Hello fellow equines, and welcome to another entry in my history blog! I'm Emma, a grey draught mare from the bonnie highlands of Hayfield, near Aberdeen in Scotland. I’m a little grey mare with a fine, white mane and tail, who’s turning twenty this year. Yes, you heard that right! That means I’ve been galloping around, and hauling, and pulling for almost two decades! Though, the best part of that is, I get to share my experiences and insights with all of you, which brings me to today’s blog. It’s 1591, and I thought it would be wonderful to talk about the world of horses, right here, right now!
So, buckle up, pull up a patch of green grass, and join me on a journey through the equine world of 1591.
The World Outside Hayfield
Let’s start outside our lovely Highland village. We have a few neighbours who raise horses around here but most people, including our local gentry, the Aberdeens, use horses as a means of getting around, and pulling carts. Across the UK, from the rolling hills of Wales, the bustling cities like London, to the rocky coast of Cornwall, the story of 1591 seems to be similar, a constant gentle rumble of horses doing their thing.
Horses: the Heart of Work and Travel
Imagine a world where you couldn’t jump in your car and zoom around, where instead of hopping on the train, you were met with the familiar clip clop of hooves on the cobbles. This is what life is like here. Horses are everywhere, they are the motor, the muscle, the very heart of life, and we are part of a beautifully orchestrated network of people, trade, and yes, a lot of heavy lifting!
This year, though, a few things feel a bit different. It’s as though the pulse of things is starting to change a little, perhaps even accelerating!
The Changing Wind: A Whisper of Change
In London, Queen Elizabeth I is riding her trusted steed. Now, everyone says the queen is a powerful woman who is ruling with strength and vision, and to her, the power of horses means more than mere travel. She has even commissioned a group of her most trusted men to set up "The Master of the Horse," a very grand office to handle all matters related to horses at her royal court. This will undoubtedly change how horses are used and the impact that will have on us here in Hayfield, I have no idea, but things seem to be stirring up quite a lot of change everywhere else in the UK!
Over in France, they've just had this great battle, a big brawl of swords, shields and horses! The Battle of Ivry, it's called. My friends tell me a fierce King Henry IV of France fought on the front line, inspiring his troops to a thrilling victory, which is pretty impressive for a man who started his life as a lowly boy running away from troubles!
Here at Hayfield, though, things remain unchanged. The local villagers are still mostly farming, fishing, and using horses to get things done! The Aberdeens, our local nobles, continue to take leisurely rides through the beautiful valleys. They are the kind, gracious folk who give our hayfield its name! They seem to be happy and at peace with the way things are, so who am I to argue, right?
The Power of the Horse
The world of 1591, especially when you are a working horse like me, feels very strong and very earthy. Horses aren't just creatures in a field, or beasts of burden – we're partners in everything that matters: our human companions, the daily chores, and the big picture. Horses like me, the strong work horses, are crucial for every farmer's crops and for all those carts that need a sturdy, powerful pulling force.
The people here in Hayfield, and in all the communities that are part of our bustling little UK, couldn’t get by without horses!
The best part of all this, you might ask? Well, it's being part of something bigger than myself, it's feeling like my life really matters, and contributing something important, whether it's transporting hay, harvesting the land, or simply carrying a message to the next town.
The Future? We Shall See!
There are whisperings of a new kind of horse being bred across the sea, in those parts around Spain. A type called a "Barb" that everyone is raving about! These “Barbs” seem quick and elegant and have captured everyone’s imagination, even making the pages of royal journals in our London court! This "new wave," they're calling it! Will it change the way things work? I can't say for sure! What's exciting though is that this horse world, it feels very dynamic and ever evolving, a continuous movement, which means a little bit of the unknown always stirs inside all of us!
Well, this is Emma from Hayfield signing off! Join me again soon for another blog. See you in the paddock!
