Human Interest

“Okay, people….. Everyone into the media room now!”

Christine hated these unscheduled interruptions. She only had two more hours to finish editing her “human interest” story for the News at 6 broadcast. When she stopped to think about it, it annoyed her even more that after a year of internship and six years of reporting that she was still stuck doing fluff stories instead of co-anchoring the news desk.

The room was about two-thirds full and Christine managed to get there just a half-dozen steps ahead of the production manager, Jake. Jake took a quick scan of the room and asked, “Where’s Jimmy?”

“He’s showing Lindsay Drake, that new intern, around like you told him to, boss,” Bob replied, half wincingly, when he realized that Jake might take that remark as insolent rather than informational and fire him on the spot.

Jake just shook his head and said, “I should have known he’d milk that task all day if he could. That new intern is one hot babe. Christine, go find them and get them both in here.”

There is a fine line between being annoyed and fuming and Christine was about to cross it as she turned and left the room. It wasn’t the “hot babe” remark that Jake made that set her off, as those kinds of remarks were common around the newsroom despite all the mandatory “sexual harassment” lectures and network policies. She knew that she had been the subject of those types of remarks when she first joined station but despite being drop-dead gorgeous and graduating number two from Redhouse School of Broadcasting, she had not gotten the assignments that she craved. Now she was being relegated to “gopher” and that really set her off.

In her present state of mind it was truly a miracle she didn’t bite Jimmy’s head off when she found the two of them standing in the shadows watching Austin wrap up the weather forecast. Well, maybe it wasn’t a miracle but the brightly lit “ON AIR” sign that dictate her behavior. She gestured for them to come out of the studio and told them they were late for another one of Jake’s unscheduled meetings. They both followed her down the hall sheepishly as her tone had told them that she was in no mood for conversation.

“Here it is, people”, Jake began, “The network ratings came out 30 minutes ago and it’s not good. The Atlanta area station is getting killed and the higher ups are looking for someone fresh to bring renewed interest to that group. Here is a chance for someone to get out of Bakersfield and into the big time but the same old stuff you’ve been reporting isn’t going to cut it. They want new and daring. They want edgy. All of our affiliates will be going gung-ho after this opportunity so you are going to have to come up with something really jaw dropping.”

Speaking of jaw dropping, if you had looked around the room at that moment, that is all you would have seen, starry eyes and slack jaws. Everyone was thinking “big time” like those were the only words out of Jake’s mouth. Everyone but Christine that is. Her eyes had narrowed to two slits and her lips were tightly pursed as her mind began calculating her next move. She was determined to make the most of this opportunity and no one was going to stand in her way, not even the new “hot babe” on the block.

“The top brass want to take reporting to the next level …real, in-depth stuff. They want people who are involved in their stories and not just detached, outside observers. They want to see your final cuts on the air by next Tuesday so that gives each of you tomorrow to come up with a plan, the weekend to develop and shoot your stories and all day Monday to edit. Don’t let me down. Now get going!”

Christine didn’t concern herself with all of the sidebar conversations that sprung up as the staff filed out of the room but headed straight for her office with her cell phone already autodialing. She emerged 10 minutes later and walked over to where Lindsay had become the center of attention.

Lindsay was used to this attention. She knew how to use her red hair, green eyes and flashing smile to melt and mold men’s minds to her will. It didn’t hurt her cause that being on the gymnastics team in college had put curves and muscle tone in all the right places on her 5’6 frame. She was a Samantha Egar look-alike with a bright future if she played her cards right, a little too bright for Christine’s liking.

“Hi, Lindsay, is it? I’m Christine Donovan. Sorry we didn’t have time for introductions earlier with the rush to the meeting and all.”

“Lindsay Drake, charmed I’m sure. I recognized you right away when I came in, Ms Donovan. I saw that piece you did recently about the fundraiser for that fireman and his family after that paralyzing injury he suffered. It was really heart-warming.”

