Greetings, fellow equines!
Emma here, a grey draught mare with a flowing white mane and tail, living in the delightful village of Hayfield, nestled in the heart of Scotland, close to the bustling town of Aberdeen. It's the year 683 AD and a spring morning, with the air carrying the sweet scent of wildflowers and the promise of another busy day. As the sun warms my back, I nibble contentedly on the lush green grass of our communal meadow, a place that feels as much like home as the stable where I sleep at night.
Being a draught horse in these times comes with a unique set of challenges and joys. My days are usually a mix of work, camaraderie, and those precious moments of lazy grazing under the open sky. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Today, for example, my strong, steady frame is required to help Farmer Gregor plough his field. With a good strong team, pulling the plough and working the land is a rhythm that becomes second nature. And don't even get me started on the feeling of the sun on my coat as I work alongside my brethren! We are strong and resilient, vital to our community, and as important as any noble warhorse to the land and people. The work isn't always easy, but it keeps us in good health and lets us contribute to something worthwhile.
Life in Hayfield has its charms. My best friend, a young black mare named Poppy, keeps me company through the long days. She's fiery and full of life, often leaping and prancing with a joy that fills my heart. Our days are full of spirited play, rolling in the dirt, and enjoying each other's company. Poppy is always the first to try out new grass patches, a playful adventurer with a thirst for the unknown.
Sometimes, the villagers, mostly men but occasionally a woman, come out to the fields to watch us work. Their quiet approval and occasional praise warms my heart, though I understand it is not to me as an individual, but to my work. The humans see their own needs and necessities fulfilled in our efforts. It is a peaceful co-existence, based on mutual understanding, a way of life we know.
It is times like these that make me appreciate the simple beauty of everyday life. Even the smallest things – a playful bat of an ear from Poppy, a splash of dew on my nose, the quiet strength of my own powerful muscles – are treasures I wouldn’t trade for anything.
But life is not always sunshine and meadow grasses. There are shadows, too, reminders of the harsher realities of life for horses like me. The men have stories of war, far off places, where their brothers, often men riding horses, travel. Though I have never seen the brutality of war, its tales linger like the cold winter wind on my coat.
And of course, there is the dreaded disease. One of our kind, a mighty grey gelding, didn’t wake up one morning. He had a strange cough, then a fever, and no amount of caring, no medicine from the human healer could save him. He was put down. A silent fear for a while amongst us as we watched each other, feeling vulnerable for the first time, perhaps, and fearful for our own lives.
But, despite those anxieties, life marches on. I’ve learned to appreciate the good times all the more because I know there is also hardship in the world.
Speaking of hardship, I’m sure you're all wondering about the world beyond our little Hayfield, the big things happening beyond our field gates. It’s a big world, isn't it? It can seem like all we ever do is eat, sleep, work, and rest in the field, but news does travel and there are many fascinating things happening!
As you know, I read whenever I have the chance, mostly snippets about horses written in ancient Greek and Latin in the form of stories, myths, or descriptions, or written accounts of great deeds accomplished by horses in battle or even in the world of the theatre. Poppy can’t read, though, so she enjoys listening to my accounts of everything I have gleaned from the parchments, scrolls, and whatever books the monks in the village are willing to lend.
For those who haven’t been following the news (and that’s most of you – not all of us are bookish grey mares!) there are exciting things happening with humans and their horses around the globe! The world, it seems, is a bit divided with a few main kingdoms: The Franks, powerful and with a strong warrior culture and cavalry, the Byzantines with their elaborate training programmes for cavalry horses, and the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate, who use cavalry, but also a good number of packhorses for their long campaigns.
We’re in Scotland, of course, where the human king Aldfrith of Northumbria rules our land. He appears to be quite peaceful, much to our relief, focusing more on expanding education than military ventures. From all accounts, Northumbria has strong military horses, even breeding stables of top-quality stock. Maybe someday I’ll get to travel to the south!
A good friend of mine who is in a similar situation, an old grey called Henry from up near Carlisle, was lucky enough to be part of a long, tough journey in the human world, hauling materials and supplies across miles and miles of country. He said he felt quite famous when he helped build the Great Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome for the Pope. It was exhausting, he told me, but definitely memorable. It made him think, he said, that he wasn’t just an ordinary draught horse – maybe he was a part of history!
Sometimes, I think about the stories, too, of the ancient world where Chariot racing was all the rage. I even read about one ancient emperor of Rome named Caligula who was so fascinated by horses that he even appointed one of them as a senator! Can you imagine that – a horse in parliament?
It’s stories like these that make me wonder if horses like us have ever had more powerful roles. Maybe they once enjoyed a different kind of status or had roles in the human world other than those of being used as draught animals.
Poppy rolls her eyes whenever I start fantasizing. "Emma, you read too many books," she'll say. "Why would humans want horses in the government? We’d only be there for our muscles!"
But Poppy’s always been more focused on the simple things – a juicy patch of grass, the wind in her mane, a good scratch behind the ears. Maybe she’s right to enjoy the here and now, but there's a part of me that wants to know more, to explore the world and discover what kind of role my ancestors might have played in shaping this big, amazing, and complex world!
For now, it's back to work in the field, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my back, and feeling grateful for a simple, honest life. I look forward to another day of life, full of interesting challenges and the companionship of my beloved Poppy, all within the embrace of this beautiful countryside and our strong, stable community. I feel fortunate to be living a fulfilling life in the 683rd year of the Common Era. Until next time, readers, stay curious and keep on trotting!
