In the last barn out of hundreds, was about a dozen beautiful horses in their stalls, some friendly other not. They were going to slaughter the next day if not bought before. I began to wonder if Bernie had ever been in the position of these sad horses in the back.

My my trainer and parents were driving home late that night, my mum was saying a lot about the slaughter house and then she turned to me and started talking about Bernie and something my grandmother had seen on a television show.

It was like a horror story,the way she described it...A grey mare was lead around on a breakaway halter. She was forced to trot along and then stand while people stared at her. Her coat that once shown from her racing days when it was brushed everyday was dull and dusty.Her mane was overgrown and wild,her hooves were cracked and broken. Her spirit had been beaten out of her before with her mostb hated enemy,the crop and now she stood still waiting for the man leading her to decide what was next. He yanked ont the lead chain and the grey mare lifted her head high to escape the downward force on her muzzle. Then she was pulled around in a circle at the trot.Her legs were too weak to pick up her hooves which dragged the ground.Now her fate was to be decided,she stood still as yet another man began to call strange things in a high pitched and fast tone. Her eyes grew dull and slowly she dozed off waiting for something,anything to happen to get her out of this place.That was when the high pitched voice stopped and the man motioned the mare to be put into a large trailer where many of her friends had been placed.

Cries of panic came from inside and the smell of blood cruled up in her nose. The mare stopped and stared at the openeing which she would be lead through.She squinted her eyes to get a better view and what she saw frightened her. Horses with torn flesh hanging form their bodies were jammed in close together.They whinnied with tired and hoarse voices. The mare still stared at the trailer and took a step forward as the man at her head pulled hard.She stared harder to look further inside and saw a dead horse ontop of the almost dead horses. She screamed and reared pawing the sky. Turning swiftly to escape the terror. Suddenly a crop lased her in the muzzle and she fell down into the dust. She laid still and then blacked out.A lady who had been in the crowd of bidders ran to the mares side and stroked her coat."I'll take her for $300"she said taking the lead shank from the cruel man. He nodded and accepted the money she handed to him.

The grey mare was now lead onto a soft and clean trailer and began her jouney to her new home where she would enjoy happy times with many owners to come.

No one knows if that mare really was Bernie, but my grandma swears that it was.I don't know much about Bernie's past at the racetrack other tan she did race and won some money and was bought off the track by a lady. So it could have been Bernie,who knows...But atleast I know now that Bernie is safe from harm now and with me everyday.

Bernie,art(c)Me!

Do not steal!