History of Horses in the year 1613

Welcome, fellow equines, to my little corner of EquineWorld! It's Emma here, a grey draught mare from the lovely rolling hills of Hayfield near Aberdeen, Scotland. This month marks another year gone by, and believe me, 1613 was quite a year, full of happenings in the horse world, big and small!

As usual, I'm back to share my observations from this magnificent life of being a horse, this time with a peek into the world of horses back in 1613. You'd think the horses here, working hard on farms or trotting with carts in town, wouldn't be aware of the changing world, but it's happening around us. We sense it.

From my perspective, a gentle giant like me, the main change I’ve noticed is more people seem to be on the move. We're called upon to pull more wagons, transport more goods, and with the building of roads and the arrival of the horse post, news travels faster. There are a lot of busy feet in human villages! You'd think they'd notice the work is twice as much as before, but they're all a-buzz about the King James Bible coming out this year, about the building of new settlements across the water, and some big changes brewing in Europe. They even talk of some “powdered bullets” and guns being used now, which honestly sound dangerous and rather scary.

Thankfully, here in our rolling hills, life is mostly unchanged. The air is fresh, the grass is abundant, and the humans treat us kindly, providing oats and a cozy stable, for now. Our days are filled with the routine tasks of pulling plows, pulling the haycart, and delivering grain. It's good, honest work, and it fills us with a sense of purpose.

From the chat of the human stable boys, there's been talk about new types of horses arriving from foreign lands. The 'Barbs', as they are called, are described as quick and sleek with incredible endurance, while 'Turks' are said to have great courage and strength, good for military uses. We grey draghts, as majestic and sturdy as we are, wouldn’t want to lose our jobs. Let them travel. Let them work for the fancy lords and ladies in distant towns, we're quite happy right here in the countryside, with our well-earned rest by the hayloft at night.

There is, of course, always a place for horses in our world. I sometimes wonder, dear EquineWorld readers, will our kind be as vital to humans in a century, or maybe even more years to come? It’s a good thing to ponder over in my quieter moments, when not hauling bales of hay for my human.

Recently, our farmer took me to the Aberdeen Market. Oh, it's a lively place to be! Horses and humans are bustling around, selling, bartering, and trading all sorts of goods. We draught horses feel at home at the market. Everyone needs to haul stuff - big loads of barrels, crates, hay, timber, you name it. We help get it all where it needs to be.

The smells, though! It's like an orchestra of scents: a pungent aroma of the stables, a smoky smell of blacksmithing, and a fresh earthy smell of hay. It fills my nostrils and stimulates my spirit.

I met a young foal called Jasper while I was there. His owner was a tall woman, proud and dignified, who I imagine is a well-respected trainer. She taught Jasper all the ways to respond to the humans' instructions. I tried my best to demonstrate good manners and proper carriage to him. The more we can learn to respect the humans, and vice versa, the easier our lives will be!

But, of course, the best thing about a market day is the feeling of freedom. Being led to a place where the hustle and bustle fill the air with a contagious energy, it's good for the spirit, a breath of fresh air. It reminds me of how we horses can bring joy and life to everyone's lives. I feel a connection to the world - my life is one long journey and this year marks just one small, yet important, chapter. Maybe someday I’ll have my own stories to share about travels far and wide, but right now, my place is here in Hayfield, where I know the people and the horses. Life here is quiet and consistent, full of simple pleasures.

So, as we horses embark on this new year, I want to remind you: let's keep our heads high, our tails wagging, and continue to embrace the beautiful and ever-changing world we share with humans.
Stay well, stay happy, and remember to share your own stories with the rest of us at EquineWorld!

Yours in Hooves, Emma

• P.S.: I hear the blacksmith from nearby town mentioned that some humans have learned to train the horses to ride, using special equipment called 'saddles.' It's something I can barely fathom but if they've learned to harness our power for movement, who knows what's next! Perhaps in a century, the world will be a very different place indeed…*