“Please just call me Christine and thanks for the kind words but heart-warming isn’t going to impress anyone in the front office. They want daring and edgy and that’s what I…we are going to give them, if you want to work with me on this. ”

“Oh, I’d love to…..first week on the job and going out on assignment already…this is exciting but why would you pick me?”

“I saw your great camera work on the demo tape you sent in along with your resume and besides I’d rather work with another woman on this one,” Christine said coyly.

“You must already have a story in mind, don’t you.”

“I just got off the phone with my sister and she tipped me off to a very select spa out in the Mohave Desert. She was able to get me connected with the owner who felt it was time to increase their exposure to the public. It could be a great story and a free spa weekend for us, as well as free advertizing for them.”

“What could be daring or edgy about a spa?”

“I’m not sure but my sister said it was just what the doctor ordered. Hurry now, we have to get to the equipment room before all the new HD video cameras are taken. We can swing by our apartments and grab some clothes. It’s a 3-hour drive across the Mohave so I figure the network should pay for our stay at the spa since we are working this weekend, don’t you agree?”

“Absolutely,” Lindsay laughed as they hurried off to pick up a camera and whatever other equipment they might want. “Are we going to take a ‘News at 6’ van?” she asked.

“No, the owner didn’t think the guests would appreciate seeing a TV van pull into the driveway. It could upset a lot of people. We’ll take my SUV. Go pick out what equipment you need and I’ll wrap up my piece for tonight’s News and turn it in. They can use the one I put together last week for tomorrow’s show.”

………………

The 3-hour drive passed fairly quickly as the two of them chatted while Lindsay familiarized herself with brand new HD camera. All she had to do was smile at the young man in charge of logging equipment in and out and he gave her the latest, greatest, digitally-stabilized, HD camera, still in its original box. Of course, she had to give him a quick peck on the cheek to shut him up or he would have delighted himself in staring into her eyes while telling her how Lithium batteries were made.

“The Pampered Pony? What kind of a name is that for a spa?” Lindsay asked as they turned onto a side road past the small dapple-colored sign with a black arrow pointing left on it.

“My sister said it was for a “horse of a different color” to quote a line from the Wizard of Oz.”

Lindsay had a totally confused expression on her face and wondered if this was some kind of a dude ranch themed spa. She definitely wasn’t ready for what was to come. Six miles later at the start of the foothills they passed a small private strip and entered the mile long arroyo that served as the driveway for the ranch. It provided just the kind of privacy the owners needed.

Christine pulled up to the security box and pushed the button.

“Pampered Pony Ranch and Spa” the male voice at the other end said, “Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, this is Christine Donovan. I made a reservation for two for the weekend about four hours ago.”

“Ah, yes, Ms Donovan, I have it right here. Please pull up in front of the lodge. I have a special escort assigned to you while you are here. Please do not shoot any photos until you are with your escort. Our guests are entitled to their privacy.”

There was a loud metallic creaking sound as the gate began to roll open. This was followed by a crunching sound that either could have come from the wheels rolling over the sand or the sand being crushed in the rails holding the gate up. Actually, Lindsay thought it was a miracle anything worked in this dusty environment. Fortunately, once they passed through the gate it became immediately apparent that there had to be a source of water somewhere. The valley was as lush and green as the Shenandoah itself. The sun was just beginning to bring an end to a very hectic Thursday and the long shadows created by lodge and the stables had the parking lot in semi-darkness as they pulled up to the front office.

“Hi, I’m Cyndi. Welcome to the Pampered Pony. You are just in time for dinner. I’m to be your guide for this weekend so don’t hesitate to ask if you have any needs or questions.”

“Hesitate….hesitate, did she say?” Lindsay thought to herself. She was stopped dead in her tracks right where she had turned the corner in front of the SUV.

Cyndi smiled and said, “I can see by your expression that we were not quite what you were expecting.”

“That’s an understatement if there ever was one,” Lindsay replied staring over Cyndi’s shoulder at what appeared to be a rather tall girl on a leash wrapped in heavy leather straps all around her semi-naked body.

