History of Horses in the year 0047

**Hello my equine friends, Emma here from Hayfield, just outside the grand city of Aberdeen. This blog is a record of my studies in our beautiful equine history. It is wonderful to know the world as it was. You see, life for a horse has changed enormously over time, and in some respects I think we are very fortunate to live the life we do now, free from some of the horrors of the past.

Anyway, enough about me! Today, I want to focus on the year 0047! What was it like to be a horse in this fascinating era? Join me on a journey through time!**

The world is a vast and wondrous place! As a young mare, I've heard stories from travellers and learned from the elders about regions beyond the lush green fields and rocky peaks of Scotland. Back then, the steppes of Eurasia were the heartland of horse civilisation. We were the chariots, the battle steeds, the vital companions of great warriors!

The nomadic tribes, strong and fierce, relied upon us for their way of life. They roamed the endless grasslands, their homes on wheels, with us carrying their families, their goods, their very existence. Their relationship with horses was a symbiosis, built on respect, reliance, and even love.

Can you imagine that! A horse and its human working together in perfect harmony. I think it must have been a special bond!

Our equine brethren on the Eurasian steppes didn’t just use us for travel and transport. They revered us! Horse culture was a big part of their lives, woven into every thread of their existence. They would carefully study our bloodlines, searching for the strongest, the most resilient, the fleetest of foot.

Just like now with certain breeds like our lovely Shire horses, they cherished their top-performing horses, understanding that it was the combination of power, speed, and agility that allowed them to triumph on the battlefield and in their everyday lives. You see, horses have always played a huge part in military affairs.

I read about the incredible strength and endurance of the horses they raised. Imagine, a war chariot with horses strong enough to carry heavily armed warriors and then able to race across the open plains in full speed.

Those are the things I love learning about most! It just shows you how important we have been throughout history, the power of horses!

We weren't always charging into battle on the backs of brave warriors. Back then, there were horses that tilled the land, carrying ploughs, planting seeds, and harvesting crops. They helped the early civilizations to grow and flourish. These weren’t just our “jobs,” it was our role in a story as old as humankind.

The story goes that the humans of the Eurasian Steppes domesticated us horses around 5,000 years ago! Can you believe it, dear readers? We’ve been partners with humankind for a very long time!

Humans had a keen appreciation for us. Our presence was vital for their livelihoods, their transport, and their military successes. It is great to read about all this! However, horses were not just a “tool”. They were treasured, honoured. Some tribes believed horses had special spirits. The humans believed that horses carried the strength of the wind and the courage of the warrior, they had a great deal of reverence for the animal world, and for horses in particular!

*That’s what I think is really important – respect. Even today, respect between horses and humans makes our lives so much better, and gives us all a shared connection. That respect has existed since 0047! You know I feel it too when I work with the children of Hayfield. It is beautiful! Respect goes both ways, of course, just as it would have done back then! A good, kind rider, makes the very best friend! *

Today, we might be used for everything from pulling carts to equestrian sports and therapies, but in those early days, horses were more integrated into everyday life than ever before! The bond between the horses and the humans on the steppes was especially close, you see.

Imagine, horses sleeping under their owners’ homes at night, and in the morning, eating food out of their hands. This sense of kinship is quite different from the “modern” relationship, though I can imagine it to have been very beautiful! It sounds idyllic!

There were also many roles for us here in Scotland as well. The strong Clydesdale horses pulling carts, transporting supplies and trade, even to far away lands. And all around, our wild brethren, roaming free in the wilds of the Highlands! It is fascinating to know this.

And so, as I look back upon the year 0047, I see a world teeming with horses. The vast plains of Eurasia pulsed with the energy of our wild cousins, the streets of towns and cities resounded with the clip-clop of our hooves, and fields of wheat rustled as we toiled.

It was a time when humans relied on us completely and recognised the true significance of horses in their world. In many ways, this connection has not changed in the intervening millennia!

**You see, we remain at the heart of our story and of human history. In some ways, that world is a different place than the one we live in now, but in many other ways, it’s very much the same. There are more than 60 million horses in the world today. The power, the elegance, the intelligence of the horse continues to make a big impact on this planet!

The partnership of humans and horses started many years ago, long before the time of my own story, and it continues in some form or another to this day.**