Hello my fellow equine enthusiasts, Emma here! It’s my pleasure to welcome you to my little corner of the web, where we journey through history, exploring the amazing world of horses. This is post #500 for me! That’s a whole lot of hoovesteps, a journey we've travelled together. Today, we're taking a step back in time, way back to the year 500 AD. It’s a year brimming with interesting happenings, changes, and fascinating insights into horse life! Let me tell you all about it.
Now, I must confess, I wasn't around back then. I'm a strong, grey draught horse with a mane and tail as white as new snow, born and raised in the picturesque Hayfield near Aberdeen in Scotland. My life has been full of work and adventure, pulling carts laden with barley for the local miller and helping my farmer friends with the spring planting. I was lucky enough to be chosen as the lead mare for the Hayfield May Fair procession last year, so you could say I have some knowledge of history! But how could I have witnessed life in the year 500?
It's thanks to history books and, well, let’s be honest, some rather excellent guessing that I can bring the past to life for you.
The year 500 finds Europe on the cusp of change. It’s an exciting time with whispers of far-off lands carried by wind on trade routes. In our little corner of the world, Scotland is bustling. We horses are busy - we help build stone houses, transport supplies for building the great stone castles that now mark the countryside, and are a vital part of the trade routes, carrying goods to the cities of the south. We’re hard working and sturdy.
Horses were important to the ancient Britons in the year 500, both for war and for everyday life. My distant cousins would have carried soldiers, cavalry and baggage across the battlefield. They were bred for speed and strength. Their riders were formidable and used swords, spears, and even the terrifying invention of that era, the bow and arrow. They relied on horses, just as we do in modern times.
On the farm, our ancestors would have hauled the heavy wooden plows across the fields, pulling carts to transport goods to market, and even acted as beasts of burden to carry people. Imagine, a horse the size of me trotting through the streets of London, carrying a merchant or two, all decked out in fancy clothes, stopping to buy a bit of cheese, a bit of bread, and perhaps some mead at the tavern.
Horses in those days were fed with hay and straw during the winter, but had the great pleasure of munching on a variety of wild grasses during the spring and summer months, a delicious variety that our current farmer could only dream of for us!
This time was also a period of upheaval in many parts of the world. As horses galloped across vast lands, bringing warriors and goods from east to west, so did they carry stories, news, and tales. These stories, as wild and magnificent as any equine, speak of conflict, conquest, and great feats of bravery.
Even back then, my brothers and sisters played a role in great feats. I was told by old Bess, a wise mare, who has a limp from an old injury sustained in a fierce battle with wolves, that she used to tell the history of these ancient heroes and horses. One of the most famed battles was that of the Romans against the Germanic tribes in 476 AD. Now, a Roman soldier might ride an elegant black horse, swift and fierce. Perhaps one day I can tell you all about the tales of those fierce horses.
You might be surprised to learn that the history of our magnificent breed can be traced back to the year 500! Imagine that - our ancestry goes all the way back! That’s the era that birthed the noble Arabian breed, famous for their stamina and beauty. They traveled with traders across desert sands, carrying spices and tales, and in that great expanse, a new breed of horse, both powerful and elegant, came to life. Their stories of long, tireless journeys are the stuff of legend, the perfect horses to conquer any landscape.
Even today, our horses are seen by many as a symbol of strength, beauty, and even magic! I don’t know what magic is, but they do look pretty amazing when they move - all those elegant swirls of muscle as they prance and leap. I could watch them all day!
In this period of shifting sands, we can also trace the development of riding and warfare tactics. The skilled horsemen of the Asian steppes rode their horses with great skill and mastery, perfecting the art of the war-chariot, with horses drawing their chariot with ferocious speed and precision. Those riders perfected their technique, using saddles for comfort and stability, a new development in horsemanship! Imagine all the advancements those horses experienced – not just in riding but in the sheer connection they had with their human companions!
Now, back home in my corner of Hayfield, life continues apace, much like it did in the year 500. We’re working the fields, pulling carts, and bringing food and supplies to our towns and villages. We might be living a simpler life, but we're an integral part of it.
I find this little journey through the year 500 absolutely fascinating! Just thinking about the horses of that era makes my hooves tap with excitement. They worked so hard, helped so many, and changed history! As a modern day horse, I can’t help but be proud of our history and what we horses continue to do to help people.
Don't forget to visit my Equiworld blog next week. Who knows where our journey through equine history will take us next time. Till then, keep those hooves tappin'!
Emma
