding and echoes events found in conventional equestrian competitions.

Hobbyhorse enthusiast Alisa Aarniomaki, 20, told the Associated Press that the sport has a “strong therapeutic side to it.”

"I've gone through lots of trouble and I'm still struggling with some issues,” Aarniomaki said, “It has helped me a great deal that I can occasionally just go galloping into the woods with my friends. It somehow balances my mind."

Additionally, the trendy activity is now seen as promoting female empowerment.

"I think hobby-horsing has a feministic agenda," Aarniomaki added, "No boys are coming and saying what we need to do, or bossing around. So I think there is some sort of a [feministic] point."