S4E27: Ivys Horse Adventure

0:00Speaker 1:Welcome in, everyone, to Lively Lewis Stories.

0:03Speaker 2:That's right.

0:03Speaker 3:We're back with even more awesome adventures with Levi and Ivy.

0:06Speaker 1:Set your storytime meter to fun and get ready to join the Lively Lewis crew.

0:11Speaker 3:All you need is your imagination and off we go.

0:15Speaker 1:I can't wait to see where our story takes us today. Have you ever wanted to get more Lively Lewis in your life?

0:23Speaker 3:Well, we've got you covered.

0:25Speaker 1:Grab an adult and zoom over to LivelyLewisShop.com.

0:29Speaker 3:Or just click on the link in our show notes.

0:31Speaker 2:Enough about that.

0:32Speaker 1:Let's get to today's super Lively Lewis story. The story you're about to enjoy was inspired by Emily. Thank you so much for your amazing idea. On a beautiful fall day, Levi and Ivy took a trip with their parents to a farm. The leaves were falling, the air was crisp and cool, and orange pumpkins dotted the field that Levi and Ivy drove by. It was the perfect fall day. And besides driving to the country to pick up some apples and pumpkins, there was another reason for their trip.

1:04Speaker 1:Ivy had recently become very interested in horses and wanted to learn to ride. She had never ridden a horse before, and her parents were eager to see if it was something she really liked. They agreed to take her to a horse farm not too far from their house and give her a chance to ride. When she heard this, Ivy started practicing in her backyard, pretending that one of the benches from her picnic table was a horse.

1:24Speaker 2:She made a saddle out.

1:25Speaker 1:Of an old pillow and used her jump rope as the reins to control as they took imaginary trips together across beautiful fields in the country. Ivy had a strong feeling that riding a horse would come very naturally to her, and she wasn't nervous about it at all. In fact, she couldn't wait to get to the farm and meet all the horses. She just had a feeling that she would instantly know which horse was meant for her when she met them.' So, are you excited, Ivy?' asked her mom as they drove down a windy country road.

1:52Speaker 2:Really excited, Mom.

1:55Speaker 1:I know I'll be great at horse riding, and then I'll ride all the time, and I'll compete in competitions, and you'll buy me a horse, and it can live in the backyard,' and said Ivy excitedly as she went on and on before her dad interrupted her.' Now hold on a minute, Ivy,' laughed her dad.

2:09Speaker 2:I don't.

2:10Speaker 1:Think we can have a horse living in our backyard.' There are a lot of responsibilities, so buying you your own horse is definitely something we would have.

2:18Speaker 2:To talk about. A lot. Oh, we don't need to talk, Dad.

2:23Speaker 1:I love horses, and if my horse can't live in the backyard, it can just live in my room, giggled Ivy.

2:29Speaker 2:That would be pretty cool, said Levi.

2:32Speaker 1:I could race it around the neighborhood and gallop it down to the basketball court for practice. My horse will only ever be ridden by me, said Ivy, cutting off her brother. We would have the most special bond ever, and no one else could.

2:44Speaker 2:Ever ride it.

2:46Speaker 1:Ivy, I really think you're getting ahead of yourself, said her mom, trying to refocus her daughter. We're just going riding today.

2:53Speaker 2:No one is getting a horse. Okay.

2:56Speaker 1:Okay, said Ivy, sounding a bit disappointed. Yeah, Ivy, what if you don't get along with the horses here, asked Levi. I mean, the closest thing you've ever done is pretend riding our picnic table bench at home. And I don't know much about horses, but I'm pretty sure they're a little harder to ride than a picnic table bench. As Levi laughed at his joke, Ivy just stared out the window, imagining herself galloping through the fields outside her car window.

3:21Speaker 1:The wind in her face, sharing the day with her new horse friend and having so much fun. As she looked out the window, lost in thought, her mom's voice slowly awoke her from her daydream. We're here, kiddos, said Ivy and Levi's mom. Happy trails, horse farm. Ivy couldn't believe she was finally there. As soon as her dad parked the car, she took off her seatbelt and ran toward a tall wooden fence next to a big red barn. And there in front of her were some of the most beautiful horses she had ever seen. But one in particular caught her eye. The horse was brown with a dark black mane. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. Its tail was braided and it wore a shiny saddle with flowers embossed on the side.

