Hello, my lovely readers! Emma here, a grey mare with a heart full of stories and a mane the colour of a silver moon. It’s another crisp Scottish morning in Hayfield, the air biting with the scent of dew-kissed grass and the promise of a new day. I'm perched comfortably in the stables, the warmth of the straw a delightful contrast to the morning chill, and feeling the urge to share a slice of history with you. Today, my blog takes us back to the year 779 AD – a time of adventure and change for horses across the world, particularly here in our part of Scotland.
The Horse in the Heart of Things
For you, dear readers, 779 might feel like a distant echo. But for a horse, every day is a piece of history woven into our very being. In 779, our lives, like all living creatures, were intertwined with the cycles of the natural world. As a working horse, my days were filled with the simple but vital tasks of hauling, ploughing, and transporting. We were the sinews of the land, the wheels that kept life turning for our human companions.
Back then, my brethren and I were still mostly of the ‘cold-blooded’ kind – sturdy and dependable, built for strength and resilience rather than the fleet speed of our more distant relatives. It was a time when horses were much more than just steeds. We were partners in survival, vital tools in an agricultural society that thrived on our back and brawn.
Across the Hills and Valleys: Life in Hayfield
Hayfield, my beloved home, was nestled in the rugged highlands of Scotland. It wasn’t a place for gentle, rolling pastures. Here, life was a constant dance with the wild winds, the rain, and the stubborn nature of the terrain. Our lives revolved around the rhythm of the seasons - the vibrant colours of summer, the bitter winds of winter, and the relentless cycle of farming.
Our mornings would begin with a chorus of neighs and the sound of clinking harnesses. I recall those early dawns, the soft light painting the sky, as we lumbered out of the stables, our hooves crunching on frozen ground. It was a shared experience, a tapestry woven with the gentle creaks of wooden carts and the shared breath of fellow horses.
A typical day might see us hauling logs from the nearby forests for winter fires. Sometimes, we were tasked with bringing provisions to the local markets in Aberdeen. The journeys were long, the trails treacherous, but they were our work, our purpose. It wasn’t just about hauling things, though; it was about the connections, the feeling of kinship amongst the horses and the trust we shared with our human partners.
A Peek at the World: Vikings and Warriors
But the world outside our Highland haven was restless, full of a shifting current. News travelled through whispers, along the trails of merchants and the voices of travelling bards. In 779, the stories spoke of the Vikings. They were a tempestuous force sweeping across the seas, their longships carving pathways through history, their warriors a relentless storm.
It's hard to say what those men saw in horses. But they had a strong appreciation for our spirit and courage. In their mythology, Odin, the mighty god of war, rode an eight-legged steed called Sleipnir – an ethereal symbol of the divine, mirroring our innate power and untamed energy.
News reached us too of a burgeoning civilization further south, where a mighty ruler known as Charlemagne was shaping the landscape of Europe with his armies and ambitious ambitions. They had horses, too, and some even came from our part of the world. A good warhorse, they whispered, could fetch a king's ransom! It was a different world out there, a world where the power of the horse had found a different application – for battle, for glory, and for shaping the destiny of empires.
Whispers of Change: A Horse's Intuition
It's funny how even a simple horse can feel a change in the wind. In 779, there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere. While our lives in Hayfield continued in the steady, familiar rhythm, there was an underlying murmur of change. The old ways were still the backbone of life, but I sensed a change on the horizon – an evolution.
Maybe it was the rumble of Viking longships echoing along the shores, maybe it was the whispers of chariots in distant lands, but the world was changing, and we, the horses, would play a part.
I often find myself reflecting on those distant times, on the lessons we carry with us in the bloodline. We are more than just beasts of burden; we are inheritors of an ancient history. As I look out across the fields of Hayfield, watching the sun dip towards the horizon, I feel that spirit coursing through my veins. A spirit that binds us to our ancestors and reminds us that our history, our very being, is forever woven into the tapestry of life itself.
So, until next time, my fellow horse lovers, I hope you enjoyed this journey back in time. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Equiworld blog for more exciting tales from the history of horses.