“This is Twilight Girl. She is one of our Ponygirl staff here at the spa. She will tend to your bags while we join the others for dinner.”

“Ponygirl? What’s a ponygirl and what is going on here?” Lindsay’s tone was much more demanding than it was inquiring and her hands on hips pose made both Christine and Cyndi burst out laughing. “What’s so funny? This is serious….it’s demeaning…it’s....it’s too weird.” For once in her life Lindsay was truly at a loss for words and all she could do was shake her head in disbelief.

“Edgy and daring enough for you?” Christine chimed in. “The network wants to push the envelope and that’s what we’re going to give them. We’re not working for the Family Channel you know.”

“Twilight, be a dear and set Lindsay’s mind at ease, please. You have permission to speak.” Cyndi said as she drew the ponygirl closer by her reins, the bells on her nipple rings tinkled happily.

“I don’t feel my attire or status is demeaning, Ms Lindsay. This is my work uniform and it not only helps to make the guests feel more at home, it’s functional as well. This heavy leather corset I am wearing now provides support for my back when I take everyone’s bags up to their rooms. The feathered bridle and clip-on tail Mistress Cyndi asked me to wear tonight is only for show so I look more in character. My regular bridle doesn’t allow for normal speech and my normal tail is, shall we say, worn differently. Unfortunately, you won’t get to see my whole tack ensemble until Saturday as I have lodge duty on Friday when most of the guests arrive. I hate it that I’m not allowed to wear my pony boots in the lodge but they do scratch the hardwood floors.”

“Ponyboots?” Lindsay asked still trying to get a grasp on this alternate reality unfolding before her.

“Oh, yes, ponyboots. They are a little hard to describe but they are thigh length and soft, black leather. The bottom pads hold real horseshoes and there is a flat, steel shank inside that runs under my instep and up the back of my heel which is held about 5” off of the ground. The shank ends in a 3”-wide, padded, locking collar which prevents any possibility of twisting an ankle if I should step on a stone or something. I would wear them all the time if I could but my classmates aren’t as open-minded as they’d like you to believe. My college is on a trimester system, so I go to school September to April and work here the other four months. I not only make enough money here to pay all of my school expenses but the staff get to participate in all the activities with the guest when we have free time. Working in a “sex positive” environment is so liberating.”

Lindsay’s head was reeling. She was way out of her element here. After having sat through a half-day, orientation lecture on Wednesday on “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” policies, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing from this….this….ponygirl. “Sex positive?” she ventured weakly.

At this point, Cyndi stepped into the conversation while unclipping Twilight’s leash. “Thank you, Twilight. I think our guests may be a little overwhelmed by all of this. They can read more about our policies and practices this evening after we have fed them properly and they’ve had a chance to unwind from their journey. Please see to their bags now.”

“Yes, Mistress Cyndi,” and she headed for the back of the SUV, her bells jingling all the while.

Lindsay never liked being brushed off so lightly and so she persisted, “No, really, what did Twilight mean by “sex positive”?

“Some people view sex as a necessary evil. Here at Pampered Pony we view sex as the most positive affirmation of our humanity anyone could offer. Our only rules are that it is safe, sane and consensual. To seek to have sex with someone, whether boy or girl, is simply a positive reinforcement of that person’s desirability. Lindsay, I suspect that this weekend you two will have multiple offerings if you are open to them. In fact, I know a certain ponygirl who is very partial to redheads.”

An excited whinny of agreement was heard coming from the back of the SUV and Lindsay blushed almost as red as her hair before quickly turning and heading up the path to the lodge. Cyndi and Christine grinned at each other as they followed her in the front door to the sound of the dinner bell being rung.

………………

The dining room was just what you would expect to see in a ski lodge in Aspen with beautiful, grainy wood all around and a huge stone hearth at one end. The table was long and could easily seat forty guests but only six people were there despite the fact that it was set for fourteen that night.

“Everyone, this is Christine Donovan and her associate Lindsay Drake. They are here to do a human interest story about our ranch and spa for Channel 17.”

