Ekaterina Hunnes

Hello! My name is Ekaterina and I’m originally from Kazakhstan, but I have been living in Norway for the last twenty years. I would describe myself as a calm and easy-going person.

As a young girl I always loved horses. I never had the opportunity to own my own horses when I was young, but I did go to riding school for a few years. From there my passion for horses only grew bigger.

In my daily life, I work full-time as a personal assistant. Alongside that, I also train horses for clients. It’s not easy, and to be honest you have to be very disciplined to make it work. I somehow make it work by setting a timing/alarm on everything I do.

What I am most proud of are the moments when I can take a problematic horse and turn them into a wonderful horse that everyone can ride. I stay motivated by setting monthly goals for myself and my horses. Having clear goals keeps me focused and driven. Progress doesn’t have to be big — even small improvements are enough to maintain motivation. Looking back and seeing how far we have come is always very satisfying.

One thing people should not miss about me is my natural way of training. For me, building a true connection with each horse is essential. Without that connection, there is no real partnership.

I currently own three Icelandic horses: two stallions and one gelding, nicknamed Gimmy, Lidi, and Svali. I am mainly active in liberty work, dressage, and gaited disciplines. One of my upcoming goals is to start competing in dressage with my Icelandic stallion, Gimmy. Even though he is a gaited horse, he is trained at a high level in dressage. One of our best moments together was when I finally learned to ride him in a neck rope — that was a very special milestone for us.

The welfare of my horses is always my top priority. I strongly believe in giving them plenty of outdoor time and social interaction. Even my stallions have paddock or field friends.

I first came into contact with Hartog through social media. I had seen the brand before and was curious to try it, so I was very happy when they reached out to me. Currently, I use Hartog Comfort, Hartog Condition, and Hartog Essential. I chose these products because one of my stallions can easily lose weight, especially during winter. Since feeding Hartog, I have noticed significant improvements. My horses’ coats and overall body condition have never looked better, and I no longer feel the need to use additional supplements.

On social media, I am active on Instagram (@eq.ekahun), TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, and occasionally I share snap vlogs as well. I mostly post short videos about daily life at the stable, training sessions, and sometimes tips and tricks.

Within the equestrian community, I try to inspire others by being honest and realistic. Social media often portrays everything as perfect, which can create unrealistic standards and expectations. I prefer to show that nothing is perfect and that making mistakes is part of the process. You have to fail sometimes in order to grow and improve.