Jordan asked, sure that the question would just make her seem even more ignorant.
Jacob didnât seem to find anything wrong with the question. âAround here we have a log-pulling contest at the fair every year. They call it skidding . You hook up a team of horses and pull a set of logs through some obstacles without touching or moving any of them. Itâs a timed event. Gilbert Sutton has won it the past four years in a row. Heâs pretty proud of that.â
âDid Star Gazer ever win one of those contests for Mr. Sutton?â Jordan asked.
Jacob thought for a few seconds before answering. âI believe she did. But when Karina went away to school a few years ago, the mare missed her so much that she lost all interest in pulling.â
âThatâs so sad,â Jordan said. âStar Gazer must have really loved her owner. Sheâs missing her best friend.â She felt her throat tighten and quickly pushed those sad thoughts aside.
Jacob nodded. âI know. Animals have feelings, too. Once Star gave up on pulling loads, Mr. Sutton didnât have any use for her. Heâs got a lot of really good brood mares already, so he shipped her off to auction.â
âHe just threw her away?â Jordan was appalled. Her heart ached for the abandoned mare. No wonder she had felt drawn to her. âWho would get rid of such a beautiful animal? Couldnât Mr. Sutton find some other use for her?â
âThat wasnât the only problem,â Jacob said. âThis mare is lame in her front feet. My dad looked at her, though, and he couldnât find anything wrong other than some problems with her hooves. Theyâre really short and badly chipped. Dad said that might be why Mr. Sutton is unloading such a nice mare.â
âHow much will a horse like this bring at auction?â Jordan asked.
âItâs hard to predict,â Jacob answered. âBut Iâd say she should bring somewhere around eighteen hundred dollars. It all depends on whoâs here and how badly they want the animal.â
Star Gazer took several more gimpy steps and stuck her head over the door, pushing her nose at Jordan again. Jordan felt the velvety softness of her muzzle and laid her cheek against the side of the mareâs head. Star smelled of hay and horse and long rides across the fields on a warm summer day.
Jordan sighed. It would be a dream come true to own this horse. If only Mr. Sutton had waited a few more months to send her here. If sheâd had time to save more money, maybe she could have talked her mother into letting her buy the big draft horse. But for now, she was just here forâ¦chickens. âI hope someone nice will buy her,â Jordan said, her heart squeezing at the thought of not being able to take this magnificent creature home with her.
Jacobâs brow furrowed. âI doubt it. Not with the packers here,â he added as if he expected Jordan to know what that meant.
âPackers?â she asked.
Jacobâs eyes widened in surprise. âYou donât know about the packers?â
Jordan shook her head.
âNever mind then. Forget I said anything.â He turned and walked down the barn aisle. âEnjoy the auction. Iâll talk to you later.â
Jordan frowned. He sure had cut the conversation short. Why wouldâ¦? Suddenly, she understood. âWait a second,â she said, running down the aisle after Jacob. She grabbed his sleeve before he could get away. Jacob wouldnât look her in the eye, and Jordan knew her suspicions were right. âSheâs going to be sold to a place that will put her in a dog food can, isnât she?â
Jacob nodded. âProbably, but you never know, someone might buy her for a pet.â
Jordan felt sick. âHow can they let those buyers come in here?â
Jacob shrugged. âWe canât keep them from coming to the auction. They get to bid just like everyone else. I know
Learning to Kill: Stories