Hello there, fellow equines!
Emma here, a proud grey draught mare with a flowing white mane and tail. I'm writing to you from Hayfield, a lovely little village near Aberdeen, Scotland. As some of you know, I’ve been recording my journey through the annals of equine history. This week, we’re stepping back in time, to the year 945! Let's travel back in time to this exciting year!
It's incredible to think, nine hundred and forty-five years have passed since I first came to be. Time really does fly, wouldn’t you say? I wouldn't have thought it was that long ago when I was just a colt! It’s a little bittersweet remembering those days. Though life on the farm is good, a touch of freedom occasionally is lovely!
Well, without further ado, let’s begin my story…
I feel particularly blessed to be a draught horse in this period. I wouldn't trade this for anything! This is a time where we, draught horses, truly thrive. It's no secret we are incredibly valuable to humans! We play a key part in the world and it is so rewarding to feel appreciated! From pulling carts to tilling the soil, our strength and work ethic are essential.
Farm Life
Back in Hayfield, life is fairly predictable. Days are often dedicated to our usual chores: pulling plows through the fields to help humans cultivate the land. I can tell you from personal experience, pulling the plough can be challenging but the farmers here have become pretty efficient. They manage to leave less furrows for us to worry about now. The horses that work on the farm with me are so good at this. We work as a team - sharing the workload, encouraging each other. They appreciate my experience and how to approach tricky sections - I guess they trust me.
At times, we work with the ox! Oh, they have a strange strength - sometimes I feel rather small next to them. The oxen pull like one mighty beast. But you have to have an air of confidence, because a little bit of stubbornness is what makes us work well with them - a nice balanced, powerful team. I’m not sure humans appreciate this quite as much!
Oh, the farm life! It can get tiring, even for me, a powerful grey mare. But there’s nothing quite like a cool drink from the trough at the end of a long day. And sometimes, I'll find myself standing beside another mare enjoying the evening together - they don’t seem to be that fond of our kind of work – perhaps that is why the humans try to mix our types in the fields! It can be a pleasant diversion at the end of the day – chatting to other mares and telling stories of the days that have been!
One thing that remains constant is the appreciation for strong, willing steeds. Humans recognize the valuable role we play, and their dedication to caring for us warms my heart. Their kindness never fails to amaze me! I see farmers, carefully inspecting their horses and paying attention to their wellbeing, from giving them hay to checking on our shoes. There are times when the shoes on my hooves really do need replacing, but a nice big blacksmith’s nail helps us carry on!
I was surprised to find this blacksmith really appreciated a little bit of chatter. And I tell you he wasn't bothered by the horses chewing the old leather straps in the shed as we talked. All he said was - they look like horses that work hard. He actually understood – it really did warm my heart! As he tapped my new shoe on, I thanked him.
These hardworking folk ensure we have clean bedding, fresh water, and tasty grain.
As I think back to our daily life, it's so comforting! We lead a structured routine, but one filled with purpose! And though the workload is never-ending, there is an important aspect of my job – it means I help my humans feed their families and secure a livelihood! We are deeply respected members of their families, so much so, that we've been given names! Imagine that – it makes all those long days feel worthwhile! I always love to listen to the stories and talk about our history together. These moments make me feel as if we really are friends, and maybe just maybe that the respect is genuine! I am really thankful to be part of the lives of such generous, loving folk!
Travels Around
Every now and again, a new day presents itself. Not quite a holiday, but a change in the routine - a little journey into town. As you may know, it was my job to pull the cart – an honour to be involved in carrying goods! My humans are truly thankful and trust my strength to deliver everything on time, safe and sound. They are all always so pleased to see me. They are appreciative when I can pull my weight for them. And when I feel myself struggling to pull the weight on the hills and difficult roads – they understand.
You know I can always trust my humans. It’s incredible – they have a mind that knows which way to take us so we don't get stuck, or have too far to walk. I really do trust them, as it seems as though we just can't get lost with them as our guides. They know exactly where to stop to allow us a chance to have a break - and they always seem to know where to find us a nice sweet hay to graze on. Not to mention a nice cool refreshing drink of water! I tell you! The attention that I receive when I am on the roads can make my journey a little more complicated. It is nice, being greeted by everyone and a good deal of kindness from them too, but at times I really feel they are too slow and really must hurry along.