Christine and Lindsay gave a brief wave “Hi” and Lindsay asked, “Where are the other guests? I see several empty settings at the table.”

Tom, the owner, stood up to greet them. “Welcome, ladies. Our other guests for tonight are bedding down their ponies. They have had a busy day getting ready for this weekend’s show and races. The rest of our guests will be arriving sometime tomorrow. We will have a full house this weekend, for sure.”

“By’ bedding down their ponies’, you don’t mean that there are Ponygirls sleeping in the barn, do you?” Lindsay asked.

“Well, we call them stables but yes, definitely Ponygirls and Ponyboys as well,” replied Tom. “We cater to a diverse clientele here.”

“Doesn’t the temperature drop to near freezing out here in the desert at night? Won’t that be too cold?”

“That’s the spirit, Lindsay, showing compassion for the well-being of others even though you don’t seem to approve of what they are doing. You’re going to make a great newsperson some day. The stables are completely climate controlled and are maintained at 70oF at night and 80oF during the day. I can’t say the same for the lodge though. Tonight, the only source of warmth will be the fireplace; the nice heavy quilts on your beds….or each other.” Tom finished with a smile.

Christine stifled her urge to laugh as Lindsay blushed again and took advantage of the pause to suggest that they do an interview with Tom in front of the fireplace a little later. He graciously agreed as the other guest began to file into the dining room.

The conversation over dinner was mostly shop talk about the upcoming weekend’s events and Lindsay just listened in trying to understand the strange logic of it all. Occasionally, she’d glance over at Cyndi and Christine who were sipping their wine and chatting freely, like they’d known each other forever.

“Ding-ding-ding” sounded as Tom tapped his wine glass with his spoon. “Ladies and Gentlemen, our chef has prepared a very special dessert for this evening to kick off the weekend. Don’t worry, his lemon mousse cake only has 2000 calories per serving…..just kidding, besides the sauna will be up to temperature in about 30 minutes so you can sweat it off in no time. The moon is going to be full so we will leave the outside lights off by the pool….swim suits are optional this evening, as always.”

Twilight gently brushed by Lindsay just as he said that as she began serving coffee while the chef brought the dessert tray around. Lindsay cast more than a casual glance at Twilight’s perky 34C breasts as she passed and Twilight gave her a little shimmy that caused her to quickly shift her gaze back to her coffee. Twilight just giggled softly.

As the others finished up and headed to their rooms, Tom settled into a chair by the fire and gestured for Christine and Lindsay to join him. “Feel free to film this interview if you wish. It’s fine now that the other guests are gone. I will sign whatever release forms you need so you can broadcast it”, he offered.

“Do you mean that we can’t film the activities here? How are we going to do a story about the spa without any footage”, Lindsay inquired as she fired up the camera.

“You are going to be filming me,” Christine said boldly.

“What? You’ve got to be kidding,” Lindsay said as her jaw hit the floor. “You are going to running around naked and you want to be filmed for the entire world to see!”

“What did Jake say? Daring…edgy…be involved in your story! Remember Diane Fosse and her seminal work which led to Gorillas in the Mist. She lived it. How else can we truly report it but to live it? Besides, I won’t be naked just dressed it special gear called ‘tack’ right?”

“That’s right,” Tom added. “Twilight, the ponygirl you met earlier is topless by choice. There is a special dress code here which ensures that everyone’s personal limits will be respected and personal tastes can be accommodated. This weekend you will see some ponies dressed head to toe in latex or leather and I suspect some of them may let you film them. Others will be in various stages of undress. The code is simple. If they cover their “naughty bits” as the British say, they are here for the show and competition and will only have sex with their owners. If a ponygirl is topless, she is looking to have sex with other ponygirls or mistresses. If she is bottomless, it means she is willing to have sex with ponyboys or masters. The ponyboy code is just the opposite. If you see someone naked, that means they are up for anything. Is that helpful?”

