Neigh-gh-gh-gh…hello, lovely equestrians! Emma here, a fine grey mare from the heart of the Scottish highlands, sharing a little snippet of history with you.
*It’s a beautiful crisp morning here in Hayfield, near Aberdeen. The dew shimmers like diamonds on the emerald grass, and the air carries the scent of heather and the promise of another glorious day. You know what else fills my heart with a kind of contented rumble? It’s that lovely, familiar sense of tradition that comes with this time of year - January. For many of us horses, January is synonymous with a big, warming, welcoming celebration called *Hogmanay – it’s the Scottish New Year! **
- I don’t know if you've heard of it – I hope you have, for Hogmanay is quite the delightful event – celebrating the beginning of a fresh new year with joy, laughter and, I’m told, lots of yummy oatcakes! What is more exciting, we are expected to take part – I often get a splendidly fluffy new rug for the occasion, though you would be surprised how tricky it is to look elegant wearing a large wool blanket! *
*As for the horses in the year 0155, we’re still going strong! I think there is something truly wondrous about these times - you know, like this year - because although a lot has happened in the past 50 or so years since the year 100, the way people use and think about us is fairly similar to how they have always done - and that really does make you feel like part of something quite big! *
*But this year in particular – and just imagine, it’s only January! – it has been buzzing with exciting news – in fact it was something of a turning point in history for us horse lovers. For, this year, The Emperor of The Roman Empire – Justinian – has officially proclaimed horses as symbols of freedom and a vital part of *every civilization on Earth - not just his! *
- Can you believe it! We have already played a huge role in human history and for many of our brethren, there’s really no life beyond the needs of people and our various roles – and of course I don’t mean this in a negative way at all – we enjoy our part in the daily life of all civilizations! But, it was very lovely of Emperor Justinian to actually mention us in his decree in such a grand way! It’s really given everyone - humans and horses a real feel-good factor!
I mean, let’s be honest, just being able to run free and gallop across a vast plain with the sun on your coat, and a whole herd by your side is something of a joy that most equine-types (or even humans!) have never had the pleasure of experiencing! I wouldn’t change it, not for a minute! But still, knowing you are part of something much bigger is a real bonus, right? *
* Let’s talk about how we - horse types - are valued, and what’s been happening around the world – the Romans and even the Scottish and the Anglo-Saxons and the folks in France - it’s just a massive world, with lots and lots of human races – all with us by their sides!*
*But you can just tell we are valued. *
- It goes beyond just what we offer for work and our role as partners in daily life. You see, the way humans talk about us... horses are revered in their myths and legends – it is lovely to think that you have become embedded in history – something so ancient that no one is even quite sure if it really happened, or even what happened – but our names and characteristics are used – all around the world – even here in Hayfield – they call me Emma! But that name is often linked to horses – you’ll be hearing names like Sleipnir - who is Odin's Eight-Legged Horse, or Pegasus, and lots of mythical stories. Sometimes they give us mystical powers – but really the biggest magic is the deep relationship humans and horses have, the ability to befriend each other – and that is truly extraordinary! *
* Let’s start off right here in Scotland – with my Scottish Clan of humans, right near Hayfield, who know us better than almost anyone else – because horses – in many of the different clans around here – are central to almost everything we do! And I am not exaggerating - really - almost everything! It's wonderful, I have to say! We're involved in every kind of work!*
- Our skills really matter. Whether we're used for carrying heavy loads on our sturdy backs, ploughing fields to prepare the ground for harvest - for without this - no food - which is rather essential – or swiftly racing from one part of Scotland to another as we’ve done for centuries – we are absolutely indispensable – even the little ones are valued – and often used to play, pull little carriages and carry things in our pockets - they are incredibly helpful!
We work in pairs as farm animals, for transporting goods - the finest oats, vegetables, and even sheep! We often run in small packs carrying wood or peat for fires – a valuable job for us all! And there is something so grand about carrying precious items on our backs - our beauty and our strength combined for the well being of mankind - well that is something that makes me truly happy!
