Sacred Horses, Sacred Swine:  An Introduction
scroll down for links to Breidablik's god-dedicated animals

Swine Nature

When the pig first arrived, he was terrified of humans.  Hoisted from the farrowing crate by a  hind leg, away from mother, siblings, all he'd ever known, he was left to the mercies of strangers.  He soon came to realize, though, that we cared for him.  As with swine from lore, he became so tame he was easily called, patted, taken for walks.  His intelligence was readily apparent.

Over time (and even with living outdoors now that he weighs close to a thousand pounds)  he remains devoted to us, his keepers.
Just how much so was brought home to me one night when I was mourning the death of my beloved Grani.  Glückwunsch has all his teeth (including tusks) , is nearly pure muscle, and can pry a hammered nail out of wood with the power of his snout.  We once found him wearing dried patina of blood from some luckless animal, possibly a squirrel, who had wandered into his fenced area.   We didn't find any fur or bones so whatever he caught, he ate with relish.

As I stood there crying in the dark, though, our proud swine came to me and made soft, inquiring noises while nudging me.  Then  he left me and charged into the dark, chuffing loudly and defensively.  He kept alternating between these two and it seemed to me he wanted to protect me, uncomprehending that my pain issued not from a foe, but grief.  Pigs don't have the best night vision and Glück  is no exception, but he kept charging and chuffing until I let him know I was okay.

A swine is so much more than an animated ham-to-be.  The quality of expression in their eyes, their curiosity, their ability to make deep bonds, their fiercely protective natures....all these distinctive attributes call to mind  Ingvi Freyr's swine,  Gullinbursti:

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"Sindri laid a pigskin in the hearth and bade Brokkr blow, and did not cease work until he took out of the hearth that which he had laid therein. But when he went out of the smithy, while the other dwarf was blowing, straightway a fly settled upon his hand and stung: yet he blew on as before, until the smith took the work out of the hearth; and it was a boar, with mane and bristles of gold. ... Then Brokkr brought forward his gifts: ... to Freyr he gave the boar, saying that it could run through air and water better than any horse, and it could never become so dark with night or gloom of the Murky Regions that there should not be sufficient light where he went, such was the glow from its mane and bristles."
Skáldskaparmál, Brodeur's translation

Horses and Holiness

                                        Love not the world
                                                    unless it runs
                                                       like  horses.

                                          Love not the wind
                                     unless it ripples wild
                                                                manes.

                                             Love not the sun
                                          if it cannot gallop,

                                              nor find hope in
                                                             paradise
                                  if there be no pasture.

                                                                                                 Neither wind nor sun
                                                                                                can graze with angels,

                                                                                             or dream in full motion
                                                                                                while standing asleep,

                                                                                                 pressing high heaven
                                                                                            and leaping for starlight

                                                                                             volcanic with fireblood
                                                                                            and rock crop for bone:

                                                                                                    such magic is music
                                                                                                and music runs hard -

                                                                                                 the footfalls of horses
                                                                                            are whispers of thunder

                                                                                                         sagas of heart fire
                                                                                                       in ancient tongues

                                                                                             for what breath be holy
                                                                                              if it prick not soft ears?

                                                                                        And what loves the world
                                                                                         if it does not love horses?

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Click the animals' images below to learn about Breidablik's  residents, past and present

Gluckwunsch, Ingvi Freyr's swine

Dolly, Ingvi Freyr's mare

Zia, Ingvi Freyr's mare

Maple, Odin's mare

_Horses have a singular ability to access our emotions and facilitate healing for a plethora of human ills.  We hope to expand Breidablik's offerings in this area, with training and consultation with others in the growing field of Hippotherapy

Our Beloved Dead

Phoenix

Phoenix was Ingvi Freyr's gentle pony, rescued from a local auction house where he had been abandoned.
He formed a close bond with Grani and was eternally patient with her grumpiness.  When she died, he mourned deeply and eventually sank into a physical decline, joining her in death three months later.  He's buried next to her, so they are together forever.

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Grani

Grani was Odin's and lead mare of our herd.  Wise, tough, fearsome, parsimonious with her affections, she was Breidablik's most cherished resident.  She died at Winter Solstice 2010.  She is greatly missed.

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