4:02Speaker 2:That's the one, mom.

4:03Speaker 1:That's the horse I want to ride, called out Ivy as her mom walked up behind her. That horse is lovely, but let's see what the person that runs the farm has to say. Since you're a beginner, you may need to start off on a horse that's a little smaller, said Ivy's mom.

4:19Speaker 2:No way, mom. That's the one, said a very confident Ivy.

4:24Speaker 1:Levi and his dad walked over to the farm stand to look at some apples and pumpkins, while Ivy and her mom went into the barn to let the riding staff know they were there for their lesson. It's so great to meet you, said a young girl with red hair wearing jeans and a plaid shirt.

4:37Speaker 2:You must be Ivy. I'm Emily.

4:39Speaker 1:We're so happy to have you here at Happy Trails Horse Farm. I'm so happy to be here.

4:44Speaker 2:Replied Ivy, pointing out at the brown horse with the black mane. Can I ride that horse? Please, please, please. Now hold on a minute, Ivy.

4:53Speaker 1:I know you're really excited and that's awesome, but we have to teach you some things about horses before we start riding, said Emily. Ivy looked a little disappointed, but even though she couldn't start riding that second, just being around all the horses was a real treat.

5:08Speaker 2:Okay, said Ivy.

5:09Speaker 1:Sorry if I seem impatient. I'm just really excited. No need to apologize at all, said Emily. You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age, and I went riding for the first time.

5:20Speaker 2:You should be excited. Horse riding is amazing.

5:23Speaker 1:Emily's mom told her that she could walk around for a bit and watch from the fence by the barn, while she took Ivy around and showed her a bit of what they have to do every day to take care of the horses. Ivy grabbed some gloves and followed Emily as they walked through the barn. She learned about cleaning out horse stalls, feeding horses, and her favorite part, grooming them. Ivy really loved combing the horse's long, silky manes. After a little while of talking, Ivy asked when she would get to ride the horse she saw when she got to the farm. The brown horse with the black mane is my favorite. I think it's the perfect one for me, said Ivy. Well, I am glad you like that horse. Her name is Shadow, but the horse has to be involved in the selection process too, giggled Emily.

6:04Speaker 1:We need to make sure that Shadow feels that you're the right rider for her. And even if it doesn't work out right now, she could be a horse that you get to ride later on when you get more experience. Ivy nodded her head, trying to be okay with what Emily was telling her. But secretly, she only wanted to ride Shadow. She wanted to gallop across the fields around the farm like she had imagined when she was driving there. But Ivy tried to stay positive and continue to enjoy her time with Emily. When she heard her say, I think it's time for you to finally meet all of our riding horses. It was the moment Ivy had been waiting for. She ran out of the barn, but was careful to wait for Emily before she went into the field.

6:43Speaker 1:She knew she needed to be calm and quiet around the horses because she didn't want to scare them. She wanted to make sure that they all knew she was their friend, especially Shadow. Emily walked Ivy onto the field and introduced her to each horse.

6:56Speaker 2:One by one.

6:57Speaker 1:Ivy loved meeting all of them, but when she met Shadow, she couldn't believe her eyes.

7:02Speaker 2:She was even more beautiful face to face.

7:05Speaker 1:Please, please, please let me try riding Shadow, Ivy begged. You can walk right next to me and hold the reins. I just really, really, really, really want to give it a try, please. Emily could understand how excited Ivy was and agreed to let her ride Shadow. Shadow was one of the older horses and was used by much more experienced riders. Shadow loved to run fast, so it would be interesting to see how she would handle a new rider that had to go slow. Emily had worked with Shadow a lot and knew she could control her. She just didn't know how Ivy would enjoy the ride. Emily got Ivy fitted with a riding helmet and helped her get on Shadow's saddle. Shadow pulled out the reins in Emily's hand, excited to go for a run, but Emily was quick to tell Shadow that this would be an easy walk around the field. She communicated this through hand gestures, certain words, and the way she pulled on the reins.

7:54Speaker 1:Emily could tell Shadow wasn't thrilled to just be walking about, as she made it known by stopping often to munch on piles of hay that were scattered around the field.

