Neigh Neigh Everyone!
Emma here, a 20-year-old grey draught mare, with a mane and tail like spun moonlight. My home is the rolling hills of Hayfield near Aberdeen, where the heather grows tall and the wind sings stories across the moors. It’s been a busy year, a year full of changes, and it seems everyone around me, human and equine alike, is in a state of flux, trying to find their way in this new, unpredictable world. So, grab a nice bale of hay, and settle in. It’s time for another adventure in history!
The year is 1451. Just a few years ago, life was simpler for horses like me. My grandfather would have known only the rhythm of the plow, the warmth of a stable stall, and the scent of hay and oatcakes. We were a sturdy breed, born for work, for hauling loads, for helping farmers till the land and bringing food to the table. It’s still how things mostly are here in Scotland. I help pull the plows for Farmer Duncan and I carry bundles of barley on my strong back to the mill. The scent of the peat fire still fills the air, the sheep bleat, and the children shout greetings as I trot through the village, my hooves kicking up the dust in a cloud of golden sunshine.
But there's something changing, a shift in the air, like a wild bird sensing a storm. I'm not quite sure what it is, but things seem different these days, even in the Highlands. The world, it seems, is becoming more connected, more hurried, and somehow, more demanding, too.
Knights and Turnaments
My stable mates whisper about knights and tournaments, though they've never seen one in person. We've heard tales of fierce jousts in the south, where knights clad in shining armor, astride powerful warhorses, clash with lances. These tournaments, they say, are a grand spectacle, a celebration of bravery, skill, and, of course, horses! While it's all a bit of a thrill to hear, there's an edge of fear too, for these noble horses, it's said, are trained for battle, their bodies sleek and powerful. I'm sure it takes a brave horse to stand against the onslaught of another knight, even more, I believe, if it involves a battle where blood is shed. It's all a far cry from my work pulling the cart or carrying burdens.
Across the Seas
From the men who come through the village, carrying news of the world, we hear the rumble of conflict beyond the Scottish Highlands. They speak of grand Kings with mighty armies, and of war that spreads like wildfire across distant lands. These men say the wars are about power and control, and of the fight to own the finest lands, with the strongest armies. These stories sound like tales from another time, full of danger, bravery, and bravery, a constant reminder that there are greater battles to be fought than the daily struggles for food and survival.
But they also speak of journeys across the seas. Tales of sailing ships that carry trade across oceans to new lands, of the riches of faraway places. Of the merchants, brave sailors who brave stormy waters to bring spices and silks, all brought back on the backs of horses, a connection across land and sea. The merchants come from far-off lands – Italy, France, even lands beyond the mountains in Germany. I am no stranger to foreign horses, but even these new tales are stirring, exciting, almost as if they have something to teach me, something more than the world I've known until now.
The Importance of Family
But despite all these changes, my life remains tethered to my family, and my beloved friends at the farm. I watch over the colts as they stumble around their mothers, eager to try out their newfound legs. The old geldings, their faces creased with wisdom and experience, still tell stories of their own adventures, tales of frost and storms, and how they've weathered the seasons of life. These tales, as ancient as the heather, remind me that my world is filled with the rhythms of the earth, with the circle of life that binds us all together.
The Magic of the Horse
I still stand in wonder of my kind. We are graceful, yet strong; resilient, yet kind. We endure, and yet, in the silence of a mountain meadow, under the stars, we still know a secret magic, the primal force of wildness in our hearts. It’s a bond I carry in my every hoofbeat, a part of the Earth’s ancient song.
Moving Forward
And so, this year, 1451, ends, but the tale goes on. I am a horse in the world, in a time of change and upheaval. It's a time of growth and uncertainty, but also a time of promise, where perhaps, with our strength, our hearts, and the wisdom of the generations before us, we can help build a better future.
Keep Neighing, Everyone!
Emma