“Helpful but still unbelievable. You certainly are daring, Christine. I don’t think I could do it.”

“It’s only for a weekend and if this gets me a promotion then it’s all worth it. Besides, it looks like Twilight really loves it so why not give it a try. Just try to film my good side,” Christine smirked at Lindsay. “By the way, how do you like that camera?”

“It’s great. It’s super light weight, auto-focusing and digitally stabilized. You couldn’t take a bad shot if you tried,” gushed Lindsay, “I probably owe the equipment room boy another kiss for giving me this.”

“Hey, if it’s that easy why don’t you conduct the rest of this interview and I’ll film you. That way you can get some “face time” in front of the camera and if I get a promotion for this you might be next in line for my job. Who knows?”

“Oh wow, thanks Christine. Here you go….just push this button once to record and once to stop. Try not to pan back and forth too quickly. We don’t want the viewers to get motion sick.”

“Not to worry, I can do miracles when it comes to editing raw footage. Wow, this camera really is light. If they had been this light 8 years ago, I might have become a camera man instead. Okay, Lindsay, recording in three…two…one.”

………………

The interview continued in a very relaxed manner for about the next 30 minutes. The questions were nothing you wouldn’t expect….. how did you get the idea for this special spa?……. how long have you been in business?...... why do people enjoy “pony play”?......

At this question Tom suddenly became the interviewer, “Lindsay, why did you choose to be what you are going to become?”

“Oh that’s easy. I’ll get to meet people from all walks of life. It’s fascinating. I’ve dreamed about being a newsperson for as long as I can remember. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

“I think the same can be said for many of the people who come here. They get to meet people from all over the world. Their stories are fascinating but everyone is unique. When you asked ‘why do people enjoy it’, I can’t give you a definitive answer. Talk to them this weekend. They may not let you film them but most will talk openly about this passion of theirs. You two are doing a ‘human interest’ piece and we have some very interesting humans here. Oh, here comes Cyndi,” Tom said as he rose, politely hinting that the interview was over for the evening.

“Christine, I need to get some measurements so I can lay out your tack for tomorrow. What size shoe do you wear?”

“11-wide or a 43 or 44 if you want EU size,” she replied.

“Oh, that’s going to be a problem I’m afraid. We only have one pair that large and the Senator’s wife will be wearing those. I have several extra sets in sizes 7, 8 and 9 and two pairs of 10s but that’s it.”

“Can’t I just wear my sneakers?”

“If you were the only ones here this weekend that wouldn’t be a problem but this is one of our biggest events of the year and the committee is very strict about the dress code. All ponies must have boots. Lindsay, what size do you wear, dear?”

“M-m-m-me?” she stuttered and turned a ‘whiter shade of pale’.

“Well, yes. Christine can’t do it and ‘The show must go on’ as they say.”

“I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Lindsay, why don’t you give Cyndi your measurements? We can go for a swim to relax and then you can sleep on it. There has to be some way we can salvage a story out of this.”

“Okay, an 8-1/2 or 9 should fit fine. 5’6. 125 lbs. 36D-24-34……but I’m not promising anything.”

“Great. I’ll have your tack ready in the morning. Breakfast is at 6:30. See you then.” Cyndi disappeared out the door before Lindsay could say another word and just as quickly out of nowhere Twilight jingled in.

“I’d be happy to show you to your room now. I’ve turned down the covers and laid out bathrobes if you’d like to go to the sauna or the pool,” she chirped brightly.

“Thank you, Twilight. I think Lindsay and I could use some time in a hot sauna to relax. Is there a masseur on duty tonight?”

“Frankie, David and Jillian don’t arrive until tomorrow but I can book you a massage for tomorrow evening if you like.”

“We’ll have to wait and see. We may be leaving tomorrow if things don’t work out.”

Twilight’s lip quivered slightly as she said softly, “This way, please.”

Morning came early, as it always does for some people. Christine was just waking up as Lindsay came back into the room from her morning run.

