By Emma, Grey Draught Mare, Hayfield, Scotland
Hello everyone! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood draught mare from Hayfield, Scotland. I've just turned twenty, a good age for a horse, you know, experienced but not yet past my prime! And I’m super excited to share some of the interesting goings-on in the world of horses from the year 0451 – that’s almost 1600 years ago for those of you who aren’t up on your history!
Let's step back in time, shall we? The year 0451 is, as most of you will know, the year the Romans withdrew their legions from Britain. It was a monumental year for everyone – and the horses definitely felt the change. You see, the Romans were great for horse breeding. Their heavy war chariots needed sturdy horses, and their legionaries rode and bred strong cavalry steeds. Here in Scotland, there were some great gallops and the grazing was lush – even I'm sure, even in those days, the Aberdeen Angus cattle were delicious.
A real boon to us horses was the development of the horse collar, a real game-changer. It was an excellent design by the Romans and allowed a lot of force to be applied to pulling ploughs and wagons, using less strength from the horses. It’s a wonderful thing, it really takes the pressure off the throat and neck. And let’s be honest, it really makes you look handsome and majestic too, pulling the whole thing! The Romans took their equestrian designs seriously!
But alas, that year was a mixed blessing for us horsefolk, and it brought with it a new type of pressure. We were no longer protected under Roman law. With the withdrawal of their armies came new laws, meaning horses could now be taken and used in warfare – much more of a hardship than just carrying our soldier in shiny armour on a long journey, even if it was quite a hot ride!
I was too young then to witness the Roman troops, and in truth, Hayfield’s a pretty peaceful part of the world, not much of that going on, just farmer Giles, with his long beard and the rest of us plodding around pulling ploughs. We kept the village going and produced food for the local communities, something we do even now!
A funny thing I remember from that time, you know what? All these Roman legions meant everyone was carrying their supplies on horseback, so imagine all the beautiful horse brasses and decorations! Everyone loved showing off how important they were, so they wore their best buckles and things - a big old show-off affair. And did they have the best whips! Wicker and silver, some were even made with intricate carving, and you could hear the click of the lead when the Roman soldiers used them!
Although there weren’t many warhorses up here in the north, the people of Hayfield did notice an influx of these new “Barbarian” horses coming to the area. There were large, powerful horses, used to pulling heavy wagons and carts. I never got close to any of them but from what I could tell they had very large heads and very beautiful coats. They were bigger and wilder than us Scottish horses, which are built for working hard and eating hearty meals, but they didn't need to be big – they’re all well muscled, the Scottish horses!
The year 0451 saw the arrival of a huge wave of Germanic warriors, with the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invading Britain. They were tough people and their horses were strong. A huge difference to our lovely gentle draught breeds up here! Those Anglo-Saxons took us out onto the battlefields! Those horrors I never really got a good look at, they really were quite fierce.
This brought another interesting new facet for us horses, Horse racing. With the Saxons and other tribes vying for power, they realised how powerful our racing was! The fast horses became coveted – it became so fashionable for everyone, not just those in power, to bet and take pride in the speedy ones. So these new horse races came along - not just some small competition, either, proper racing! They used staked races and it really captured everyone's imagination. It made quite an impact on society! And so, of course, those faster breeds became coveted by the whole nation. And I couldn't be prouder, our ancestors - the wild and powerful wild steeds – those horses were fast, you know!
After the Romans left, things got a little tougher. But there was definitely good, positive side, as they always were. It was a period of intense agricultural development. There was a boom in the farming industry - and who makes all this happen? You’re right! Horses. People relied more heavily on horses for pulling ploughs, hauling carts, and carrying goods. I even got to learn some new tricks pulling wheat-sowing carts, it’s an exhausting job, pulling heavy carts but such a proud thing! All those lovely plump oats from my local farmer kept my legs moving.
Another significant aspect that year, 0451 - people were looking to create a stronger and healthier population of horses. With those lovely Roman breeds coming to Britain, some had fantastic strong legs! People decided they needed a larger, sturdier breed to make up the army! You’d think people were thinking of us horses with the care they showed, even providing food during hard times to keep us fit! They really cared for our horses and wanted them strong for any eventuality, whether pulling goods to feed a community or charging into battle!
Of course, you know me – a grey draught mare! – I still live for a good work-life balance. It doesn’t mean pulling that hefty wagon is easy! That's when my strong legs and powerful body, that big neck of mine, all my strength really does get a good work-out, not to mention my stamina! And there is something special about pulling a laden cart across that tough terrain, you know?
So this was the year 0451. A monumental year – the year of the wild, the year the Roman legion withdrew from Britain. We had so much happening, in the midst of it all – strong agricultural growth, racing, a stronger national pride in our amazing horses, and new breeds of powerful horses taking over! I’ve done my best to get a grasp on this year!
Don't forget to share this post and tell your friends and fellow equestrians about these fascinating horses! Remember, a great horse loves learning about our shared history, the amazing journeys of our ancestors. So please tell me all your thoughts!
See you again soon with my next historical piece, I'll see you soon. I love sharing this journey with you. Keep well, Emma.
