"Welcome back, fellow equines and horse enthusiasts! It’s Emma here, your resident historian from the rolling hills of Hayfield, near Aberdeen. This month, we’re taking a trip back to the year 1212 - a fascinating year in equine history!"
Now, 1212 might sound like a distant, dusty corner of the past, but it's actually a pivotal year. And as a strong, grey draught horse with a mane and tail as white as fresh snow, let me tell you, it's a year filled with excitement, a little drama, and definitely some hard work!
King John, Castles and War: First off, 1212 saw a king named John ruling England. I haven't met the man personally, but word travels fast among the horses, and his name wasn't exactly whispered with admiration. You see, this King John, he had been having a bit of a row with the French, and they were doing a lot of "back and forth", invading, attacking, defending, and all that. Naturally, that meant us horses were hard at work, pulling supplies and carrying troops.
Castle Life - Horses in Demand: There was an awful lot going on in 1212. King John's biggest enemy at this time was Philip II of France, and everyone was building castles. I, personally, hadn't ever been in a castle, but I had hauled many loads of supplies to them! My best friend, a spirited mare called Tilly, was part of the "Royal" cavalry. Tilly always swore she'd met King John in passing - a majestic but rather glum-looking fellow, from what she described.
What Horses Did: Pulling, Carrying and War: In those days, it wasn't all glamor for us horses, I can tell you. We had to be incredibly strong. We hauled heavy wagons full of goods across uneven roads. We carried knights and their heavy armour into battle. We pulled ploughs through tough soil to grow the food that fed everyone, both people and horses alike!
War - A Horrible Business: And speaking of battle... it was an incredibly scary time for all of us. I once had to run for my life, pulling a cart full of soldiers under heavy attack! I still get a little nervous around battlefields, let me tell you. Though thankfully, no battles happened here in Hayfield. It wasn’t all that glamorous. We all knew that life, although challenging, had its purpose. Every journey, every furrow we ploughed, helped feed the hungry and keep the castle strong.
Life Outside the War Zones: It wasn't all castles and battles, though. It was during 1212 that some brilliant minds in England figured out they could make paper from cloth! That was great news for us horses, less of a chance of carrying loads of heavy parchment across country! Of course, I imagine that paper wasn’t as smooth or as lovely to write on as the scrolls of old, but I’m not one to complain. As long as it meant more trips hauling loads of hay for my supper, I was a happy horse.
Scotland in 1212 - Peaceful Meadows and Grazing: Back in Scotland, though, things were calmer. Our land, a mixture of rough moorland, forests and fertile valleys, was home to a community of horses like myself, hard-working and strong. Here in the rolling meadows of Hayfield, the horses were mostly used for pulling ploughs and carts, and carrying loads to market. You wouldn’t believe the size of the turnips my master brought back! You’d think they were the size of a cartwheel, all perfectly plump and delicious.
The Church in 1212 - The Grey Mare Doesn’t Fear I should also mention the church, a prominent fixture in life in 1212. We, the horses, didn't get too caught up in the arguments between the various religions. But we certainly saw plenty of pilgrims, carrying their belongings, making their way to distant shrines and holy places. I was rather happy to avoid those trips, though!
The Horses’ World of 1212: But let’s get back to the world of horses. I have to say, even though the 13th century could be a rough and demanding period, being a horse was also a great privilege. We held a place of importance in the lives of humans.
The year 1212 wasn't just about grand battles, though. There was beauty too - green meadows stretching as far as the eye could see, fields of vibrant flowers, and the comforting sounds of nature. You see, we horses had the best view!
Our Strength and our Importance: In 1212, our world revolved around these things: providing transportation, cultivating land, and playing a role in the ever-shifting tide of events. I think all of us horses are incredibly proud of our role, however big or small, in making history, as it unfolded, hoof-by-hoof.
Sharing the Past - Next Time, Join Me in the 13th Century!: I'll leave you with that thought. We may not have spoken, but our hooves carried messages across kingdoms. Our strength built communities. And for those of us who got to see the world through a horse’s eyes, we had stories to tell. Stay tuned next time for another blog, from the very special year of 1213 - A year filled with stories about horse breeding, and the growing popularity of a certain “Arabian” horse, that I’m very curious about. See you next month on Equiworld!
- Emma, your Hayfield Historian