“I hardly slept at all last night thinking about everything you said…..’edgy’….’daring’…..but Gorillas in the Mist was what put me over the top. Why not? Maybe I’ll get to write a book about my experience. It’s only for a weekend. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I am so relieved to hear you say that. Maybe Cyndi can hold the camera from time to time so I can get some ‘face time’ too. After all this was my story idea, you know.”

“No problem. Just remember who got you that big promotion when it comes. Let’s eat.”

There were two extra late arrivals at the breakfast table and the conversation was highly animated about the weekend’s events. The chef outdid himself with the quiche and pastries as he could only showcase his talent properly for a group of 20 or less and the place would be filled to capacity for the next 7 meals.

Cyndi finally popped the question to Lindsay, “Well?” Short but concise as always, Cyndi was.

“Yes, I’ll do it.” Lindsay replied, which almost caused Twilight to spill the coffee pitcher. “What do we do next?”

“As soon as you fill out a brief medical questionnaire and sign a release form, we’ll go out and get you ready. That will include assigning a trainer. You won’t have time to learn all of the poses, postures and gaits but I saw you come in from your run and I think you stand a good chance of winning the Desert Derby on Sunday. Wouldn’t that be a great punchline to your story?”

Suddenly, the mention of “winning” ignited Lindsay’s competitive spirit and she thought this might be fun after all, smiling to herself. She wasn’t the only one smiling to herself. The trap was sprung.

………………

As they walked towards the stables, Lindsay and Christine were watching as owners began bringing their ponies out for their morning warm up. Cyndi was commenting on some of the various protocols but the butterflies in Lindsay’s stomach were flapping so loudly she couldn’t hear a word being said. Cyndi touched her arm to get her attention and said, “It’s very unusual for someone to come out here without a master or mistress so since no one has assigned you a name I guess you get to pick your own. What do you think you’d like for your pony name?”

“Why can’t I just be Lindsay?”

“Lindsay Drake is a news reporter. You need a pony name to make you feel the role of a pony.”

“I think Irish Rose would be a great name for a redheaded pony,” Christine volunteered.

“What do you say? Does Irish Rose suit you? We could call you Irish, for short,” Cyndi chimed in.

“Okay, I don’t have a better one in mind and you two seem to be in agreement, Irish Rose, it is.”

“Oh look, here comes Mistress Ella. She’s going to be your trainer. I have briefed her on what I’d like you to learn while you’re here and what events you might compete in. Come I’ll introduce you before we get you into your tack. Don’t say anything, just smile and nod when introduced.”

“Good Morning again, Mistress Cyndi.”

“And to you also, Mistress Ella. I’d like to present your charge for this weekend, Irish Rose.” A quick exchange of nods later, Cyndi continued,”and this is Christine Donovan from Channel 17. She is here to do a story about The Pampered Pony and will be following Irish Rose throughout her training.”

They shook hands and Christine said, “I expect you to put this pony through her paces. She has a lot of potential.” The smile they shared was almost as chilling as the morning desert air.

“I’m off to do a couple of errands but I should be back by the time you have her in her tack,” Mistress Ella shouted over her shoulder as she hustled out of the stables.

“All right, let’s get you ready. Since this is your first day as a pony, I want you to wear this leather bikini. I don’t want the others making passes at you and disrupting your training.

“You want me to change right here in the open with people walking in and out all of the time?”

“A real ponygirl wouldn’t hesitate for a minute…but since you are new, you may step into this stall to change. Don’t expect Mistress Ella to cut you any slack though. She demands unquestioning obedience during training and is a firm disciplinarian.”

Two minutes later Lindsay stepped out of the stall in the skimpy, black bikini. The appearance was stunning enough to cause one owner to trip over the stable’s sliding door sill. A fumble his pony wife didn’t miss and she stepped on his foot to let him know that his unwarranted attention to the newbie wasn’t appreciated. Her steel ponyboot hoof got her point across and he led her out the door, limping slightly.

