Hello fellow equine enthusiasts! It’s Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood grey draught mare from the bonnie hills of Hayfield, near Aberdeen. Today we’re stepping back in time, right back to 0549! That’s right, the year 549 - a time before the glorious era of modern tack and horse-friendly grooming practices, but also a time of real community, resilience, and, of course, horses.
0549 saw us, the humble draught horses, still at the centre of everything. We pulled ploughs, carts, and even people on journeys far and wide. It was a challenging but rewarding life, with long days of toil but also a strong connection to the land and to our humans. I’ll be honest, the early 6th century was no walk in the park, but our story isn’t just about hard work - it’s also a story of hope and community, a story that’s deeply connected to the fabric of humanity.
Life on the Farm
As a strong, grey mare with a flowing white mane and tail, I had the privilege of leading the plough in our village. We didn’t have the fancy metal tools of today - it was all sturdy wood and oxen, which meant a lot of muscle from our side. My human, young Angus, was a kind soul, with strong hands but a gentler touch. He knew every furrow of the land and we understood each other’s rhythm – the pull, the turn, the pause. It was hard work, especially when the winter chill set in and the earth was frozen solid. But it was a life I loved.
Our lives revolved around the seasons. Winter brought its share of blizzards, forcing us into warm stables. Come spring, the air was thick with the promise of life and our humans relied on us for seed-sowing. We loved the freshness of spring - it filled us with a vigour that spurred us forward with each tug of the harness. It was a rewarding life, bringing in crops that would sustain our communities through the year.
A Busy Day at the Market
I can vividly recall one day in early summer. Angus woke me with a cheery song, and the familiar clinking of metal from the harness – it was market day! The bustling scene was something to behold: sheep, pigs, goats, all crowding around the makeshift stalls, whilst their humans bargained over prices. The scent of roasted bread, smoked fish, and spices lingered in the air, making my tummy rumble. It was exciting, a different world from our quiet farm life. But also daunting, especially with all those curious stares and curious smells from people we'd never met before.
Angus and I, together with another grey draught, Bonnie, pulled the cart, laden with a heap of freshly-harvested barley and a few plump chickens from our farm. It took great strength to pull the load uphill, through crowds of people, with all the carts jostling about. I took comfort in the warmth of Angus's presence alongside me. We were a team, like the other horses pulling carts laden with fresh bread, cheeses, honey, and woven wool. It felt like everyone played a part, working together to create a vibrant hub of trade and commerce. It was that feeling of unity that warmed my spirit, even more than the hay in my stall at night.
Stories on the Wind
The year 549 was a year of stories. News traveled on the winds. The rumours that I heard from the humans in our village were about a new King who had risen in Northumbria. King Ida they called him. He had strong warrior skills and, through a fierce series of battles, was gradually gathering territory under his reign. It sounded quite a powerful character. This, coupled with other murmurs of unrest, fuelled a sense of both apprehension and excitement amongst the human folk. Even horses like me felt a flicker of trepidation - unrest always brings with it challenges.
My job was simple: keep pulling my plough, cart, and humans through the good times and the bad, making the most of each day and helping the community thrive. Life might not have been glamorous, but it was honest. The community worked together, hand in hand, with us by their side, facing every obstacle that came our way. We had our fears and anxieties just as they did, but it’s the moments of laughter, camaraderie and shared struggle that bond us - both humans and horses - as we build a life together, on our farm and in this small world.
Moving On
Today, horses like us have a slightly different role to play. Though I've long retired from my work with the plough, I still get a twinge of excitement whenever I see a horse pulling a carriage - they still play such a special role in making the world feel that bit more special. We’re no longer pulling plows or carts for every journey, but our role is as important as ever: companions, companions, workers, athletes, friends to our humans.
That connection, that shared sense of responsibility and shared struggle, makes us part of a wonderful web that extends far beyond our stables, far beyond our fields, into the very soul of history.
Don’t forget to visit www.equiworld.org to read all our other fascinating blog posts! See you next time!
