The mighty Elfhorse is gone.....
He was his usual storming self yesterday morning, romping and playing with his best buddy, Tonithetiger. All the vet and I can determine is that in the course of their rough-housing, he twisted his gut.

My wonderful vet dropped what he was doing and came out immediately. We thought to buy him time in case it wasn't a torsion - He fought hard, and I stayed with him all night, but this morning the pain meds started to fail and he told me it was time.

He's buried in the arena... Toni knows...

And my heart is broken.

I know it's been a while since I wrote to you... but I figured that since you talk with Mom a lot she's probably keeping you pretty much up to date.. And after all, you DID visit a while ago, so you know how spoiled I am..... But I just had to share some news! Mom bought me a pal!!!!!
He's very elegant, but he's just a kid! He told me all about his granddaddy, who I know Mom loved (but not as much as she loves me)... and I know that the girls are CRAZY about me, and little cousin Barbie had a ball trotting BACKWARDS trying to let this upstart know who was boss.. but I guess she didn't try all that hard, since she didn't land a foot no matter how hard she tried! She never tried that with me! Anyway, Mom turned this Toni-boy out with me yesterday, and we had SUCH FUN!!!! I had to show him all about being out in the big paddock, and we raced and played until we were both covered with sweat! I think I like my new friend!
So now we're buddies! We put on quite a show when Mom came home from work tonight - we wanted to show her how much fun we were having, and that the kid had already listened to me about the sound of Mom's truck.... so we met her way down at the end of the pasture near the road, and ran like the wind to show her that we were happy to see that she had come home (well, and that we were hungry and to PLEASE hurry with dinner)...
Then she had to get that darned camera out before feeding us...
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that Toni is not bad for a kid, and I'm really happy that I have a new friend (as long as he realizes that the girls are MINE!!!!)
Please come visit again, dear Auntie!
Love to all...
Sharif

A Letter from Sharif

I had to tell you how good I was today. Mom had the vet out to look me over, give me a 4-way shot (oh, I was really good for it), and have my teeth fixed. The vet gave me a really good shot of something, and I just let her work on me - and did she ever work! I hate dentists almost as much as Mom does, and it's been quite a while since anyone made me stand there while some stranger put weird things in my mouth and did even weirder things to my teeth. But Mom stood with me, reminding me of how good I was and that Dr. Lee was a kind and good person who would make my mouth feel better - and I tried very hard to be a good patient. The vet liked me a whole bunch, saying I was such a good boy and was so beautiful (I'm getting used to people saying that about me - it's almost enough to turn a guy's head).

After the good drugs wore off and I sobered up, Mom let me go outside again so that I could show off for the ladies in the big pasture. They were really pretty impressed - a couple of them were standing there with their tails up and trying to entice me to come over and visit. I don't have the heart to tell them that while I AM a boy, there are parts missing and they'll just have to accept that.

I have to tattle on Jurallah - she came in the barn to have her teeth done, too, and she needed much more good drugs than I did. That old lady just has to learn to act her age! My, Mom told me that she's 26, but she sure doesn't act it! Dance, dance, dance....but she's awfully pretty, and I didn't tease her about being so old.

BT and my new friend Dari left for Georgia today - I miss my friends, but have a bunch of new ones, so I guess it's going to be OK. Mom spent a lot of time reminding me that I wasn't going anywhere again, and that BT and Dari were going to a new home with a good friend of hers, so they would be happy and not in trouble ever again. I had to show her that I understood, so I rubbed my head on her and nuzzled her. I really think that she loves me! She very tenderly put my bridle on yesterday - adjusted it ever so carefully so that it fit just right, and then did some weird thing asking me to flex to the right and left. That's old hat, so I did it without any trouble.

I know that she is working on the round pen - I heard her banging away with the hammer and she would fire up some strange saw here in the barn, trimming the wood. The first time that saw started up, I was a bit startled, but after that I didn't pay it any attention. Mom sure does some funny things (and says some funny things, which I don't think she wants anyone to repeat) - but I think the round pen is nearly finished! Oh goody, maybe tomorrow we'll go for a ride or something. I hope my mouth isn't too sore - but I know she'll be careful.

Well, it's time for some well-earned rest - it really was quite a day!

More later, dear Aunt Gail - Mom sends her love!

Sharif