History of Horses in the year 1350

Hello, fellow horse lovers! Welcome back to my Equiworld blog! I'm Emma, a grey draught horse with a white mane and tail, and this week, I’m sharing with you all about life in 1350. Now, I know that might sound awfully long ago, but for a horse like me, time really does fly. I was born in Hayfield, a little village nestled in the foothills near Aberdeen in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, just last year. My human family call me "Graceful Emma" – it’s a bit of a joke, as they say, since I'm pretty much all muscle and a bit on the plump side. I like to say it’s my “robust, strong” nature that has made me such a good worker for my human family, which includes a young lad named Alex and a couple of sheepdogs that think they're a lot more important than they actually are.

For all you modern-day horses out there, I think you’d be surprised to learn that things haven't always been quite as fancy as they are for you today. Yes, we horses are vital to our humans - that hasn't changed. We work on farms, transport goods, and even take our humans into battle. But in my era, it's all about good old fashioned strength and stamina.

So, let's dive into this time capsule, shall we? I’ve gathered all sorts of fascinating details for you about life in the 1350s through the lens of a horse like myself.

My days are long, hard, and usually pretty chilly. You see, even here in the highlands, the winter months can be harsh. Luckily, I have a strong coat that keeps me warm, even during snowstorms and freezing rain.

When the snow is deepest, I pull a large wooden sledge, laden with firewood and other supplies for my human family and their neighbours. Pulling this heavy load is tough work, even for a powerful mare like me, and sometimes it seems as if the heavy wheels will never budge, especially when it's covered in ice. My breath steams in the frigid air, but I press on. We've got to have fuel for the fire to cook food and keep us warm during the dark months.

The springtime thaw is always a joy, a true gift of nature. We've less need for the sledge, and the landscape begins to burst into life with wildflowers. It’s in these spring and summer months that I really work hard for my human family.

You see, it's not just about carrying things here in Scotland. We help them cultivate their land too. Our farm has quite a lot of sheep and they need vast grazing fields, so there’s a lot of work involved in getting them ready for grazing. First comes the tilling of the ground using a big wooden plough. It's not the lightest or most nimble of tools but when you have an obedient team, like ours, pulling with strength and determination, it does a good job.

After that, there's the sowing of the barley for the livestock’s winter food. Alex uses a bag slung over my back and I walk the furrows, carefully spreading the grain across the land.

Later in the year, the hay has to be cut. Alex helps by cutting the long stalks, using a heavy-duty hand-held tool - like a large metal comb, almost – which helps the crop fall quickly. After drying, it is tied into small bundles and stored away in large wooden barns for the winter months.

This hard work takes all of us - myself, Alex and even the dogs! There’s always so much to do and when you've only got two hands, or even two sheepdogs with you, a horse is a very welcome sight. I think we get tired together!

And just to add to the list, once harvest comes around, we work extra hard again, transporting the full, heavy carts piled high with the bounty of the fields to the village where they’re traded for fresh goods, supplies and of course, fresh grain and barley for the sheep and horses.

Life is busy but I like to be busy and I enjoy my work, which, I believe makes me one very useful member of our little Highland village.

The Highland life can be quite demanding, especially in winter, when the landscape turns icy and the storms lash. Even during the mildest seasons, my humans say the air can be “bitey”. I certainly get my fair share of wet, muddy, and frosty days.

But life has its rewards too. The summers here in the Scottish Highlands can be so beautifully vibrant. It's a beautiful sight - lush green valleys dotted with sheep, rivers that sparkle and run wild, and the snow-capped peaks of the mountains against the vast, open sky.

And even though I work hard, I still have my time for fun. In the summer, when the grass is green and thick, we graze peacefully in the meadows.

You know, we horses have an amazing sense of community. There are times when a group of us come together, even if for only a few short hours to rest, to play and to just be.

On my last visit with the other horses, we found ourselves by the river bank and a mischievous foal named Pip became fascinated with a fluttering butterfly. He made a beeline towards it, almost galloping before a wiser old mare called Daisy sent a quiet “Neigh!” his way. You could see him calm and she gave a quiet lick to his nose before returning to graze contentedly beside him. I always do enjoy a bit of time with my friends and it’s even nicer if I’ve got a sweet, cheeky, mischievous foal to keep me entertained, don’t you think?

Even though we live in a remote area, we’re still connected to the outside world. Our journeys take us further afield, with Alex as my companion, to nearby villages and sometimes, further afield, carrying goods or sometimes even carrying our human family. The sheep need extra supplies in the harsher months. It’s not uncommon to find me carrying food for the sheep, hay and some supplies for my family, for their journey and stay in the village. These are sometimes long days on the road, pulling the carts or, sometimes carrying Alex on my back for a day's journey.

Alex told me once that his brother John travels much further - with a train of horses and goods and men - going further to more bustling places such as Aberdeen. Alex has even mentioned that there is even talk of King David II coming from London for a stay in Edinburgh. He must travel far from here, although there are times he’s had to flee north to avoid an unhappy English king who doesn't like him very much. He thinks we might see more men from England than usual here.

While my humans like to discuss the humans of our world, their world, it makes little difference to me! I’m more fascinated by what the sheep get up to or who has the most mischievous and playful foals this year. We horses can have some fun - you’d be amazed by some of the games we create. There is a great deal to learn from your elders – how to survive a bad storm or where to find the tastiest grass and sweetest, richest flowers for your enjoyment - but we all get together when we can, and especially the younger horses like Pip who really enjoy playing “tag”. He gets very competitive - but I do make sure I let him win on most occasions!

It’s not all fun and games you know! We all have a lot to learn and horses don’t only make a great friend to humans but also each other, you know! There's something about the strong bond we build, it helps us see through even the roughest days!

Our part of the Scottish Highlands is quite remote, but our journeys with Alex have given me an opportunity to glimpse what the horse world is like in the wider world.

My humans tell stories of horses like myself, hard-working and dependable, all across Scotland and indeed all of the Kingdom of England.

Alex was talking to some other lads about knights, archers and foot-soldiers who fought for our King during recent battles in France.

He said that some horses are smaller, quick, with a lot of agility and used by those knights in a battlefield. But the bigger horses, more like me - we’re important because we’re powerful enough to pull all sorts of wagons and carts on those journeys and when it’s a long and tiring one, it takes more than just speed! It's about being able to endure difficult terrains and be resilient too! They’re used by soldiers who need to be transported and supplied during battle. These horses must also learn to work together - in small, sometimes mixed groups - and remain calm and collected in such loud and frightening situations, but these horses are used to noise, to fighting, and, as Alex tells it, they must be so calm, yet strong to deliver weapons to the warriors and to take wounded soldiers safely back to a hospital.

That sounds intense, wouldn’t you say?

But for a horse to be a hero, to contribute in a time of war, must feel like an achievement! Horses really are an extraordinary species. Our spirit of bravery shines brightly in both wartime and peacetime, a source of true pride for my equine ancestors and all of us!

I’m hoping that all you modern-day horses out there, enjoying a quieter, calmer life, appreciate just how hard my ancestors, all of our ancestors, have had to work over the ages, all to bring peace to the human world!