Meet the Animals
The Haven at Skanda is home to rescued animals and a few families of endangered breeds. Each and every animal is special and unique, with his or her own personality, relationships, and joy. Here are just a few of them:
Coco (Coconut) is the smallest goat at Skanda, and completely unique. She is a bit of a dreamer, and hangs back from the group during their wilder moments of playing outside. While the others are running and jumping in the grass, Coco will often be nestled quietly at a distance, basking in the sunshine and enjoying the stillness. One reason she does not jump or play is that Coco suffers from arthritis in her legs, which can sometimes make it painful for her to walk.
Norna is leader of the herd, but leads quietly, observing and supporting any horse who needs her by gently moving alongside them. Norna is a registered thoroughbred, raced from a very early age at the Saratoga racetrack. She comes from a well-known line of winners with famous race horses in her lineage. On her second race, Norna was injured and sent to a facility for broodmares that was then forced to close because of severe abuse of the horses. When she was rescued, Norna was severely underweight and pregnant, ready to give birth.
Sleipnir is gentle, loving, and very sensitive. Sleipnir is head shy, becoming nervous when people approach his face, and may suddenly pull his head away. Sleipnir came from Mexico, where he was used as a parade horse, and treated so poorly that when he came to the US at 8 years old, he had a serious hoof injury usually seen only in much older horses. We think he was likely beaten around his face and possibly his body as well. When Sleipnir was sold from his Mexican handler to an American woman, he was heavily drugged to mask his hoof injury. His new owner only discovered his lameness once she took him off the drugs, and then rejected him. Sleipnir has been part of the Skanda herd from the very beginning, is deeply loved here. His very best friend is Rowan.
Bentley has a loving, warm quality that draws people to him instantly, and he is much loved at Skanda. In his past life, Bentley was ridden hard, and not treated well when his previous owner was dying of cancer. Bentley is insecure around the other horses, so is low in the hierarchy among the boys. This means he will hang back and let the others eat, not wanting to compete for food, so he always has his special hay placed near him. Children love to learn to groom with Bentley because he is so soft and gentle, that even though he is one of the largest horses at Skanda, they feel safe in his presence.
Amazing Grace (center in photo) is deeply gentle. She is smaller than some of the other miniature donkeys, and does not dominate, but moves among her family with a soft, loving presence that seems to open possibilities. When visitors approach, Amazing Grace is not the first to step forward, but she quietly seems to sense who needs a little extra love, and will glide over to share herself with whoever needs it most.
When Mickey and Goofy were born, their mother Daphne had a hard time nurturing them at first. The birth had been difficult, so Daphne was sore and exhausted, but more than that, Daphne herself had been born in a goat dairy, pulled away from her own mother at birth so had never experienced or even witnessed a mother nursing and loving her newborns. The morning they were born, once they were both on their feet, Mickey approached Daphne to nurse, and she eventually allowed it. When Goofy approached, though, Daphne gave him a head-butt, knocking him down. We then witnessed the most extraordinary gesture: Goofy's brother Mickey, not even one day old, bravely stepped in front of Goofy and wrapped his body around his brother, protecting him. (With a little help, Daphne allowed both boys to nurse, and eventually her mothering instincts kicked in and she has become a wonderful mom.)
Sophia is the ultimate mother: nurturing, patient, gentle, and strong. Her daughters Cinnamon, Starlight, and Mojave still snuggle with her at night, even though they are fully grown. One summer, a group of children was playing outside with the goats while one boy with Autism sat apart. Sophia saw him, and silently glided to him, leaning her body towards him until he touched her back and a smile came over his face - the first smile his mother had seen in a long time, she said. Sophia's wisdom is beyond measure.
Olan is one of Skanda's endangered Magpie ducks. He is a very special duck not only because he has one leg, but because of his incredible strength and resilience after his leg was removed. A few years ago, Olan came back from a day of playing outside with his family, and he was limping. His leg had an infection, that after two surgeries, was persistent, and life-threatening. Our superb veterinarian gave us the choice to remove Olan's leg and save his life, or let the infection takes its course, and probably kill him. We were not sure Olan would want more surgery, and we were not sure how he would adjust to life with only one leg. What would this do to his sense of himself, would he become depressed, not being able to move around as he had before? When we looked at Olan and felt what he would want, he seemed clearly to want to live. After the surgery, the vet told us that Olan stood right up on his one leg, found his balance, and was fine. Since then, Olan has been thriving. In summer, he is able to jump in the swimming pool on his own, and he free-ranges outside with his family still. Olan must be able to rest his one leg whenever he wants, so he has his own house at night, and sometimes free-ranges on his own during the day.
Elskling (passed away 2022) is a Belgian Draft and a true gentle giant. She is leader of the herd of girls at Skanda, letting all know the rules of the paddock in a gentle yet clear way. Before she was even 2 years old, Elskling was put to work pulling a plow in the fields. As a result of this heavy work so young, she had an incredibly weak hind end. When Marion found Elskling, she was tied to a post with no more than a foot of room to move, and no access to pasture for grazing. Her owner untied her and put her into a pen to show her to Marion, and Elskling immediately dropped to the ground and had a difficult time getting back up. Elskling's name means "Love" in Norwegian because despite the abuse she has endured, Elskling only offers love to anyone who meets her.
When Esmeralda (deceased) the Icelandic hen lost her family to an illness, she went into mourning. She wobbled around the farm, seeming frail and lost. Then one day she began sitting on eggs, silent and still, with total dedication. Esmeralda wanted to be a mom. She was no longer aimless…she now had a purpose.
When ducklings—and not baby chicks—emerged from the shells, we did not know how Esmeralda would respond. She accepted them fully and proudly. Esmeralda tenderly warmed her newborns at night, and paraded them around the farm during the day. Esmeralda showed us the true meaning of family, the true meaning of love.
See more pictures of Esmeralda and read more about her story here.
Nutter Butter (adopted) has an almost magical quality, an openness and intelligence that is soft and vibrant at the same time. He is so deeply true to himself, that people seem to fall in love with him at first encounter. His enormous gray eyes glimmer with his brilliance. Nutter Butter can be mischievous and feisty, and taking him for a walk can be a challenge when he decides to exert his strong will. He adores Eve, the rescued pig, and will often visit her, touching noses and then grazing side by side with her outside her paddock fence.
Mulighet (adopted) Her name means "Possibilities" in Norwegian, and she has an energy like a gentle burst of fresh air, so pure. Mulighet can be shy, and stays close to her mother, May, but will sometimes jump and play in the grass, loving to feel movement and freedom. She has a joy that seems to sparkle, and transfers easily to those who spend time with her.