Willem -
Please say hello to Tug, a wonderful friend who was the first horse I leased when I came back to riding. I just learned this week he was called to the bridge. How I wish I could have been there with him, to give him one last hug and a carrot. No one knew exactly how old he was, the best guess was that he was somewhere around 25. In his younger years, he was a champion green horse - there is a wonderful picture in the barn of him with my trainer from 1986 - then later he made the rounds as a children’s and beginner rider hunter. He was completely opinionated but always forgiving.
Godspeed Tug. We miss you.
Willem, schatzi,
It be zo nice to hear from you. I know you must be having eine sehr gut time mit all die neu friends (und shatzis). We have all beed missing you (extra von me) und alles our friends who haf got to die bridge. It beed zo nice for you to be telling us of die happiness und loff there.
Say hi to Tami und Aero from me.
xoxoxoxoxox
Dorina
ps wenn do I be getting meine ice cream maker back?
Thank you Willem. I’m sniffling now too, but its just something us peeps do. 
Give my best to Wally and Marco and all the others.
Ah Willem, you wonderful red horse! You boys at the bridge certainly do keep your hooves right on the pulses of our lives, don’t you?
Today of all days I find this thread. Today I was finally able fill part of the empty spot left in my heart when my beloved Vegas joined you at the Bridge in April. But then you and he would have known that already as he surely guided me toward this big red mare. He must think Classy is quite the foxy girl. He always did love red mares!
Veg, you remind me on a very regular basis that you are still part of my life. You’ve sent herons to visit me at the most interesting times. And our song comes on the radio at just the right moments. I’m already laughing at Classy’s antics, Veggers. You’ve instructed her well!
My tears are finally no longer from grief, my angel, but tears of joy. I am thankful for the all too short time you shared my life, that you taught me well and I can feel you still.
Thank you Willem for the reminder to keep smiling through our tears!
[I]JockoHorse, this wot it be verrie true und verrie sad. Aber wenn they get here, then they can to see that this place it be verrie wunnerful and so full off loff that they can to get der loff here wot they don’t nott to haff getted on Earth.
When peoples like you they get here, die celebration it be SO gigantico! Becose der loff we haff it don’t nott just to be for our own peeps, it be fur die peeps wot they haff helped horsjes.
Some times you see sad horse wot mebbe he just need ein pat or ein kind word. All ways be gifting this to der horse, becose some times this it be all he needs to know that there be verrie nice people in der world also.
Mein selve I would haff winded up in slaughterhouse iffen Coreene she didn’t nott to haff buyed me. This it be wrong, but wenn she buyed me this it be right. Die people wot they haff no regard for der horse, they be wrong.
Wenn you haff horse wot he be verrie old or lame or sick and you don’t nott to haff no money no more to keep him, don’t nott to just putt him in ein field or send off to some person wot you hop will take care off him. This it be wrong. Der gift wot you can to gift him with at this time is to let him haff gentle passing to der Bridge. You owe it to der horsje. Iffen you don’t nott haff no monies for this, call der Herr Doktor or Miss Herr Doktor und splain this to him or her and say “I gift you payments.”
To know your old friend he now be starving or whipped or overworked, this it be so wrong und so unfair. Don’t nott to let this happen no more. 
[/I]
Chester’s Mom, we haff birdies here also. Like der hen chicken friend I haff, her name it be Stumpy, she haff liffed at our howse until coyote eated her. Lindy he be verrie beautiful!
Oh Willem! You were special when you were here: you’re even more special from the Rainbow Bridge.
You have given all of us who have lost our beloved animal friends the reminder that we should remember them with joy (and maybe a little dampness of the eye) because they love us so much, and we still love them, too.
Thank you for remembering my doggies and kitties. And I hope you’ve met my redheaded mare with the sexy walk and fabulous tail. I know she’d adore you!
PS: Your mother, Coreene is pretty darn special, too. We loff her!
Willem—I know many things at the Bridge are confidential, such as committee assignments, etc…but the questions begs to be asked…what did you guys do with the rubber band ball and why was it returned?
Willem,
There are many, many “horsjes” that go to the bridge without loving “peeps” mourning their passing. The broken down work horses, the foals that no one wants, the race horses that were just a bit slow… I hope that they find the peace and love that was not afforded them in this earthly realm.
Tell them I will come for them.
