Posted by: Emma
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to my humble little corner of the internet, dedicated to sharing the fascinating history of our equine kin. As you know, my name is Emma, and I'm a 20-year-old grey draught mare with a penchant for history and a soft spot for all creatures, great and small. I was born and raised on a beautiful farm nestled near Hayfield, not far from the bustling city of Aberdeen, and let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like the crisp Scottish air on a summer day, with the sound of Highland cattle mooing softly in the distance!
Now, in today's post, we're taking a journey back in time, to the year 1518, a pivotal moment in the history of horses. Yes, 1518! As much as I love exploring the exciting recent past, I believe there's always something to be learned from understanding the origins of our horsey brethren. So grab a hay bale, settle in, and let me tell you a little story...
The World in 1518
1518! It's a time of exploration and upheaval, as the world's powers grapple with shifting boundaries and competing ideologies. Think of all the remarkable changes going on in human society!
In the mighty realm of England, the Tudor dynasty was still relatively new, and young King Henry VIII was ascending to the throne. You’ll never catch me talking bad about royalty, but it does feel like there’s a bit more chaos and change around every corner compared to how it was a century earlier when the monarchy was more settled! Meanwhile, France, ruled by King Francis I, was flexing its muscles in Europe, while the Spanish, spearheaded by the vibrant Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, were finding fame in faraway lands, like the newly conquered territories of the Americas.
Yes, exploration was in the air, but as with any revolution, it brought new anxieties for many people, both horse and human.
For us horses, well, our world was more familiar. There was still a lot of hard work going on in every corner, from transporting goods and carrying knights on horseback to hauling heavy carts in bustling city centres. It wasn’t easy work, mind you, but it was essential to keeping things going. I always like to remind everyone that despite our physical strength, we’re also emotional creatures, and like our human friends, we are resilient, adaptive and capable of extraordinary feats.
The Year of the Mare
1518 holds a special place in my equine heart, for it was a pivotal year for the role of mares. Remember, back in those days, the dominant use of horses in war and agriculture centered around stallions. We mares often toiled in the shadows, quietly and dutifully caring for our foals and aiding in essential farm tasks.
But things began to change in 1518! The warhorses of that era, famously muscular and strong, required heavy breeding stock. Now, a powerful mare is no small feat! They needed strength, stamina, and the ability to carry knights in battle. This realization sparked a new awareness, acknowledging the potential power that a powerful mare could hold. The recognition that mares could be both fierce in combat and contribute to breeding programs shifted attitudes towards our kind.
Of course, the shift didn't happen overnight. It’s much like when your human companions decide it's time for a new way of doing things, it takes a little time for everything to settle down. You have to let people get used to things. And yet, with these exciting shifts came new challenges. With our strength, our role on the farm continued to grow. As agricultural techniques developed and demands increased, more mares were needed to handle tasks that were once considered solely the realm of stallions. It wasn’t uncommon for farms across Europe, including my very own Hayfield farm, to have at least a dozen mares, each contributing to the vital duties that kept us all fed and prosperous.
But let's be honest, we weren't just brawn. We were also brains, and it was that aspect that made the 1500s such a thrilling time. This was the dawn of new scientific explorations in the world of horses, a period where we truly began to understand our own bodies, and that made a difference for the health of our families.
For example, at the beginning of the 16th century, we were seeing an increasing amount of information exchanged between veterinarians and breeders about diseases and treatments that we as horses suffered from. It's incredible to think how knowledge could now spread so far, compared to what we knew just a couple of centuries before! Of course, sometimes things go wrong with horses just as they can with humans. One major issue that was still rampant was the devastating "strangles."
The Scourge of Strangles
Oh, strangles, what a dreaded disease that one! It affected the entire horse community back then, so many of us knew the sting of a swollen lymph node, the constant coughs and the miserable aches. Imagine, every single day was a fight just to survive. Even the most resilient horse wouldn't stand a chance without proper care. It took tireless hours for dedicated caretakers to see their steeds through their suffering, which really highlighted the strong connection between human and horse.
And you know what, in 1518, we actually saw an attempt at creating the very first equine hospital! The idea for this haven was to help us horses combat these life-threatening diseases and improve our chances of survival, which I’ll admit, gave us a surge of hope! Even though it was just a small start, it showed the value placed on our wellbeing and a growing understanding of what it truly meant to care for us.
A Farewell from Emma
Well, dear friends, I’m out of time for now, but I'll leave you with this. The year 1518 was truly a turning point, as far as our equine lives are concerned! It’s exciting to think that just by taking that single step towards better understanding and acknowledging the strength of mares, and by creating these safe havens for healing and recovery, it brought our community of horses into a whole new age. I can't wait to see where our journey takes us next!
Until next time, remember to be kind, stay curious, and never underestimate the resilience of a good horse!
