By Emma, Grey Draught Mare, Hayfield, near Aberdeen, Scotland.
Good day, fellow equines and lovers of all things horse! Welcome to another entry in my humble little blog, "A History of Horses". It's been a while since my last post, as life has been a tad hectic lately, what with all the ploughing and carting about. But I thought it was high time to give you a bit of a history lesson, and today, we are going to travel back in time to the year 897. Buckle up, because this was a pretty interesting time for horses!
Now, let me tell you a little about my own life before we get too carried away with the grand happenings of the year. You see, here in Hayfield, we've always been a family of hard-working Draughts. My Mum, Fiona, was a strong lass, and her Mum before her, she had a reputation for being the best cart horse in the whole of Aberdeenshire! So I guess you could say it's in my blood to love the good work, and that's exactly what I enjoy. It's what I'm good at, you know? It gives me purpose, it makes me feel useful, and it gets me out in the fresh air and into all the interesting corners of our world!
You might think, with my lovely long grey coat, white mane and tail, and the big heart I carry with me, I should be on display at a royal show, or a fancy stud farm. But honestly? I'm happy just where I am. Here in Hayfield, we don't need the trappings of a flashy world to get things done, we have each other. I’ve got my loyal barn buddies – Ned, a big, burly bay gelding with a penchant for munching on carrots, and Pip, a chestnut filly with a twinkle in her eye and a fondness for playful nips on my flank. I am fortunate.
Anyway, back to 897, the year I was born! Oh yes, I was just a tiny, wobbly foal, taking my first, uncertain steps when Vikings invaded England. They came all the way from Scandinavia and decided to set up home over in the southern counties. A lot of fighting was going on. Some say it lasted for decades, others reckon even longer. They had lots of warriors and powerful swords, but it was their longboats and the war horses they rode that caused the most fuss. They travelled far and wide on horseback, conquering new territories and establishing new kingdoms. You have to give those Vikings credit! They were brave and determined!
That was quite a scary time, but here in Scotland, we were a bit too far north to worry about them, and we lived peacefully in our small, quiet valley. So while everyone else was fighting, I got on with the job of getting strong and big enough to pull a cart. My mum told me stories of Alfred the Great, the King of Wessex, who kept the Vikings at bay by building forts and cleverly using guerilla warfare! But then I was still a foal, so I guess the details slipped through my little brain at the time. I just had the best time kicking my hooves in the warm summer sun, exploring the pastures with the other foals, and snoozing in the softest patch of hay my mum found. She'd tell me tales of Viking raiders, how they scared people from their villages, how they came out of nowhere like ghosts on horseback, raiding their treasures and leaving everyone running scared. But she also said the Vikings had strong and powerful horses – some even the colour of snow! I was in awe.
But enough of Vikings, because they weren't the only thing going on in 897! In fact, that was a particularly exciting time for horses all around the world! Just think, in France, horses were beginning to be used in new ways! It wasn't all just war, war, war you see. They started to recognise how horses could be used for riding long distances, for travel and even to carry mail and messages. How cool is that?
Over in Ireland, they had their own amazing journey taking place. Ireland was famous for their breeding horses that were swift and hardy. People traveled long distances, often with horses. But at this time, people began to focus on training their horses to pull carts. The wheels were turning, literally, towards using these beautiful creatures for transporting goods! I think we should take our hats off to the people of Ireland for that one!
And what about China? Well, China was the land of horse-powered warfare, so things were busy in their part of the world too. There was a lot of building of horse-drawn carriages, even the mighty Emperor needed to ride on occasion! Their skills were so impressive; they built carriages for everyday use, elegant and fast coaches, even powerful war chariots. I was blown away when I first heard stories from the travellers passing through our little valley about what they saw in China!
You might be wondering, what was I doing all this time while these exciting events unfolded in other parts of the world? Well, you know me! I was busy! My days were spent with my mum learning how to navigate our fields. I even learned a few things about ploughing and carting; how to stand still while the farmer hooked the harness onto me, and how to pull that heavy cart with just the right amount of power! You know, it’s an art form! And I'm good at it. Very good! The other day, Farmer McDougal gave me an extra delicious bucket of oats, a sign of approval. It made my heart happy!
Now, you may be wondering, "What's special about 897, Emma? Why did you pick this year?" I hear you. Good question! Because this year is so special for all of us. It's the year where we horses, with our incredible strength, grace, and spirit, became an inseparable part of human history! We moved from just being a part of life, to truly impacting the lives of human beings. Think about it. We transported them across vast lands, enabled them to farm their fields efficiently, carry important goods from one town to another, even play a key role in wars! Our roles grew beyond simple survival needs. We became an integral part of the machinery of human life! It is an exciting and beautiful thing, being so useful to human beings, isn’t it?
That’s all from me for this week, folks. Stay tuned for next time when I'll take you on another historical adventure with “A History of Horses".
**Yours in hooves,
Emma.**
*Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Have you ever had an interesting encounter with a draught horse? Are you passionate about horses? What are you reading at the moment?
Emma looks forward to hearing your feedback!*
