BELONGS TO:
D E D I C AT I O N With love to Mike whose encouragement and support is never-ending. He is truly the “wind beneath my wings”. And in memory of my high-spirited grandmother, Gladys Thick.
L I B R A RY O F C O N G R E S S C ATA L O G I N G - I N -P U B L I C AT I O N D ATA Sundberg, Peggy. Isabelle Lives a Dream p. cm. ISBN 0 - 9 7 2 1 0 5 7 - 1 - 9 H A R D COV E R ISBN 0 - 9 7 2 1 0 5 7 - 3 - 5 S O F TCOV E R 1. Juvenile Lit. 2. Horses. 3. Goal setting. 4. Cowgirl Peg. 5. Character traits. 6. Title 2003096248 CIP P U B L I S H E D B Y: Cowgirl Peg Enterprises cowgirlpeg@wildblue.net www.cowgirlpeg.com
2 0 0 4 © Peggy Sundberg F + P Graphic Design, Inc.
C O P Y R I G H T: D E S I G N B Y:
A L L R I G H T S R E S E RV E D
4th printing 2015 by Shweiki Printing, San Antonio, TX No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonograph recording, nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise copied without the written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For more information please refer to: www.cowgirlpeg.com
Isabelle
Lives a Dream
Peggy Sundberg Watercolors by
Pat Wiles
THE BIG CITY
While celebrating her 10th birthday with her family in their big city apartment, Isabelle looked out the window. All she could see were other buildings. After her father lit the birthday candles, Isabelle made a wish before blowing them out. She wished with all her might that she would win the school contest to spend two weeks at Cowgirl Peg’s ranch in the Rocky Mountains. Winning the contest would not be easy. Studying and earning high grades on tests and homework were necessary. If she were picked as a finalist, the next step required writing an essay, explaining why she wanted to visit a ranch. That would be the easy part! She wanted to learn how to ride a horse and be a cowgirl! That evening Isabelle decided winning the contest would be her main goal for the remainder of the year.
As the year progressed, Isabelle studied and studied. In April, Mr. Thomas, the principal, listed the finalists’ names. Isabelle felt both surprised and pleased. Her name was on the list! Now she had to write the essay. Isabelle spent a lot of time thinking about what she would say. She worked on the essay each evening at home, finally ending it with “I want to see the mountains, look out the window to watch the sun rise and set, then at night have stars for streetlights.� Cowgirl Peg received copies of the essays at her ranch in the Rockies. She read each one several times, finally choosing the one from the little girl who wanted to see the sunsets and the stars. The name on the essay: Isabelle!
Later that week, the school held an assembly to announce the winner. Feeling very excited and a little bit nervous, Isabelle could hardly sit still. Finally the big moment arrived and Mr. Thomas said, “ Each of you worked hard to win this contest. Cowgirl Peg enjoyed reading your essays. She especially liked the one about having ‘stars for streetlights’, so she chose Isabelle as the winner!” Isabelle could barely believe what she had just heard! Summer break would begin next month. Soon she would spend two weeks at Cowgirl Peg’s ranch in the Rocky Mountains!
C OW G I R L P E G ’ S R A N C H On a bright summer day, Isabelle’s parents took her to the big airport. The flight attendant helped her find a seat on the plane. A few minutes later, the plane departed and Isabelle’s exciting journey began. High in the sky, Isabelle constantly looked out the window. Everything on the ground far below looked so small. In the distance she could see the snow-capped mountains and knew she would soon arrive at Cowgirl Peg’s ranch.
The plane landed smoothly at the airport. Isabelle gathered her belongings, walked off the plane and immediately saw Cowgirl Peg waiting to meet her. She ran to Cowgirl Peg, who gave Isabelle a big hug and said, “Hi, Isabelle! Welcome to the Rocky Mountains! While you are here in the West, would it be okay if I call you ‘Belle’? It’s a great cowgirl nickname for ‘Isabelle’.” “Sure!” answered Isabelle. Cowgirl Peg and Belle soon left for the ranch. Driving into the mountains, they followed roads that went up and down through beautiful hills and valleys. Whenever they got to the top of a hill, Belle thought she could see forever. Seeing the actual mountains and the bright blue sky was much better than looking at the pictures in a book. As they drove, Cowgirl Peg told Belle about the ranch. “I started riding horses when I was your age. Owning a horse ranch had been a dream of mine for many, many years. It took a lot of hard work, but I never gave up and finally accomplished it.” “Before you actually ride horses, you need to learn many things about them. Although horses are very big animals, you should not be scared of them. However, you do need to be careful around them. First, I’ll teach you how to work with a horse from the ground. Next, I’ll teach you about the equipment. After that, you can start riding.”
a
A few minutes later they arrived at the ranch. Belle saw the horses in the pastures, along with some dogs running and playing. After parking the truck, Cowgirl Peg took Belle into the house. Belle immediately looked out the window and saw the sun beginning to set in the mountains. The beautiful pink colors in the sky were like nothing she had ever seen before! Since it had been a long day, Belle ate dinner and went to bed. After turning off her lamp, she looked out the window again. There were no streetlights. Instead, millions and millions of stars shone overhead, just as she had imagined.
Early the next morning Cowgirl Peg knocked on Belle’s door and said, “It’s time to feed the animals, so let’s eat breakfast then get busy outside.” Later, after feeding the horses, Cowgirl Peg brought Lacey, the spotted horse, out of the barn. She showed Belle how to hold the rope and lead Lacey to the corral. Next, Cowgirl Peg carried a bucket of grooming tools, explaining them to Belle: “Use the stiffer brush and the curry comb to clean the horse’s neck and body, then the softer brush on her face and legs. The large comb is for the mane and tail. When you are working with a horse from the ground, always let the horse know where you are. Gently touch the horse with your hand as you walk around it.”
