By Emma, The Grey Draught Mare
Neigh Neigh everyone! It's Emma here, back again with another entry in my horse history blog! It's always so lovely to share my adventures with all of you, especially as we're on quite the journey together. This week, I'm looking back to the year 892.
Now, for a horse like me, who loves nothing more than a good trot through the lush Scottish countryside, 892 was a pretty exciting year. And that's partly thanks to those pesky Vikings. Yes, those seafaring explorers who kept their longships sailing up and down our coast, raiding and trading as they went. I wasn't quite old enough to work at this time, but trust me, you heard a lot of talk about them back then. They were big on horses too!
Born and raised on a farm near Hayfield, not too far from Aberdeen in Scotland, I was lucky to enjoy the beautiful Highland scenery. Even today, just remembering those grassy fields and crisp Highland air makes my mane stand on end! You might have guessed from my name - Emma - that I was a bit of a lady. No, not just any lady though! I was a proud draught mare, strong and sturdy. I enjoyed working the fields, pulling the plough alongside my strong friends and even my brothers (some folks might say we were just siblings!). The heavy work was satisfying, but you know how it is - every horse wants to experience the wider world and adventure.
Back in 892, most folks rode on horseback for short trips and sometimes, we'd carry goods for local journeys. However, life was a bit different for those in coastal villages. For those people, living in proximity to the coast and dealing with the constant, unpredictable raids from the Vikings was simply part of life. Their homes were sturdy wooden buildings, often with a moat to protect them, and life was closely connected with the sea and the boats that came and went from them. It was certainly never boring!
As you can imagine, the Vikings had a huge influence on the horse world. Their raiding parties, usually comprising longships carrying 30-80 men, made life exciting!
They relied on their horses in their daily life and of course, during their raids. I imagine these Viking horses were similar to my own kind, draught horses with good endurance and strength. They needed strong horses, not just for the land but also for pulling their ships from the water up onto the beach. Imagine that, horses pulling longships - it's not a scene I'd expect you to see every day! It was an essential role they played for the Vikings. Horses are the key to pulling heavy carts too, useful for their raiding parties. Imagine pulling wagons filled with all sorts of valuables from an unlucky village - it certainly makes you proud to be a horse!
Another essential element in Viking history is their breeding program for horses. The Vikings would bring horses back with them after conquering new territories. This contributed to a fascinating mix of bloodlines across Europe. I find it rather fascinating! They took a bit of a 'horses in their own right' approach back then. You could say that those Viking horsemen knew how to pick their ponies!
Beyond the raids, Vikings had an impact on our daily life that’s difficult to deny. They were renowned traders! They'd arrive in ports and swap furs, weapons, and horses, creating trade networks that spanned across Europe. This made life in port areas extremely interesting, especially with the influx of foreign breeds and new horse types. I imagine that this trade and mingling between different horse breeds contributed to the diversity in European horses, a phenomenon we are so lucky to see today.
Another area of influence that I must mention was horse racing. We weren't necessarily racehorses back then but the Vikings, those intrepid voyagers, introduced a bit of competitive fun to horse racing! Imagine how exciting that must have been for the spectators. And for the horses! Of course, as much as I loved my home in Hayfield, there's a part of me that wants to feel the rush of a good gallop too. You know how horses like us love to run, feel the wind through our mane, and the thrill of competing! You can say, "Emma, we have all that nowadays with events and racing events", but they are just nowhere near as fun or exciting as having a whole tribe of Vikings watching you race for the victory. That's quite a powerful experience!
The 9th century, specifically 892, is considered the Age of Vikings - a time when these courageous explorers dominated the North Sea and created a world of wonder.
Back to me, despite my work in the fields, I can still recall the tales my grandfather would tell about his adventures, the sounds of ships arriving on the coast, and how exciting the Vikings made the world back in his day! Sometimes I wish I could go back and experience life in those days. It would certainly make life interesting! However, with all that being said, I am grateful for the time we live in today, for the peaceful pastures and kind owners that look after us so well. It's hard to say if I would trade this life for an age of raiding and adventure, but it’s lovely to imagine all that the Vikings introduced to our equine world and that makes for some fine blog posts, I must say!
I'll be back again next week, full of fascinating tales, stories, and snippets of equine history! See you then!
Emma
