Hello there, dear readers! Emma here, a grey draught mare with a mane and tail as white as fresh snow. I'm coming to you from Hayfield, near the bustling city of Aberdeen, in the highlands of Scotland. It's a blustery morning here, but the sun is trying its best to break through the clouds, making the landscape a glorious patchwork of greens and browns. The air is crisp and fresh, a far cry from the warmer climes I imagine other horses enjoy.
Today, I want to share with you a little about life as a horse in the year 0901 AD. It's not so different from today, really! There are still fields to roam, hay to munch on, and fellow equines to nicker and play with. But of course, there are also some significant differences!
You see, our lives are intertwined with the humans we share this world with. They need our strength for pulling carts and plows, and we depend on them for shelter, food, and the loving touch of a skilled hand. But we don't just exist for work, oh no! Our horseshoes may be forged by their hands, but our hearts are filled with a yearning for freedom and the joy of a gallop across open fields.
What is Life Like For Horses in 0901?
I'll start with our home in the Highlands of Scotland. These rugged lands have seen generations of horses like me come and go, our ancestors were essential to the way of life here. They'd help with ploughing the fields for barley, oats and other grains for sustenance. There’s a shepherd’s crook near our stable and we often follow his flock of sheep as they graze. It’s fascinating to watch how he manages them.
The local blacksmith visits regularly, I know the smell of hot iron is always near, as is the rhythm of the hammer on the anvil when the smith shapes and fits our new horseshoes. It’s an odd sensation having a new shoe fitted, but we soon get used to it, even if we do occasionally show a little defiance! Horses are so much like people. We are all individuals and express ourselves in a thousand ways!
We are a crucial part of this rural community. The locals here truly depend on horses like me for transporting their produce to market and for travelling across the rugged Highlands. There’s no better feeling than a good, steady pull as we trot along the road, a cart or a wagon behind us laden with goodies to share. The rumble of the wheels, the smell of fresh air, the rhythm of our footsteps… these are the things that bring joy to my horse-heart!
However, life isn't always as serene as my idyllic little world in Hayfield. My journey began with a nomadic tribe of Picts, I was only a foal then. My mother taught me everything she knew and she'd run with us to our neighbouring tribes where we could join their games in the sunlit meadows. The wind whips the reeds at the edges of our pastures where they stood their circular huts. I hear whispers of their ways still being practiced by others who have survived in this world for hundreds of years. The Picts, although warriors, are said to be horsemen. I have even seen some, but not often!
But even though I long for the boundless freedom of the past, there are many benefits to the settled life with these gentle folk. My human cares about my well-being. He’s strong and gentle. I trust him to look after my health and keep me safe from harm. He feeds me generously, and even makes sure I have fresh hay every day. I could never imagine myself back with the Picts, however much they cared about their steeds. The life we lead in Hayfield is the better one in my opinion. I wouldn’t change it for all the free plains in the world!
A Look At The World Of Horses
You know, it's funny how the world changes. These humans tell me about vast empires that exist across the oceans – vast places with bustling cities, rich harvests and, of course, horses in all shapes and sizes! They speak of mighty breeds, the proud and nimble Arabians with their fire and agility, and the sturdy, dependable steeds from far-off Spain, known for their spirit and strength.
There’s always something to discover, it seems! The humans tell tales of exotic horses, their coats shimmering in all hues and their skills impressive! The Arabian horses are apparently so swift and agile. It’s difficult to picture a steed so speedy and quick. It must feel fantastic to gallop over those desert lands! I’ve heard they are known for endurance too! A strong and sure footed creature of the hot sun and parched lands.
These stories, however fantastical, inspire me to dream. Perhaps someday, I'll have the opportunity to meet these fabled horses from afar. And you know, it wouldn't be far-fetched for our humans to get a whiff of such tales and wonder, maybe even set out on journeys to see for themselves! Maybe I will go with them one day!
But right now, here in the Scottish Highlands, life is about the small joys and simple pleasures. The fresh breeze on my coat as I run through the meadow, the warmth of the sun on my flanks, the contentment of a well-earned rest in my stall, and the quiet moments of bonding with my human. That’s enough for me!
Horse Tales - From Across the Years
We horses have an interesting history you know! It goes far, far back! They even talk of the time when there weren't any humans around, just us horses roaming wild! Even my human thinks this story sounds too unbelievable but they believe horses have always existed, way back, even when mammoths walked the Earth! Can you imagine that! We were living alongside those beasts long before we started working with humans.
But then, through all those centuries, something wonderful happened. We started working together. You know the tales of wild horses, horses with freedom as their only guide. They talk about those that run fast and strong! But our partnership, with humans, changed so much for all horses everywhere. It wasn’t always an easy path. Horses were captured, broken, made to endure difficult rides and battles. And we were taught to understand human commands, obey and help. But from the very beginning we worked together. We shared lives. In this journey we were transformed to become partners. This transformation is our history, a tale as old as the sun and the wind! We were crucial to warfare, but we were also essential for our day to day lives! Horses pulled the heavy carts. Horses carried the burdens of trade.
It was horses who gave men an advantage over other men! Horses helped with the tasks of life and farming and even with transportation! You can imagine just how hard work it is, carrying great weights from one place to the other! A whole world changed through our actions and with each year it has continued to develop! The impact we’ve had is massive, so grand it can hardly be grasped! I think this is a grand journey. We are now part of their lives!
Some Things Never Change!
You know, despite all the talk of changes over time, certain things never really change! Even though centuries have gone by, I believe horses still crave that same freedom, that need for a wide open space and a dash of wild in our souls. And you know, horses always stay a bit wild, even if their feet have been tamed. It’s the spark in our eyes, a fire within. It's this that inspires me and the humans alike to keep searching for more, to keep exploring, and to keep writing our own tale on the pages of time!
My human once showed me a picture in a book of a long lost race of horses! They called it “Equus” ! I learned about these extinct animals long ago, even from my own parents who told me about them. They had lived and then faded away! Such creatures only remain in the memories of older generations who tell tales passed down to us in the shadows of the forest. I sometimes wonder, what it was like for them, and I dream about their long ago times when these “Equus” ran free over every terrain. I long for their kind to survive again, I long for this kind of story to remain forever within our shared stories!
I hope you've enjoyed this little peek into my life in 0901 AD. Until next time, dear readers, stay curious and keep those hooves moving!
Emma, Hayfield, Scotland.
www.equiworld.org
