Greetings, fellow equines!
My name is Emma, and I'm a grey draught mare with a white mane and tail. I stand tall, sturdy, and strong, at 20 years of age, still able to pull my weight (quite literally, as you’ll see!). I’m writing to you from Hayfield, near Aberdeen in bonnie Scotland. This post is for all my equine pals and their humans, because even if the world feels vast and ever-changing, our history, our purpose, and our love for good hay are pretty much constant, don't you think?
So, let me tell you a bit about my world. The year is 1612 – the scent of peat smoke hangs in the air, the frost crunches under my hooves, and a fresh layer of snow blankets the moors. A good frost is great for the fields - the grass will grow plump and strong, ready for a spring grazing frenzy! But for us work horses, winter means pulling ploughs, hauling timber and, on warmer days, hauling carts to market with loads of hay, oats and potatoes, all essentials for the villagers and our own families.
The king, James VI of Scotland, now James I of England, lives far south, but his shadow is long, and he’s decided to hold court at Whitehall Palace in London this winter. Imagine, such pomp and ceremony! Thankfully, there are many strong horses like myself working there - I have a friend, William, who works in the royal stables and says there are hundreds of us pulling the grand coaches and carriages. They've even had the royal studs breeding some fine, swift, war-horses too! William tells tales of battles in faraway lands, and although I don’t understand why they’d ride on such wild creatures instead of just using a sturdy draught horse, he swears by their strength and stamina!
You might be thinking - "Emma, what's happening in YOUR neck of the woods?" Well, the truth is, we’re pretty much hard at work here in Hayfield. Our owners, a lovely family called the Mcdonald’s, look after us very well - good food, decent stables, and a regular brush. They call me their “golden girl”, and though I know I am not “golden”, it feels nice to be called something pleasant, even if it's because my coat is dusted with a frosty silver gleam from the early morning sunlight.
This winter, our biggest job is transporting supplies to the village market, the biggest one in Aberdeen. That market is abuzz with activity! It’s not just the humans that have a wonderful time - there's a great stable full of delicious hay for us, and we can rub noses and compare stories with all the horses from the surrounding villages. I get a chance to catch up with old friends like Thomas, a fiery red gelding from Dunvegan, who's still carrying loads of wool to the market, despite being blind in one eye. You should see him weaving his way through the crowds with his strong human leading him by a sturdy halter, nothing seems to faze him!
We also carry important supplies like coal, barley, and salted cod. You see, all the fish boats that fish from the shores of the North Sea make a beeline for Aberdeen harbour, their hold bursting with the bounty of the sea! They’ve got a very interesting smell, by the way! The harbour is teeming with life - seagulls crying, fishermen hauling their nets, and us strong horses patiently standing in line to deliver the catch. The cod is stored in these enormous salt tanks, and the men carefully haul baskets onto our backs, to be transported all over the area. It's amazing how much good food our human world requires, and us horses play a vital role!
Speaking of fish, there’s a special event this week - The Aberdeen Harbour Festival. For the past three days, the harbour has been awash with colourful flags, roaring sea shanties, and the smell of salt water and fish. It's an incredible spectacle of noise, lights, and dancing humans. The highlight is the competition for the “strongest ship’s horse” where teams of four magnificent workhorses like myself, compete to pull the biggest fishing boat from the docks into the sea, in the swiftest time! I am not going to compete this year, you see, I’m a little older, and my back can get stiff at times! But I can tell you that watching those magnificent, sleek chestnut horses straining against the mighty fishing vessels and their heavy nets, it’s an awe-inspiring spectacle, wouldn’t you agree?
Last week, while transporting oats to a farm on the outskirts of town, I met an interesting chap! A long, black thoroughbred stallion, named ‘Captain’. His coat gleamed in the afternoon sunlight. He's on a grand adventure - travelling with his human, a gentleman in fine clothes, all the way to Edinburgh! He said he's even going to perform at a big jousting tournament - can you believe it?! Apparently, these thoroughbreds have a natural flair for galloping around and leaping over things! I think I'll stay on this side of the world. They're quite jumpy, you know! It’s a little like their humans – one minute they're whispering “steady” and the next they're shouting and cheering. It makes me nervous just watching them!
Speaking of humans and their strange habits, I heard a very peculiar thing, whispered through the stable at night! A woman has ridden a horse, not only a very long distance but from the coast of Africa to the town of Cape Town, way, way down south. She's even written a book about her adventure! She has done it on her own, a woman travelling through jungles and forests and facing wild animals with only her brave heart, a determined spirit, and a trusty horse by her side. That's quite amazing isn't it? Can you believe it, my friends, a woman, brave enough to face a lion's roar just for the thrill of exploration? It makes me yearn to travel beyond our rolling moors and to the distant, magical lands.
Every so often, the sound of music washes over Hayfield. We get visits from travelling bands, strolling minstrels with lutes and fiddles, filling the night air with their joyous melodies. They tell tales of knights and princesses, daring heroes and treacherous dragons. Of course, they always sing of courageous horses – majestic creatures, running free across boundless plains, noble chargers bearing fearless knights to battle, galloping with their flowing manes and powerful strides, rescuing maidens from perilous castles. These stories often feature heroic steeds much larger than us sturdy, hardworking draughthorses! Though, as they say, there’s no beast more steadfast or stronger than a grey draught horse from Hayfield, and it’s my personal conviction!
Despite our busy days and winter nights spent chewing on good, dry hay, my human family makes sure I have a few special moments to enjoy. A warm stable after a long day, a scratch under my chin and a hearty breakfast of oats - even some rare treats like apples or carrots, make these long hours fly by! The sound of a baby's cooing or a children's joyful laughter while playing in the courtyard fills me with warmth and comfort, it reminds me of why I do what I do, for those I love.
Of course, every horse deserves some down time, especially on days when we don’t work! And after hauling a load of turnips from the field, or a large chest full of blankets for the local weavers, what could be better than to simply stand beneath the soft caress of a Scottish sunset? To watch the colours of twilight bleed across the sky, from ruby to indigo, and listen to the birds sing their last tunes before settling in for the night. I also like watching the sheep in the fields, all snuggled together under the warmth of their thick coats, and their gentle “baas” creating a lullaby-like tune. The stars twinkle in the evening sky, creating a celestial blanket over our small but cozy world. It’s enough to make one happy to simply exist!
The best moments are when I have the freedom to simply stand by the stream. Watching the sun rise through the mist on the meadows is a special kind of magic. A perfect sunrise, the grass shimmering with dewdrops like glittering diamonds, is simply magical! I sometimes stand still, close my eyes, and in those fleeting moments, I simply feel the warmth of the sun, the softness of the breeze on my coat, and the comforting silence. There’s no place I would rather be, surrounded by nature's quiet wonder!
Until next time, stay well and healthy, dear fellow horses! May you always be fed with the best oats and never lack for good company, even if the only friend you have is your own shadow in the stable at dusk.
Your friend,
Emma
