A Grey Draught's Diary, by Emma
Well, hello there, fellow equines! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood grey draught from the bonnie highlands of Scotland, back with another little diary entry for Equiworld. As always, my favourite part of the week is putting pen to paper, or, in my case, hooves to keyboard (with a little help from my human friend, of course!).
This year, 2078, feels like it's buzzing with a lot of exciting changes for us horses, so I thought I'd share some of my musings about what’s happening out there.
Let’s start with my home turf – the glorious Highlands. There’s a wonderful buzz about Hayfield, and it’s all thanks to the annual Highland Gathering. It’s not your traditional Gathering, though. It’s got a wonderfully modern feel with an exciting new competition – the "Best Equestrian-Human Collaboration Award”. It’s fantastic seeing so many humans and horses work together, whether it's in team showjumping, creative dressage routines, or even equestrian-themed art displays. It’s truly heartwarming to witness the bonds and the understanding between us.
Speaking of collaboration, have you heard about the amazing “Neighbourhood Watch” initiative happening in nearby Edinburgh? It’s like a modern twist on the classic “watch and alert” system. The “Watch” is comprised of horses, all trained to be alert for signs of danger like poachers, fire, or even lost children. We report back to the humans through the use of special communication collars which emit gentle clicks and whistles – quite a different story compared to our ancestors' wild alerts!
Another great initiative that’s growing in popularity is the “Green Horse Network”. The network encourages humans to adopt sustainable practices – all thanks to horses! It’s amazing seeing these hardworking creatures power machinery, pulling sustainable farm implements, and transporting goods via special carriages built for eco-friendly hauling. They're also taking on the task of helping humans reach carbon neutrality by planting trees in remote areas – their powerful hooves are perfect for spreading seeds and preparing soil for new growth. It feels good knowing that I, along with many of my fellow horses, are doing our bit for the planet!
But let's go beyond Hayfield, to the wider world of equine news.
This year’s annual Equine Expo in London was absolutely spectacular! They’ve got this incredible new pavilion dedicated to the science of horse nutrition. We have some fantastic new oat and hay mixes that are designed to give us the perfect balance of energy, minerals, and even flavour, ensuring we’re in tip-top shape!
Of course, no talk of horses is complete without a nod to racing! It seems the “smart horse” program is gaining ground. Using a clever system of wearable devices that monitor a horse’s health and stamina, along with an intricate data system, humans can monitor performance in real time! Imagine that – our every move measured and tracked. They are still developing it, and I'm not entirely convinced about having a whole bunch of tech strapped to me, but some horses are thriving with it! I hear they're going to be trying it on ponies too!
I always end up writing quite a lot, so let’s bring this musings to a close for today! If you've got any fun, informative horse stories or news that you think others would love to hear about, post them to Equiworld!
See you all next week, my friends! And keep your tails wagging!
Emma, signing out from Hayfield.
