Hello my dearest fellow equines and horse lovers! Emma here, your trusty draught mare from the windswept hills of Hayfield, near Aberdeen. I'm back with another journey through the annals of history, taking us all the way back to the year 0920! I know, it seems like forever ago, doesn't it? But the story of horses never really stops, does it?
From Hayfield with Love
I've spent most of my days in the rolling fields of Hayfield, where the air is crisp and the heather blooms purple in the summer months. My life here is full of simple pleasures: a good roll in the meadow, munching on fresh clover, and pulling the plough for the kind farmers who look after me. They call me a "grey mare" but my mane and tail, long and flowing, are a stunning white. It adds a touch of grace, you see, to this strong, hard-working frame of mine!
This year, though, I felt the need to travel back in time, to see what our ancestors were up to way back in 0920! So buckle your saddles, my friends, as I pull you along a road less travelled, a road paved with the hooves of history.
The World Through Hooves
In 0920, life for horses across the world was much the same as it was back then – a simple existence, closely intertwined with the humans who relied upon us. But times were changing, even in our quiet world.
In Europe, I imagined fields of barley swaying in the wind as they did in my own Hayfield. The Viking expansion had long since subsided, and the era of strong kings like Alfred the Great was giving way to the new age of the Norse kings in what is now England.
Across the seas, in the Far East, the powerful Tang dynasty in China had crumbled. This meant great upheaval, even in the quiet corners where horses toiled. The horses of China would be feeling a shift in the very way they were used, just as we would soon in Hayfield, too. We were beginning to transition from simple agricultural beasts to vital companions for trade, war, and exploration.
In the Islamic world, I saw great cities rising under the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates. These powerful rulers were shaping a new world and building magnificent empires, their horses at their sides, a key to their expansion and dominance.
From Plough to Power
Here in Hayfield, our work was still primarily the fields. But things were stirring in the world, and my people were becoming more than just workhorses. This, I was sensing, was a crucial period.
There was a buzz about a new way of using horses, not just to pull but to ride. People spoke in whispers of the "cavalry," a group of soldiers who used us, their horses, with skill and agility in battle. In 0920, a mighty war was brewing in the north. Viking ships were said to have landed in what is now England, intent on conquering the lands across the sea.
This, I realised, was not just another simple farm task. This was the era of knights. And that word stirred something within me - a sense of pride and purpose, that the tasks I do in the field may be connected to something bigger, something beyond my humble life.
A Tale of Two Worlds
Looking back at this pivotal time, I felt a deep kinship with my fellow equine companions across the globe. It felt as though we were all woven together, united by a shared journey through history. Though we worked for different masters, and travelled different roads, we were all driven by a desire to serve, to contribute to the greater world around us.
The horses of 0920, we were a testament to strength, endurance, and unwavering loyalty. Our ancestors had helped shape civilisations, from the great cities of Persia to the rolling hills of Scotland.
So, here's to all the horses of 0920, my fellow travellers on this timeless journey! Let us remember those who came before us, and let their spirit inspire us as we continue our own individual, and yet shared, story.
I’ll keep you posted, dear readers, on the horses of 0921! Until then, keep your saddles polished and your hearts open, and let's gallop through history together.
Much love,
Emma
www.equiworld.org
