Star Gazer by Chris Platt Read Free Book Online

Jordan asked, sure that the question would just make her seem even more ignorant.
    Jacob didn’t seem to find anything wrong with the question. “Around 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. It’s a timed event. Gilbert Sutton has won it the past four years in a row. He’s pretty proud of that.”
    â€œDid Star Gazer ever win one of those contests for Mr. Sutton?” Jordan asked.
    Jacob thought for a few seconds before answering. “I 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€œThat’s so sad,” Jordan said. “Star Gazer must have really loved her owner. She’s missing her best friend.” She felt her throat tighten and quickly pushed those sad thoughts aside.
    Jacob nodded. “I know. Animals have feelings, too. Once Star gave up on pulling loads, Mr. Sutton didn’t have any use for her. He’s got a lot of really good brood mares already, so he shipped her off to auction.”
    â€œHe just threw her away?” Jordan was appalled. Her heart ached for the abandoned mare. No wonder she had felt drawn to her. “Who would get rid of such a beautiful animal? Couldn’t Mr. Sutton find some other use for her?”
    â€œThat wasn’t the only problem,” Jacob said. “This mare is lame in her front feet. My dad looked at her, though, and he couldn’t find anything wrong other than some problems with her hooves. They’re really short and badly chipped. Dad said that might be why Mr. Sutton is unloading such a nice mare.”
    â€œHow much will a horse like this bring at auction?” Jordan asked.
    â€œIt’s hard to predict,” Jacob answered. “But I’d say she should bring somewhere around eighteen hundred dollars. It all depends on who’s here and how badly they want the animal.”
    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 mare’s 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 she’d 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 for…chickens. “I hope someone nice will buy her,” Jordan said, her heart squeezing at the thought of not being able to take this magnificent creature home with her.
    Jacob’s brow furrowed. “I doubt it. Not with the packers here,” he added as if he expected Jordan to know what that meant.
    â€œPackers?” she asked.
    Jacob’s eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t know about the packers?”
    Jordan shook her head.
    â€œNever mind then. Forget I said anything.” He turned and walked down the barn aisle. “Enjoy the auction. I’ll talk to you later.”
    Jordan frowned. He sure had cut the conversation short. Why would…? Suddenly, she understood. “Wait a second,” she said, running down the aisle after Jacob. She grabbed his sleeve before he could get away. Jacob wouldn’t look her in the eye, and Jordan knew her suspicions were right. “She’s going to be sold to a place that will put her in a dog food can, isn’t she?”
    Jacob nodded. “Probably, but you never know, someone might buy her for a pet.”
    Jordan felt sick. “How can they let those buyers come in here?”
    Jacob shrugged. “We can’t keep them from coming to the auction. They get to bid just like everyone else. I know