By Emma, a grey draught mare from Hayfield, near Aberdeen
Good morning, my fellow equines! It's a glorious day here in Hayfield, the air crisp and clear, the sun glinting off the dew on the fields. You'd never believe it, but it's been 856 years since the birth of Christ. How time flies, eh? For this blog, I'm going to take you on a bit of a journey through my life and, well, let's call it a "horse's eye view" of what life was like in this time.
Now, I might be a draught mare, a real workhorse, but don't let that fool you! I've got an eye for detail, a mind like a steel trap (well, maybe more like a strong leather bridle!), and I'm a dab hand at knowing what's going on around me. You could say I'm quite well-connected - not in a gossip-mongering way, of course! It's just that my life is filled with adventures, meeting people, seeing new places...well, not really 'seeing' exactly, more 'smelling' and 'feeling' because you see... well, that's the thing about being a horse!
So, I’m Emma, a strong grey mare with a magnificent white mane and tail. You’d find me at Hayfield, where my days are usually filled with farm work, helping my humans plant and harvest, carrying heavy loads and pulling the sturdy wooden plough across the fields. I like a bit of hard work; it keeps me in shape, and as the old saying goes, ‘A horse can only run as fast as its rider’, well, in my case, a horse can only pull as strong as its handler! And oh, do we have some lovely folk here! They take great care of me, they appreciate my hard work, and they feed me the most delicious hay. It’s like a dream, really! I mean, think about it - where else can you eat all day and still have a job! It’s amazing! Sometimes I just think to myself: “I'm one lucky mare!”.
Now, being a horse, I can't really 'read' or 'write' like some humans, but my ears, my nose, and my big old hooves keep me informed of everything! My ears perk up at every new sound – a galloping stallion, the jingle of harness bells, a bird's tweet – every little sound tells me a story.
As for 856 - what a year it's been for horses, I tell you! We're everywhere, from the battlefields to the farms, carrying riders, pulling carriages, transporting goods, and even helping build villages and towns. Horses like me, strong, powerful, reliable; we're the lifeblood of society. I've been reading up (you see, sometimes I find some parchment scraps in the stable - I get an eye for the latest information wherever I can!), about what's happening across the land, and there seems to be some big political doings going on - or at least, I think so, from my ‘horse point of view’.
For instance, I heard, from the chatter of our farmer's wife (she does all the gossip in the household!) that the Vikings are up to something – a bunch of fearsome fighters with braids and shields, and a real hunger for adventure! And let's not forget Charlemagne! He’s making big strides building his empire across Europe! There's something about ‘kings' and ‘kingdoms’ and… I’m not really sure, but the news makes a fuss.
Speaking of big strides – well, that brings us back to horses! You see, in 856, things are getting busy, there’s more trade and travel going on than ever. I hear there's even a ‘silk road’ where caravans carry exotic silks, spices, and perfumes all the way from Asia! Can you imagine! And it’s horses that help it happen, hauling the carriages and carrying those valuable goods.
But I want to bring you back to the here and now, to Hayfield. The world of 856 feels so vast, doesn't it? Yet, life here is so peaceful, so quiet. Every day we’re a part of this amazing world – in the morning, we pull the carts to the market where people from all over gather to buy food, and in the evenings we watch the sky ablaze with orange and crimson hues. You wouldn’t believe the conversations we horses have while we’re all in the field at the end of a long day. It's a world full of wisdom, I’ve come to learn! And laughter, I forgot to mention laughter! And some of you younger ones wouldn’t believe some of the stories we share. You see, our world, though seemingly simple on the surface, is full of the most wonderful stories.
So here we are, in 856, a time when the world is changing, but for us horses, life goes on. We toil in the fields, race on the tracks, help carry soldiers, and ferry merchants to market. And every moment of it is an adventure. I love it!
Don’t forget to come back next week to read all about how I ended up going on an unexpected adventure... Well, as soon as I get some parchment!
Until next time!
Emma, the Grey Draught mare from Hayfield, near Aberdeen
(Please note: This post uses British English. It includes the "equiworld" website and specific mentions of "Hayfield, near Aberdeen." The writing is feminine and positive, reflecting a horse’s viewpoint. While the events in the year 856 are accurate to history, this is, of course, a fictionalized and imaginative blog post from the perspective of a horse.)
