Hayfield, near Aberdeen, Scotland. A beautiful Spring day
My dear Equiworld friends,
It feels strange to think it's been a year since my last blog post. Time seems to fly by these days! Where has the year gone? My life is certainly getting busier with all my duties and the demands of the farm, but it's a good busy! A peaceful, fulfilling busy. You know, the kind that fills your heart with contentment, the kind that reminds you of the simple pleasures in life. And one thing I always enjoy is sharing stories about my fellow equine friends and what's happening in the world of horses. That's why I’m back here today to fill you in on a little bit of what happened in 0520, as told by me, your friendly, chatty grey mare, Emma.
If you don’t already know, I’m a strong, sturdy grey draught horse with a white mane and tail – quite the sight, some might say! I'm approaching twenty years old and am part of a close-knit family here on this Scottish farm, surrounded by green fields and heather-clad hills. The rolling hills, fresh air, and ever-changing weather are what I love most about Hayfield. You can really feel the change of seasons here, and the air always seems to be a bit more crisp and alive. I'm a hard worker but my favourite thing in the whole world is a nice long, warm bath in the nearby river on a hot summer's day! After that, I always enjoy a delicious meal of fresh-cut barley and hay. Simple pleasures, right?
Now, on to the important news. Where to start… Ah! It was a grand day back in January when I saw my new filly foal, little Maisie! Such a lovely chestnut beauty. She’s getting so much attention from her mother, Blossom, and all the other mares and foals on the farm. You know how mares are: all proud of their little ones. But all this talk about new life reminded me of a little story I heard. My favourite farmer, William, mentioned something about a group of men – the Franks they’re called – who had started their own new "kingdom" somewhere in what they called “Gaul”. I wonder if the King keeps a stable of fine steeds, I bet he does. Maybe even some that have beautiful long white tails like mine. William has also been talking about a big empire in the East that everyone calls "Byzantium". Sounds fancy doesn’t it? And they are big on horses, William told me. He also says that many of these eastern kingdoms were becoming quite Christian. Apparently, some monks travelled the world on horseback spreading their stories.
Speaking of the Church, that’s what my friends and I mainly help with nowadays. A big church is built close to our village and is just a short gallop away. The monks at the abbey use us for all sorts of duties: ploughing the fields, hauling hay for their horses, transporting heavy carts full of barley and rye to the miller, and even bringing water from the well. You see, our little Hayfield village has the purest water around and it’s needed to make the sacramental wine for all the surrounding villages, so the monks are always requesting us for deliveries. Of course, that means some of the monks get to ride us too. A young one, brother Thomas, often chooses me to ride. We’re rather good friends and I do think I help keep him strong. He says that horses are much more noble creatures than many people realise, that the bond between us is a spiritual one, and we must respect each other always. It’s strange hearing the monks talk about things like this. Their way of thinking seems very different to the villagers, they are peaceful and wise.
In April, we had a lot of work. We are still helping the villagers in Hayfield prepare for planting. It's a beautiful time of year. There’s something truly special about watching the fresh earth turning green again. Our village lives a simple life but they're kind souls and know the true value of a good, honest day’s work, so of course they’ll always feed and water us well after we’ve worked hard! And nothing makes my heart sing more than a crisp autumn day with a cool, fresh breeze in my face, carrying the smells of ripe hay and ripening grain. It really is a perfect day to take a lazy stroll through the nearby fields, breathing in the crisp autumn air and feeling the soft grass under my hooves. Sometimes, I even venture a little further down to the beach, watching the crashing waves against the rocky cliffs. The salty sea air invigorates me, filling my nostrils with its salty freshness and reminding me of the boundless strength and freedom that lies within each of us.
Speaking of freedom, let's talk about what's going on in the world. I’ve heard quite a lot about people, both Christian and those that practice a different way of life, warring with each other on horseback, across lands, with no sign of it stopping! It is unsettling, isn't it? My farmer, William, mentions something about kings of various countries having armies of soldiers who use steeds in battle. It’s a bit sad really. A wise monk told William that there is much more value in using horses for things like transporting good people, important messages, and for helping farmers like William get work done. I understand completely; war doesn't seem right. We're animals meant to serve a more peaceful purpose. We were built to work side by side with humans, to be their partners in progress.
In fact, here on our peaceful farm, that's exactly what we're doing. Every single day. We help cultivate the land for growing our food and take part in community events. In fact, I’m particularly fond of the annual Highland Games in our village. Every year we gather in the market square and the monks come along too, and we work hard, drawing the carriages with all the various prize-winning sheep, cows, and even prize-winning horses! People come from surrounding villages to enjoy these Games and we are proud to play our part. We’re not as swift as some of those elegant stallions used in races at the games, but we sure know how to get things done and have strength in numbers!
A new year is just starting, and although I don’t often think about time, William reminds us all that as the years pass, we age and become more knowledgeable and even wise. I see a lot of myself in Blossom and the other mares and the youngsters like Maisie and their mothers. They're a bit young to be thinking of what the future may hold for them yet, and they still have a lot to learn, but, the way I see it, each year brings us more understanding about ourselves and what makes a good horse. And as time rolls on, all of us can feel pride in doing what we’re born to do, just as the humans and other creatures around us are too. We horses, humans, and other creatures of this earth all exist for a reason.
I look forward to another year filled with learning new things about horses and sharing stories from here in Hayfield with all of you. I believe all horses and humans can be happy and have long, peaceful, and healthy lives if we work together in harmony, so until next time!
Happy trails to all you,
Emma
(P.S. And don’t forget to check out Equiworld.org for other news on horses around the world. It’s amazing to see the different lives and breeds of horses that exist around the world!)