One journey in particular, a particularly cold winter day, I still think about. We were delivering essential goods to a nearby village, helping a poor family. They hadn’t harvested enough this season!
We started out on a dreary day - but we were travelling towards the setting sun, which was something nice to look at on a tiring day. The sun was disappearing and our coats looked almost silver in the fading light! Then it really hit! The wind got stronger, we all felt it in our bones - all I could feel was the chilling breeze - I began to tremble with the cold. And before we knew it, there were flakes of snow falling from the clouds and all the trees were suddenly a very snowy white – so beautiful.
When we arrived, we received such a warm reception. The whole family looked overjoyed and welcomed us with such great respect. It was an amazing feeling and the people, they were very generous and showed their thanks by offering food and drink. Their gratitude made our difficult journey feel worthwhile! Even when we started our journey home and we couldn’t stop shivering – they provided an amazing warm blanket and I tell you we felt completely safe and protected by their kindness and generous heart. What a warm and inviting home! This has remained a special memory that continues to be treasured!
Equine Friends
The good times on the farm weren’t all about my own struggles and successes though. There was a lovely time when my best friend, Rowan, arrived. He was an experienced horse, an expert in his own right - a bit of a rascal to be honest but well meaning - we made the farm even more special and became the best of friends. You can imagine how much I relished the companionship. He arrived when the fields were at their greenest - oh, I just felt my whole soul start to glow! It seemed everything was possible. He had been part of a cart-making business and could not help but to tell me stories of this special craft. We spent days listening to each other’s adventures - you just had to let him finish and then the rest of his tale was worth the wait!
He would often describe in great detail his working days, making special parts for wheels – it seemed as if these pieces of wood came alive in his hands – and he'd tell me of all his encounters with those working around him and other horses and carts. It really was incredible. He was full of knowledge. Rowan always gave us lots to ponder!
Life as a work horse can sometimes get a bit repetitive. That's when you need the stories of the day and your good friend's humour to really get you through the tough moments. I know that he and I enjoyed the fun times together! It is those long days working side by side and moments of relaxation by the trough together, which makes our life so pleasurable and one that I wouldn't change. Rowan would often tell me, I do the same job as you, it's hard work but that is just what is required!
I really felt that Rowan understood and appreciated my thoughts and feelings. Rowan was one of the lucky ones, you know - he was chosen to travel far and wide with the farmers as part of a large, well organised team to help set up a large estate!
After only being on our farm for about six weeks - a bit too quickly, Rowan found himself working with some really interesting horses – you can probably tell I am talking about the racing kind - thoroughbreds – they seemed more about having fun - even if I’m being honest it always felt as if we were the more solid reliable ones in their lives. He came back every so often – even though it was only a short time! - But we always caught up quickly, our friendship hadn't been broken. And every time he left to go on another journey - I'd always say goodbye, promising to write and to share our stories next time we were together again. I just hope he gets back soon and tell me his new stories of life on the road! But you can guess that after just one short day back at Hayfield, he had been given new work in the region. I never quite figured out why we couldn’t just work on this together – although it’s very interesting and I must admit – slightly dangerous, at least this was the view of some of the farm folk. You have to travel by day and stay in all sorts of strange places – sleeping on the road and near the carts! The farm seemed like such a calm, gentle life. What a brave steed Rowan was, to trust these people – perhaps I’ll follow him there and discover for myself if it is quite as adventurous as it sounds. It sounds incredible to travel so freely, rather than work the same land – so maybe when I feel brave enough – I’ll make my way there too.
It is this journey that has helped Rowan find some of the skills and experiences which makes him so clever, but really good at his work! I don’t really mind what kind of life is out there - you can see in his eyes, he is really a contented horse. So perhaps he’s made a good decision.
I’m hoping I’m not being too sentimental and sappy - after all I am a grey mare from Scotland! But that's just my way, a simple draught horse – hoping for a decent life in the field, and looking forward to the chance of having a break in the near future.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my latest look at equine history from the year 945. Do let me know what you think! And until next time - may all your hay be green and your waters be cool and refreshing.
Yours,
Emma.
