Hekluestar by Hannah Maule-ffinch

Hekluestar is a remote horse farm near Iceland’s Mount Hekla, where daily life is shaped by instinct, weather, and a profound, almost ancestral bond between people, animals, and the land. In this project, Hannah Maule-ffinch documents a way of life that is both raw and deeply connected—a world where work is love, animals are kin, and nature is trusted like blood.

At the centre of the story is Anita, a woman of quiet strength and unwavering dedication to her family, her animals, and the landscape that sustains them. The horses at Hekluestar are raised from birth and loved for life. “They’re like family,” Anita explained. Their care is intuitive and constant, grounded in deep respect and understanding.

This connection goes beyond affection—it is embedded in the family’s history. Decades ago, during a trek near Mount Hekla, the horses sensed something in the ground and refused to continue. Anita’s parents turned back. The volcano erupted the next day. The horses had saved their lives. That moment of instinct and trust became the foundation of a legacy: one of the first horse trekking tours in Iceland, established nearly 50 years ago.

Today, Anita, her husband Stefnir, and their children continue that legacy. They live in tune with their animals and the seasons, working the land with care and commitment. Their children grow up learning not only from books but from their environment—developing a rare and grounded respect for nature.

Maule-ffinch’s work has long explored remote, sustainable ways of living, drawn to the strength, stillness, and interconnection that often define them. In Hekluestar, she captures a living, breathing ecosystem shaped by generations—a place where life is held together not by convenience, but by trust, devotion, and deep-rooted care.