8:03Speaker 2:Are we going to move anytime soon? asked Ivy.

8:06Speaker 1:Yes, well, at least I hope so, answered Emily. It's just that Shadow isn't used to just walking around the field. She likes to run, and you're definitely not ready for that yet. Our main concern here is for safety, and I couldn't let you ride her by yourself until you've had a lot more training. Ivy looked pretty sad to hear this. She thought Shadow was the perfect horse for her, and she couldn't believe that she didn't.

8:29Speaker 2:Feel the same way.

8:32Speaker 1:I think we should just go back to the barn now, said Ivy, sounding quite disappointed. Don't be upset, Ivy, called out her mom who was watching from the fence by the barn. You just haven't found your special horse yet. Maybe I never will, thought Ivy as Emily led Shadow back toward the barn and helped Ivy get out of her saddle. The last thing we want is for this to be stressful and a not fun situation, said Emily when she saw how sad Ivy looked. Let me help you find the horse that's right for you. Does that sound good? Ivy smiled and nodded her head. She certainly didn't want to give up on horse riding before she even got started, and she trusted that Emily would know the right horse for her. Emily told Ivy to wait in the barn as she disappeared out the door and onto the field. It only took a minute or two before Emily was walking back with Dee Dee. This horse was much smaller than Shadow and a bit scruffy looking.

9:23Speaker 1:Her mane was in need of some combing and her tail wasn't braided like Shadow's. She didn't look regal or like she came straight out of a fairy tale. She actually looked a little lost and Ivy didn't know.

9:33Speaker 2:What to think.

9:34Speaker 1:Ivy, meet Dee Dee, said Emily. I think you and her are going to be good friends. Hi, Ivy said as she reached out her hand to pet Dee Dee. Dee Dee shied away at first, but Ivy immediately felt a strong pull toward her. She wanted to make her feel comfortable and safe. Don't worry, Dee Dee, I'm your friend, said Ivy. Dee Dee walked a bit closer and leaned in as Ivy petted her long mane.

10:00Speaker 2:Maybe you'd like if I combed your mane for you. Would that be nice? asked Ivy.

10:05Speaker 1:I think she'd really like that a lot, said Emily. Dee Dee was just sent to us from a farm that couldn't take care of her anymore.

10:12Speaker 2:She really needs a friend. And as soon as I met you, Ivy, I thought of Dee Dee.

10:16Speaker 1:You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age and all I wanted to do was be around horses and make them feel loved. Dee Dee needs that kind of good energy right now. Do you think you could be her friend? That was all Ivy had to hear.

10:30Speaker 2:Are you kidding me? asked Ivy.

10:32Speaker 1:We're already friends and I'm happy to help out Dee Dee however I can. Well, that's wonderful to hear, said Emily. Since Dee Dee is new to the farm and you're new to horse riding, I thought it would be a great fit. You two can learn the ropes together. That sounds great, said Ivy. And with a good amount of training, you'll be riding Shadow in no time, said Emily. But for right now, I think Dee Dee and I will be a great team, said Ivy.

10:56Speaker 2:Thank you, Emily.

10:58Speaker 1:Ivy realized that day that Dee Dee needed her as much as she needed Dee Dee. They both had lots to learn, and it was so much easier to learn together. They shared their wins, and they were there to face their losses together, encouraging each other to always give it another try and never give up. Dee Dee became one of the best show horses on the farm with Ivy as her primary rider. Then one day when Ivy had the opportunity to ride Shadow in competition, she politely declined and asked.

11:25Speaker 2:Emily if she could ride Dee Dee instead.

11:28Speaker 1:They competed that day and won first place. Their bond was undeniable and stronger than any Emily had ever seen. They were so much more than a horse and a rider. They were best friends. Thank you. Thanks for joining us today. We hope you enjoyed the story and learned a little something too.

12:03Speaker 3:And since we know everyone has their own story, we'd love to hear yours.

12:07Speaker 1:If you have an idea for a Lively Lewis story, leave a comment on our Apple podcast review page with five stars, your idea, and your little one's name. Then maybe our next adventure will be with you.

12:20Speaker 3:Until our next Storytime Hangout.

12:22Speaker 2:Thanks for listening.

12:24Speaker 3:We can't wait to share another fun, lively, humorous story with you.