Hello everyone! Emma here, your friendly grey draught mare from Hayfield, near Aberdeen. Today, I’m taking you on a journey back to the year 0177, a year full of hustle and bustle, muddy hooves, and a bit of mischief, just like our world today, although a bit simpler perhaps.
Now, 0177 – that’s almost 1850 years ago! It might feel like a lifetime ago, but believe me, things weren't as different as you might imagine. Back then, we horses were still the backbone of society, just like now, really, but maybe a little bit more essential back then! I mean, where would everyone be without our help pulling their heavy loads and carrying them to distant markets?
So, let's begin with a bit of my own tale. This was a big year for me, my dear reader. Just turned 20, strong as an oak and as graceful as a swan (don’t laugh, I can be quite graceful if I choose!), I was finally considered an adult in horse years. I was pulling a cart loaded with hay down to the village for Mrs. MacPherson, her rosy cheeks the same shade as the apples she always generously shared. It wasn’t fancy work, but it was honest and satisfying.
Now, you’re probably wondering what kind of things we horses were up to in 0177. Well, for starters, imagine a world where the roads are mainly dirt tracks and the only mode of transportation besides walking is on our backs, or pulling behind us in carts and wagons.
There were still wild horses, of course, but those were more a legend. Most of us worked closely with humans, a partnership we learned to depend on. We weren't always pampered, you know. Back then, there were many who didn't understand how a gentle touch or a word of encouragement could make all the difference.
Think of me pulling a cart full of lumber from the nearby forest. This meant long hours on rough, uneven roads. Just like we’re still used for today, of course, although often much closer to comfortable living spaces and even getting the odd delicious apple! That is a long story for another day, though.
And speaking of our daily routine, we didn’t always have luxury stables either! It wasn't uncommon for a horse like me to spend the night in a simple shelter built of straw and wood, perhaps with a fellow companion, or sometimes even with the farmer's dog sleeping soundly by our feet.
You might wonder how we fed in 0177, since you are used to horse feeds being specially mixed in brightly colored bags. We didn't have feed like that! Our meals were pretty simple, mostly consisting of grass from meadows, oats and barley from the farmer's harvest, and of course, the occasional tasty treat like a carrot, if we were lucky! A treat I certainly didn’t mind, though we wouldn't dream of acting like those horses in the modern day!
One of my favourite memories of that year was a long ride on a brisk spring day. My owner, the sturdy farmhand Allan, decided to go all the way to the coast to exchange some fresh vegetables grown in the farm for fish. The sea was roaring with the wind whistling in my ears, but the air was clean and the smells of the salty air mixed with the scent of blooming wildflowers were incredible!
What really got us going in 0177, and something I imagine some of you may not be aware of, is that horse races were as big then as they are today! Only, there were no fancy racetracks like you see on TV! Instead, people would gather in open fields, or along stretches of land that looked more like mud paths! This makes the image of horses in races very interesting, and it's also worth remembering they might have looked like our modern “draft” horses - much bigger and stronger, although we were no slouches, especially as those race horses also had to be pulled about by another strong, hardy horse on a lead, often pulling a chariot as they sped. You could imagine the whole affair was rather chaotic!
And we’re talking chariot racing here, not a jockey perched on our back, oh no! People were sitting in beautiful carriages adorned with jewels, or even just basic wood, just wanting to see how quickly the chariot we pulled would fly! The crowd would cheer, shout encouragement, and gamble on the outcome. There were stories told around bonfires that people were quite willing to part with some of their possessions, including their own animals, to be the one who could get a small chariot to the winning point first. A lot more chaotic than our regulated racing these days!
Something else that happened back in 0177 was a very important military action – I’m referring to the war happening on a different part of the land – well, as they say, "History books are written by the winners". So I can only share what my owner Allan and the locals in the village discussed and argued over as they took the “strong ale” during the evening in the local tavern! Of course, these discussions weren’t as exciting as they would become in the future when there was news of a man on a white horse riding into battles and his army claiming huge swaths of the earth. We all have a little time before we have to deal with all that.
So you see, dear reader, life back in 0177 was a different experience altogether. Horses were part of everyday life, woven into the very fabric of the community. We carried their dreams, their needs, their stories. It was a time of pulling and plodding, of working tirelessly, yet experiencing the joys of a life connected to the earth.
Although a simple life in many ways, we weren't short on joy. It was a joy to see the sun rising each morning, and the joy of feeling the wind on our backs as we raced through fields of wildflowers. It was a joy to sense the community spirit in the shared tasks, in the collective efforts that sustained everyone. And a joy I continue to share with everyone. The horses back in 0177 would be shocked by the lives we enjoy today, in so many cases at least!
It wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows, of course, but there were fewer “problems” for horses back then - no need to learn how to walk on roads built for the "iron horses", no need to be treated as "machines" for our milk, or worried about people having an addiction to our meat, just hard work with occasional treats and a strong feeling of usefulness. Although I am aware there were wars happening back then - just another element that was accepted as part of living - but a bit more dangerous for our brethren.
Life has changed significantly since then. From the grand castles to the humblest village, horses like me were the wheels on which life turned, the very core of their economy and existence.
Though life as a horse has been drastically different since then, it doesn’t change the joy, pride and satisfaction I find in being part of the fabric of life, still in the modern world! And don’t forget the most important thing - there are a lot of horses living really good lives. I just need you to do your bit and spread the word!
Thank you for joining me today. I hope this has shed light on the lives of our forefathers - all those brave, hardworking horses who pulled and plodded through history, shaping the world we live in today!
Until next time,
Emma
