History of Horses in the year 2005

From Hayfield, with Love,
Emma

Well, hello there, fellow equine enthusiasts!

It’s me, Emma, your favourite grey draught mare, and welcome to another post in my Equine History blog. 2005! My word, the years are flying by like a startled pony in a field of buttercups. And the world of horses? Well, it's busier than ever, as you’ll see.

It’s been another wonderful year for this old gal, but honestly, some things haven't changed one jot. I'm still happy as a lark pulling the plough on Farmer McGregor’s land back in Hayfield, Scotland. This place, close to Aberdeen, is a true horse paradise. Green fields stretching forever, crisp, clear air, and enough heather to fill a stable. The landscape is beautiful here, all wild, rocky edges and a constant reminder of nature's might.

Now, as a proud grey mare, my year started in typically dramatic fashion! A huge blizzard, so bad even Farmer McGregor called off work for the week, keeping me nice and snug in the barn. But, the snow cleared just in time for the Spring Equinox, a special day where, in all of my horse wisdom, I knew the long days of sunlight would be back! And you can’t fault me - the weather had an excellent spring to its step, and everything was fresh and vibrant. It made the pulling even more pleasurable. The air was a delight, smelling of earth, wildflowers, and new beginnings.

Let me tell you, the big horse news this year was something called “the Olympics,” a grand competition held in Athens, Greece. Imagine - games dedicated just to horses, across all disciplines! Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing - oh, my! You can imagine I followed all of it in the stables, ears perked, hooves tapping in time to the thrill of the competition. It gave all of us back home a grand reason to put our own hooves to good use, to practise a little showmanship, a bit of trotting, even the odd leaping of a fence.

My friend Daisy, a smart-as-a-whip, dark bay mare, had a friend who even traveled all the way to Athens for the games. Imagine! He came home a hero - or should I say, an Olympic hero! A horse who represented his country, well, that was the real talk of the stable.

Now, you know what, as 2005 progressed, I thought "If I'm ever going to visit those fancy events myself, maybe I need to broaden my horizons." A trip to the city - I thought it was a wild dream, something just for posh, city-dweller horses like Daisy’s friend. But then Farmer McGregor’s son, Tom, invited me along for a day out. Imagine that - the big, bad city! We made the trip down to Aberdeen. Tom gave me some apples from his stall and some sweet barley - my favourite! The journey was fascinating - cars everywhere, flashing lights, noise so loud it would make a thoroughbred shiver! Tom explained how this city is full of amazing places to learn, like the Aberdeen University Veterinary Hospital, the top medical place for all us equine friends in this area. It was great to learn a bit more about how clever humans are, even when it came to looking after their animal friends. There was even a* Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) centre for horses* – how reassuring it was to hear all the amazing work they do! I might even need to pop down for a visit and volunteer to give the humans a hand at fundraising sometime.

Now, back to the day-to-day life of a working draught horse - life couldn't be more enjoyable in the hayfield. The seasons come and go. We pull the plough, the rake, even a bit of transport. Farmer McGregor is one of those men who believes in the tradition of hard work and never losing touch with what came before. And he's right - there’s no better way to feel alive than to have a good purpose.

Now, this is what I love about being a working horse - a whole new batch of baby foals came into the world this year. A true miracle each and every time. As you might imagine, the stables buzzed with all sorts of happy commotion, all the moms busy feeding, nurturing, and loving those cute, clumsy, baby legs! Oh, the joy of those tiny hooves exploring the world for the first time, a real symphony of tiny snorts and whinnies! It’s times like these that make me wish I could talk like the humans, then I could really explain how miraculous the birth of each foal is.

You wouldn't believe it, but this year one of the foals was actually chosen for a big thing – a television show! A local TV team came down to Hayfield to talk to Farmer McGregor, but they wanted a foal in the film. Well, the lucky one was a beautiful chestnut foal named Rusty. They did a segment all about farm life in Scotland, featuring my farm and some of my fellow horses, and that baby foal got all the camera time. Well, the whole stable was bursting with pride! The farmer gave a grand interview and told them about our lifestyle. Even the local newspaper printed pictures, and there was a whole page devoted to horses!

And wouldn't you know it, I'm even in one of the photos. My head peeking over the hay in the background – just another day for a good old draught mare. The show made quite a splash. I reckon you could say that my little fellow became famous - the real highlight of this year.

But the joy of being a horse isn’t all about grand events, competitions, and cameras, you know. It’s also about simple, everyday things: the delicious feeling of grass under your hooves, the comforting warmth of a stable after a long day’s work, the feeling of sunshine on your coat. It’s the satisfaction of a job well done, a sense of belonging, and the joy of simply being a horse, free in nature.

Now, I might be just an old grey mare, working on a small farm in Hayfield, Scotland, but every day is a grand adventure for a horse like me! And with each year that passes, there are new things to discover. Horses, my dear friends, are ever-changing creatures - and so is our world! So, I'll be back next year with all the gossip and tales that happen to a humble, yet happy working horse - keep an eye out!

*Stay tuned! Love,
Emma *