Blog Post No. 1080
Good day, dear fellow equines!
Emma here, your average, well, perhaps not average – I am quite a handsome grey mare – but certainly not special, just an average workhorse from Hayfield, just outside of Aberdeen. Today, I thought I’d tell you about what’s happening in the horse world of 1080, because things are certainly a-changin’!
We've had a rather long and hard winter this year. I’ve heard tales of some parts of England having almost two months of snow. Imagine, two whole months of no green grass, just icy mud and frost. It's no wonder people say there are so many grumpy and thin horses down there!
Thankfully, our winters up in Scotland aren’t so harsh, though the frosts have made the ground hard enough for my hooves to hurt sometimes, making ploughing extra tough. That's how we workhorses earn our keep – we are the strong backs and sturdy hooves of our communities, moving plows, carts, and carrying everything from grain and stone to timber and even our master's belongings.
Right now, as I write this blog post (well, my master writes it, you know, my human scribe and I have a sort of telepathic bond, a bit like those ‘whisperers’ humans talk about sometimes), the air is crisp and sunny. I can feel the warmth on my greying back. A new season is dawning. Spring. And as always, with the arrival of spring comes a flurry of new activity.
Our local blacksmith, young Adam, has already been busy shoeing our hooves with new iron. He even took a bit of extra care with my shoes this year. He’s a fine blacksmith, you know, with a gentle hand. I’m thankful to him; it takes the edge off the hard ground and makes my job a lot easier.
We all had a bit of time off in the weeks leading up to Easter, or what the humans call 'Passiontide' - no ploughing, just grazing in the fields. It’s quite pleasant to simply laze under the sun, to graze peacefully with the rest of the mares and geldings, watch the young foals playfully chase each other in the spring grass, or just stand by the stable and let the sun warm our hides. Those few weeks really are quite wonderful.
Spring is also a time for new arrivals. I hear a few foals were born this week at the farms further up the valley, tiny bundles of black, bay and even some brown with white streaks. The sounds of their joyous, high-pitched whinnies as they take their first tentative steps are music to our ears. I think the mares enjoy it too. A good, healthy foal brings joy to everyone, I'm sure.
Speaking of the spring and joy, have you heard about what’s going on in England? Seems our King William has had a huge success in his war with the Danes. They were all the way in the North and trying to conquer the country. He even called in the Normans to help. Now the Normans are pretty strong fighters and great riders too. And guess what? They brought some magnificent horses with them! I hear they’re tall and muscular, big and imposing. But don’t worry, I’m still proud to be a grey draught horse, we may be stout and hardy but our kind certainly holds its own!
As for the war… it does make me worry sometimes, because it’s a scary thing, this fighting. Warhorses don’t last long, they get hurt too easily, and we all get separated from our friends. But the good news is that King William has emerged victorious! They say he had this huge army and was able to rout the Danes right back to Scandinavia. We can all be thankful for peace in our country! It allows us to live and work without worrying about war, right?
One last thing. Did you know, we have been building a new church at the other end of Hayfield? It is beautiful, the most magnificent building in the village, made with the finest stones and decorated with paintings. They say this is part of the ‘First Crusade’ – a whole army of knights who’ve decided to ride to a distant land called ‘Palestine’, far across the sea. You see, these men believe their faith calls for them to be warriors of God and so they have donned their armour and will soon be leaving on horseback for this distant land.
I find it a little unsettling, I have to admit. These men are going far away, thousands of miles, and fighting foreign enemies. I’m not quite sure I understand it, to be honest, though I trust that God will watch over them. What makes it especially unsettling is that they are planning on riding on horses. I’ve heard it is quite a dangerous journey. And they are bringing their horses, their steeds, and so many of them! The stories that I’ve heard tell of thousands of them preparing to set off on a dangerous adventure to fight a distant war, with their swords and armour and, oh, I wonder if the people they are fighting use horses too? The mind boggles!
That’s about all I’ve got for this blog post. Remember, dear readers, life is what you make it. As we go about our days, carrying loads, helping our communities, and caring for our foals, don’t forget to keep your heads up and look to the horizon, you never know what wonderful new things may come galloping your way.
Until next time, take care and don't forget to say hi to your favourite workhorses and let them know that they are truly appreciated.
Yours,
Emma, The Grey Mare
P.S. The weather here in Hayfield is wonderful. Spring has truly sprung, the ground is now soft underfoot and there is lush green grass for our enjoyment, not to mention those delicious, juicy dandelions. Enjoy these fleeting moments, dear equines. They won't last forever!
