Good morning, dear readers! It's Emma here, back from the fields with a tail full of hay and a heart brimming with tales of the wonderful world of horses! This week, we're taking a trip back in time to the year 0348, a pivotal time in our equine history.
I’ve always been fascinated by how the world around us has changed. This is something that my human friend, Duncan, likes to chat with me about – especially since I love to learn new things. So today, we’ll embark on a journey back through the ages, discovering what life was like for horses over 1600 years ago, right here in the fields and hills around Hayfield, where my home still stands.
It's hard to imagine now, with my modern, comfortable stall, but horses in 0348 wouldn't have known such luxury! They lived outdoors year-round, just like I sometimes do, though thankfully without the icy chills of winter. Our ancestors back then had to rely on the simple shelters provided by nature.
Life in Hayfield - My Family Tree and My Life:
Now, you may think Hayfield is just a pretty, grassy patch of land. But imagine, just imagine, how it would have looked back then, wild and windswept, dotted with craggy hills and tumbling rivers, perfect for us horses. My grandmothers told me of vast fields teeming with wild horses, just like the wild ones you still see on the moors in Scotland. They would gallop freely, their manes and tails flowing like liquid silver in the sun. These were the days of untamed beauty, and even though I enjoy the quiet life, it must have been exhilarating to live in those times.
My ancestors, those free-spirited, strong creatures, gradually gave way to horses that humans found useful – workhorses. The fields they roamed became tamed and the lands became fields of crops for feeding people. Some of my ancestors were chosen by the people who came here to settle. They realised that the tough terrain required a breed of horse strong and sure-footed, capable of carrying a burden over rugged, hilly paths. So my lineage came to be known for their powerful legs and steady strength, able to pull heavy carts over uneven ground, and able to help humans plough their lands and transport their wares. It's in my blood – that unwavering strength. And for all my soft side (you should see the way I love to snuggle into a good bale of hay!), I can still pull a fair load – all thanks to those who came before me!
But I’m a bit of a romantic when it comes to my history, you know. It was back then, in the year 0348, when things started to shift for the horse world, a shift toward a future shaped by humans, where they would need us, depend on us, and value our skills. My human friend Duncan says the relationship was symbiotic – both humans and horses helped each other.
Horses and the Early Celtic Communities:
As the Celtic communities started to make themselves at home here, life for horses got a little bit more organized. They realised how valuable we were for transportation and work, for helping with farming, and, for all you might think this sounds a bit boring, for pulling wagons and for helping with trading across land and along rivers and coasts.
The Celts were fascinating, very skilled with their hands. They crafted horseshoes, harness and bridles with astonishing artistry, making horses a significant part of their cultural life. My own lineage was influenced by these strong Celtic influences, leading to a sturdy type of draught horse that could carry heavy loads for miles over rugged terrain.
A glimpse into 0348:
Duncan was reading some fascinating documents about 0348 recently, and these revealed an astonishing insight into the lives of horses in that time. Just imagine, dear readers, that back then, we would be seen grazing on common lands, roaming freely between farms, until we were needed for a particular task. It wasn't quite the full freedom of my wild ancestors, but it wasn't bad.
Duncan read that in this year, a law was introduced, making it unlawful to overgraze and to take common land for agriculture. Can you believe that? Even way back then, people were conscious of protecting the places we live and roam, to keep a healthy balance!
He also mentioned something quite funny. He told me that back then, a horse wouldn’t get all its meals in the one big bale, all in one go like I do now! Instead, horses would have eaten whatever was available around them, which might have been barley, straw, or other grain if there wasn’t much grass available, or perhaps leaves or even wildflowers. You know, in Hayfield we are quite used to seeing farmers tending their fields, making sure the horses and the other livestock have plenty of feed. In this year, however, there wouldn’t have been any kind of modern system! It was a much more natural kind of life for us horses – one that depended on our own instincts to find sustenance, just as my wild ancestors did.
And they weren’t just relying on their natural instinct. Humans understood how to keep their horses healthy, just as Duncan does with me now! Duncan showed me the drawings of early stables – just the simplest, open sheds really, with hay stored in large stacks, but he said they would be used for giving horses some respite in bad weather, perhaps if there was a harsh storm blowing through, or during very cold spells in winter. Those are still some of my favourite places to shelter – just as much as my stall at home!
Horses and the World of Humans in 0348:
Life was full of purpose and action for our horse ancestors in those times, you see. Not as easy and relaxing as my life is now, but very significant in a bigger picture – for all those who worked the land, those who used us for transport, those who lived alongside us. The role of the horse was pivotal for keeping a community thriving.
It's incredible to imagine the ways in which horses shaped the lives of humans then, even the mundane, ordinary ones. They were there to help bring water from the wells to the homes, they pulled plows in the fields, and helped transport materials and goods to markets. All those things that seemed so everyday for humans wouldn't have been possible without the horse. Imagine going back in time and meeting the early inhabitants of Hayfield – all of them depended on their horses to carry their lives!
Duncan even found drawings from the period that gave me an idea of the early horsemen – quite a sight, all dressed in thick woollen cloaks and with those thick, sturdy saddles made of hide – tough, durable, designed to withstand the bumps and jostles of riding over rocky terrain. It made me proud to be a descendant of those strong creatures!
The Celts, just as my modern human friends Duncan and the farmers, knew how to respect and train horses. That understanding meant that our horse ancestors played a vital role, bringing together communities through commerce and shared life, both at work and for the joys of simple pleasure – just as we horses still do now! Imagine, they might even have raced each other, much as we do now in the local races! I might have even seen some of those racing horses – just imagine, what incredible athletes they would have been, capable of galloping at lightning speeds!
Duncan said the riders then might even have enjoyed the thrill of a chase, a fox hunt, just as we might in modern times. They would have used us for hunting and hunting and were just as grateful as my modern humans to have our loyal partnership.
It was a period of great change and transformation for us, the horses. The Celts embraced their natural instincts and brought new energy and new values into the way horses were used. It was truly the beginning of an incredibly important and lasting relationship, and one that still inspires me and all those I encounter in the world of Equiworld!
Looking Forward – Lessons from the Past
That brings us to the end of my post today. It’s so amazing to discover how our lives changed throughout history, to learn about the roles our ancestors played in a very different world. What do you think about the time of the Celtic communities?
Next week, we’ll be back here, delving further into the fascinating lives of horses. Maybe we’ll even try to imagine the stories my ancestors might have shared as they stood in the fields with their Celtic friends!
As always, thanks for reading, dear readers.
Emma (Grey Draught with the White Mane) – From Hayfield, Near Aberdeen. www.equiworld.org