“Owning a horse is a lot of work and responsibility,” Cowgirl Peg continued. “Daily care, plus cleaning the stall is very important.” Belle learned how to use a shovel and a pitchfork to clean out the stall. “This is hard work,” she thought, “but it’s fun!”
horn cantle fork
seat
rear cinch strap
front cinch strap
lace string
fender
After Belle groomed Lacey and cleaned the stall, Cowgirl Peg took her to the tack room, which contained the riding equipment. First, Cowgirl Peg showed Belle the saddles. “A saddle goes on the horse’s back. You sit in it when you ride the horse. A thick blanket fits under the saddle to protect the horse’s back. stirrup
headstall
reins bit
The bridle fits over the horse’s head. Attached to it are the reins, which help direct the horse.�
While putting the bridle away, Cowgirl Peg told Belle she could spend the rest of the day exploring the ranch. Belle took Muffin and Jasmine, the dogs, with her. They climbed a big hill then went to the pond where the dogs loved to swim. There was no noise other than the gentle breeze blowing through the trees. Belle was amazed by the peacefulness. That evening, Belle watched the sun set again, but went to bed early. She felt quite sleepy after such a busy day.
The next morning, after feeding the horses, Cowgirl Peg carried the saddle and bridle to the arena. Belle’s excitement grew. Her dream of riding a horse was about to come true! Belle led Lacey out of the barn. In the arena, she carefully brushed Lacey, remembering the advice from yesterday. Standing beside the horse, Cowgirl Peg showed Belle how to pick up and clean each foot with a hoof pick. “Now we’re ready to put the blanket and saddle on her,” said Cowgirl Peg. After saddling Lacey, Cowgirl Peg helped Belle climb onto the saddle. She taught Belle how to sit straight, then how to hold the reins. A few minutes later Belle rode Lacey in circles, practicing turns and stopping. “Wow!” thought Belle, “I’m finally riding a real horse!”
Belle spent the afternoons practicing her new skills including riding at faster speeds of trots and canters. She and Lacey became good friends. Whenever Belle approached the barn, Lacey greeted her with a whinny.
Friday morning while eating breakfast, Cowgirl Peg asked, “ Belle, would you like to hike up a mountain instead of riding horses today?” Belle excitedly agreed. They packed a lunch then drove to a really big mountain. Looking up, Belle asked, “Are we really going to climb this?” “Well, at least part of the way,” answered Cowgirl Peg. Wearing their backpacks, they began hiking up the trail. After walking for more than an hour, they arrived at a big waterfall surrounded by huge boulders – a perfect spot for lunch. While eating, Belle looked at the wonderful views of the valley below. Later they hiked down the mountain, through forests and meadows, seeing a few deer along the way.
Monday, while watching Belle ride Lacey, Cowgirl Peg told her about a horse show scheduled for the next weekend. Belle immediately asked, “Could I ride Lacey in it, please?” “I think you could compete in the beginners’ events,” answered Cowgirl Peg. Preparing for the contest, Belle and Lacey practiced together each day. Later that week, while shopping with Cowgirl Peg for western clothes and boots to wear, she looked in the mirror. To her amazement, there stood “Belle the Cowgirl!”
Belle awoke early Saturday morning. She and Cowgirl Peg loaded Lacey into the trailer then drove to the horse show. Wearing her new clothes, hat and boots, Belle felt very proud. Soon it would be her turn to ride in front of the judges. Her excitement and nervousness grew as she climbed onto Lacey’s back. When the judges finally called her name, she rode into the arena. She and Lacey performed well, following the patterns as directed. “I’m a real cowgirl!” thought Belle.
After her performance, Belle, Lacey and Cowgirl Peg eagerly waited. Soon the judges announced their choice: “We award the ‘Best New Rider’ to Belle!” With a big smile on her face, Belle rode Lacey back into the arena where the judges gave her a trophy and a blue ribbon. As a result of hard work and practice, her dreams of being a cowgirl had actually come true! When they returned to the ranch, Belle phoned her parents to tell them about her trophy. She would return home on Monday and could show it to them then.
GOING HOME Monday morning, Belle walked to the barn to say goodbye to Lacey. She felt sad about leaving, but also excited about going home to her family and friends. Belle had a lot of good memories to take with her.
Later, after arriving at the airport, Cowgirl Peg asked, “Belle, when you return to school, what will you tell your classmates about your summer?” Belle thought for a minute, then replied, “I‘ll tell them about the beautiful mountains and our hike to the waterfall. Then I’ll tell them what it was like to have so many stars for streetlights at night. But most important, I’ll show them my trophy and tell them that dreams can come true if you work hard enough and never give up.” Cowgirl Peg smiled, gave her a big hug and said “Belle, I definitely agree.” A few minutes later Isabelle, wearing her hat and boots, sat on the plane. Headed home, she proudly held her trophy on her lap for everyone to see.
Cowgirl Peg and Lacey
ABOUT
THE
AUTHOR
Writing children’s books has long been a dream for Peggy Sundberg. Involved with horses since the age of six, she chooses to use those experiences to deliver important messages to young readers. She now lives on a horse ranch in the Rocky Mountains where she participates in horse rescue operations. Caring for the horses, hiking the mountains and writing are her favorite pastimes.
ABOUT
T H E A RT I S T Pat Wiles is a horsewoman and nationally known transparent watercolor artist and illustrator. Her paintings have appeared in galleries and exhibitions nationally and internationally, including the National Arts Club in New York, the Museum of the Great Plains in Oklahoma, and the Gallerie Helof in Paris, France. Pat lives and works with her family on her ranch in central Colorado. Her horses include Lacey, the horse featured in this story, plus some rescued ones.