--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" <dhamiltony2k5@...> wrote:
[snip] > Subject: Sorli fra Bulandi passes > > Dear Baddi, > > I do hope this letter finds you and your family well and thriving in > beautiful Iceland. We have so many happy memories and connections of the > heart there! > > I just wanted to let you know that our precious and beloved friend, Sorli > passed away in the dawn hours after being in failing health for the last 6 > months. He was 28 years old. We are awash in feelings of appreciation and > gratitude to this magnificient horse who we were so blessed to have in our > lives thanks to YOU! Sorli brought us nothing but bliss in the 14 years he > lived with us. > > I will never forget the day Sorli arrived. It was in the winter after a very > deep snowfall. He came just after Doug had had his stroke. Doug was still so > fragile and unsteady in body and mind that we were not sure he would ride > again...something he was very worried about not being possible for himself. I > remember going out and riding Sorli to check him out in that deep soft > snow...what a fabulous, life altering experience! Sorli's calm nature, his > power, fluidity, and his utter responsiveness assured me that he was going to > be a very good horse for Doug to recover on. And so it was. Some time shortly > after that unbeknownst to me, Doug snuck out the door, managed to saddle > Sorli for himself and tried him too for a few minutes, if awkwardly...but he > came back in aglow with triumph and excitement. > > So Sorli's first job was to serve as a therapeutic riding horse for Doug. > Sorli took such good care of him then and has all along! I will always have > these beautiful visions of Doug riding out on Sorli sometimes for a short > spin around the neighborhood and often for hours. I never worried for his > safety. I knew Sorli would be there for him no matter what. And whenever Doug > has had a difficult day...as his brain injury never completely healed...Sorli > was always 'best medicine' to reintegrate his mind, spirit and body. Though > living here on our little place has been a humble life for a great horse like > Sorli, none the less, Sorli and Doug were 'famous' around town. People would > say..."there goes Doug Hamilton on his black horse"...and they were always a > 'head turning' pair. Doug would always return restored, refreshed and in awe > of the gifts of safety, pleasure and power that Sorli shared so effortlessly > and naturally. > > A funny Sorli story and fond memory...one day I was unhappy and in a foul > mood. Doug knew better than to try to talk me out of it! So he left the house > for a bit and after a while when I walked back into the living room there was > Sorli...calmly standing there saddled and ready to go!!...He was looking a > bit guilty! He had a look of 'I know I am not supposed to be in here! Doug > did it!' I laughed so hard and all angry gloom left my heart/mind in a flash! > Sorli was my therapy horse, as well! > > And of course Sorli served so so many people in the Midwest as a sterling > example of what horses can be...and the glories of the Icelandic breed in > particular. For years we would hear from people who remembered your > performance with Sorli in all those fairs we did together in those early > happy times! What fun we had together! And the enduring impression of "Baddi > and that black horse" drew so many to Icelandics! Yes, indeed. And with your > skill you would always bring out so much from Sorli and it was evident that > he enjoyed giving you all he had to give, too. > > I know that in many ways Sorli was under utilized here in America. That he > could have probably been shown more, used as a breeding horse even more, etc. > but he was fully appreciated and deeply loved by us...a real member of the > family. And of course, hundreds of people rode him...often times not even > knowing they were riding a stallion until after the ride!....and through him > they became infatuated with Icelandics. Like you, he was a great ambassador > for Iceland and Icelandics all his life! > > Sorli is a great soul. A cherished friend. And even in the suffering of his > last hours, he continued to be a gentleman to the last. We are going to > cremate him. And I am wondering if I could ask a small favor. If we send a > small amount of his ashes to you in Iceland...would you be so kind as to > release them in some beautiful place for us? I like to think of this equine > son of Iceland returning to his motherland. Would that be okay? If not, we > certainly understand. > > So. Please give our love to all your dear family. And to you, old > friend...again we have the deepest gratitude for making Sorli possible for > us! We are going to miss him mightly. And for us, he is one of the greatest > horses we have ever known, truly a first class horse in all ways. > > Love and all blessings, > Jennifer and Doug Doug, you are one lucky man indeed to have known a mighty horse such as Sorli (my sincere condolences) and to have a life partner that can write as beautifully as Jennifer (her letter brought tears to my eyes). Thank you for sharing. RIP Sorli. [snip]