Sometimes, when there is a major event happening we pull magnificent coaches in fancy carriages, the bells on our harness jingle merrily, the coats of our human riders shimmer with finery - these are events that make me feel extremely proud to be part of the world! We do our utmost to serve and please those who have treated us well and fed us oats, hay, and barley. *
**I have never thought to myself that we could exist without humans – or them without us – not that it would ever happen – and there is just this fantastic bond of trust, almost an invisible cord linking us in almost everything – what could be better – for my humans in Scotland are almost entirely farmers – and all depend on horses – for everything!! *
Of course, it’s not just all about the hard work; the festivals! Let me tell you - those Hogmanay celebrations are absolutely full of joy – a sense of community where humans gather in groups of dozens and sometimes hundreds in a huge square where they celebrate a year well-lived with dances - and you know - with dancing - you just have to move with your human friend! There’s music in the air and a lot of hearty laughter and you can feel everyone in good spirits - they come right up to us horses with their big welcoming smiles – and they like to touch our faces - they even seem to smile when they feed us!
* A bit further south from here in the great city of London, our life is a bit different, even more spectacular – it's almost impossible to even explain just how fabulous this great metropolis – you could easily get lost within a maze of cobbled streets and it's really teeming with human life! We horses in this fantastic metropolis - play a key role in transport - often pulling massive carriages – in fact we pull a really good kind of transport – that really impresses – what else could you need – well, they do use boats of course on the river! There are horses hauling all sorts of heavy things in the dockyards - the whole city has this extraordinary hustle and bustle with a real sense of excitement – there's even talk of this crazy contraption – the horse is being ‘replaced’ - but in reality it’s something called a “cart” – but - no one is taking us horses seriously, and why should they – they need the cart’s horses as well - really it’s just another big and loud transport wagon with big wheels - for everyone in this wonderful metropolis – all we do is move a bit faster! But they also love their festivals, parades, races, and plays in London, just like our clan here in Hayfield – they come to our stalls at the fair and let us play with ribbons. It is just as thrilling to watch our young friends play and do tricks on the streets - they wear pretty ribbons around their heads and trot, spin, kneel and jump – they’re incredible! *
*Now we get onto the land across the sea – you guessed it! - France – which is just the most stunning place you could imagine – and of course the great Emperor – *The Emperor Charlemagne of the Franks - is on the throne there, – just like with the Roman Empire – everyone on our planet – yes, every human race, even in the vastest countries, look up to him - the whole world just admires his powerful grace! **
- What else do humans and horses love in France – it is not just the magnificent countryside where horses roam free in great herds, and work as farm animals for the benefit of man - we horses have an affinity with the beautiful buildings, their art - the fantastic paintings depicting everything about us! It’s as if humans have taken us horse folk to heart – making images for centuries! There are also huge Roman Amphitheaters, that hold grand horseshow events – it really makes you feel very proud to perform in such a splendid arena. We even pull some mighty beautiful carriages in a fine parade, with the sound of hundreds of voices shouting and the clink and clatter of hooves on stone – a truly memorable occasion, which I hope all of us have the pleasure to be a part of in our lifetime!*
*Now that’s our world in the year 0155! This year I've learned a lot - it really helps to have all these events take place to help me keep track – of history – we’re right at the heart of the world of humankind and you really don’t think that much about that until you stand back and look at it in a broad way - the way you do when you put it all into perspective like we are doing today! So let me leave you - as I get back to a good long sleep - and dream - perhaps of Hogmanay – perhaps of being a show horse in Paris, or racing the waves in the Great Scottish Highlands, or perhaps even just galloping with the wild ponies of my Hayfield clan, for there are so many wonderful possibilities in this huge beautiful world, it really is time to just lie back and dream ! *
*See you again, Equiworld readers! And a great big thanks to Emperor Justinian for your words of encouragement – they make me very very proud! *
