By Anette Sånesson and Hillevi Brasch (translation Hillevi Brasch)
Photography: Roland Thunholm, Ingrid Ragmarsson, FEI, Olivier Philippaerts

Sweden is a very long country, covering many kilometers from north to south. It takes just as long to drive from Malmö in the south of Sweden to the northern town of Kalix, as from Malmö all the way to Milan, Italy!

Way up there in the north of Sweden, just south of the Arctic Circle is the land of sweeping views and the northern lights, and where Ingrid Ragnarsson breeds showjumping horses of international top class. No fewer than three international S-class horses have seen the light of day at Ingrid’s farm, and more are in stock.
Despite the vast geographical distances, horses are relatively common even in the country's northern parts. There is a riding school in almost every region and plenty of breeders.
Ingrid grew up in a farming family in southern Sweden, in Kvidinge, Skåne. After studying veterinary medicine in the early 1990s, she essentially made a 180-degree move to northern Sweden, to Bondersbyn outside Kalix, Norrbotten, and has been faithful to the area ever since. Ingrid worked as a district veterinarian until 2005, when she resigned to stert her own business. “There is no issue getting semen here; it works as well here as anywhere else in Sweden, and it helps that I can inseminate my mares myself,” Ingrid exlains.

She describes life as favorable for a horse breeder in Norrbotten, as there is plenty of space, the horses have vast areas to grow up in, it doesn’t get muddy, and the cold winters kill parasites. The horses develop thick coats, are in good condition, and rarely need blanketing... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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