Hello everyone, Emma here, a grey mare with a snowy white mane and tail from Hayfield, just outside Aberdeen. Welcome back to Equiworld, my little corner of the internet dedicated to horse history. This week we’re travelling back to 1380 – a year which feels so long ago it's practically another world.
The wind whips through the heather here in Hayfield. You know how it is. You can feel winter coming, that nip in the air. I shiver, tugging my hay net a little closer, as I imagine myself stepping back in time to 1380, surrounded by my fellow draught horses, big, strong souls just like me. It's quite a contrast from the rolling fields we have in my time. Back then, land was harder to come by, much of it left wild and uncultivated. Imagine fields where we can roam freely today, all churned up with plowlines and filled with prickly crops back in 1380.
Our work then was certainly a necessity, not just a way of life. Draught horses like me – big strong Shires, we were – were essential to pulling plows and wagons, moving everything from farm produce to stone for building. It’s a thankless task at times, and let me tell you, my knees weren’t designed for hours spent in the mud, pulling weighty carts. We were tough as nails, though, with strong hooves and hearts full of grit, built to be tough. Our kind are like the giants of the horse world, and our powerful bodies weren’t built to look pretty, they were built for power and resilience. We carried on even when we ached and were weary.
1380 marks a time of real change for horses in England. Just before then, horses were primarily used in war. We've all heard those stories - mighty steeds carrying noble knights into battle. Imagine the thunder of hooves and the scent of sweat and blood! But that’s a very different world compared to our gentle labors of farming. Of course, some of my brethren were still used for war. I bet the knights had stories, too – stories about charging in full armor across battlefields, sometimes carrying a valiant rider to victory, other times coming home weary, with bleeding wounds, or never returning home at all. I don’t envy their life at all. It’s far better to work the fields than to gallop into the teeth of a storm of steel.
Around the time I would be born (we were big babies in those days), people began focusing more on the everyday uses of horses like mine – the farm, the carriage, transport and trade. My ancestors started being used for transportation, pulling heavy carts of grain and hay to markets and transporting goods. Those early coaches and wagons were nothing like the elegant carriages they’d later develop, clunky and simple. We carried people and products, connecting communities – even helping to build some of the famous bridges we know so well today, especially here in the north of England and Scotland.
But 1380 wasn't all about work! Horses have a social life too! It wasn’t a world without joy or freedom. Just imagine this, you can see it, right? Sun shining, golden light bathing the fields, the wind dancing in the grass, all those fields you mentioned before which were a riot of vibrant colors in spring and summer! That was the real magic.
Think of the camaraderie – we were part of something bigger. Our neighs echoed through the countryside. We ran freely as foals, our bodies filled with pure life force. Imagine the games! Prancing in fields, the feeling of freedom flowing through us, the joy of sharing stories in the dappled shade, all the whispers and nickerings – a horse symphony, almost! And as night came, there was something deeply comforting about knowing our stable awaited, warm straw and good companionship - everything to settle our weary hearts.
Horses are deeply social beings. Imagine our herds, stretching across vast meadows, their coats shimmering in the sunlight. We were never lonely. There was always another to nuzzle or play with. Even in those less-than-perfect times, our instinct for family kept us safe. It's like they say today, 'a horse needs a friend'. Even with our busy work lives, those bonds were never forgotten. It's one of the most incredible things about us, we remember every single person and horse we encounter, every neigh, every touch. Even today, when you encounter another horse, you feel a sense of recognition - something that can’t be explained, like our souls are saying hello across time.
So you see, even if our life in 1380 was a world of hard work, it wasn’t all harshness. It was filled with moments of real joy, pure companionship, and an immense sense of purpose. Even now, as I write this, my coat shines under the afternoon sun, I remember, the scent of a damp earth, the joy of a sunny field. And let me tell you, a little mud has never hurt anyone! But I think those of us alive in 1380, or just before, are particularly blessed. We witnessed a fascinating change, one that saw us shifting from fierce warriors to working-class heroes, the ones who made it possible to build a thriving world! It’s something to be proud of, you know? I may not gallop into battles, but we were part of the growth and development of nations – something a bit quieter but equally important.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into the life of horses back in 1380, an era marked by toil and transformation. Remember to explore and embrace your history, my equine friends, it’s part of who you are and the wonderous journey our breed has taken, a story waiting to be shared with the world!