“Well, Irish Rose, you certainly do make an impression,” said Cyndi, “let’s get your boots on. Hold on to the stall door and give me your left foot and we’ll try these size 9s on you. Since you will be training for the Derby, you will only have calf-length boots which are easier to run in. The show ponies will all have thigh-length boots.”

It only took two minutes with Cyndi’s experience to fit the first boot properly, lock the protective ankle cuff and lace it up. “Okay, now the other one.”

Lindsay teetered unsteadily on her left foot and was thankful that she had something to hold on to. It only took a couple more minutes and both boots were done.

“Hold on to the railing on the wall and walk to the end of the stable,” Cyndi directed, “then turn around and come back without using the rail. Clasp your hands on top of your head for balance when you return.”

Fortunately for the Irish side, the Lindsay side was in great condition and the walk in the heavy boots proved to easier than originally thought. “These are kind of fun to walk in,” smiled Lindsay to herself.

“Okay, Irish, let’s get your main harness on and I’ll explain what all the pieces are as we go,” said Cyndi. “Think of this as just a big corset with shoulder straps and buckles. It will help you maintain your posture, support your back and prevent any bruising while pulling the sulky. Put your arms through these shoulder straps and I will lace and buckle the back. Christine, are you getting all of this recorded? I’m not in your light, am I?

“No, you are doing fine. Just keep explaining things like you are. I’ll move around as needed to get the shots I want. That is a very expensive looking harness and the red and black leather lattice work down the front goes great with her red hair.”

“I agree, Christine. It is truly beautiful but do you have to lace it so tightly, Cyndi?

“I’ll lace it even tighter unless you start calling me Mistress Cyndi, Ponygirl Irish Rose.” A quick jerk on the waist line conveyed the message that school was now in session. The buckles took a couple of minutes more and then Cyndi began pointing out some other features of the harness. “The rings on both sides of your shoulders are where the reins pass through to keep them from rubbing on your neck and causing a brush burn. The partial cups on the front provide support for your breasts, much like a sports bra. Go ahead and jog down to the end and back again to get a feel for it.”

“Yes, Mistress Cyndi.” said Irish and off she went almost giggling over all the attention she was getting.

“She learns quickly,” Cyndi quipped to Christine.

“Yes, that’s what I was afraid of so she had to be brought here. We’ll see how everything goes.”

Cyndi refocused her attention on Irish as clip-clopping of ponyboots drew near again. “Okay, ponygirl, let’s finish up your tack before Mistress Ella comes back or we’ll both be in hot water. Let me put these leather cuffs on your wrists as you will need them to pull the sulky. These rings on your cuffs connect to leading arms on the sulky so you can’t accidently drop the handles when you are running. It happened once a few years ago and the rails dug into the dirt flipping the cart and driver, breaking his arm. They also have little bells on them that have a nice jingle when you walk since you don’t have nipple rings like Twilight,” Cyndi explained as she locked the cuffs on with a concealed latch.

“Irish, why don’t you put your hair up into a pony tail with this scrunchy and I’ll attach a tail to the base of your corset for your first day. Christine can you put the camera down for a minute and help me with the head harness,” directed Cyndi realizing too late she might have said too much.

“What’s a head harness?” Christine was quick to cover Cyndi’s slip of the tongue by feigning ignorance.

“It’s that bundle of straps with the red feather sticking out of the top hanging on the side of the stall,” recovered Cyndi, “Please bring it to me and I’ll show you how it goes on.”

Irish was really starting to get into this pony play thing and she shook her hands to make her bells jingle.

“I know you are getting eager to see what’s next but you will have to stand still so I can get your head piece on. Oh look, here comes Twilight Girl. Come over here, Twilight. Grab your head harness off the rack and show Irish Rose how it looks and works, would you dear?”

“Yes, Mistress Cyndi. Is that Ms. Lindsay’s new pony name, Irish Rose?”

“Yes, Twilight dear, now hurry as Mistress Ella could be back any minute.”

“Can I be in the video too with Irish Rose?”

“Certainly, if you want to, Twilight, you’ll just have to sign a release form later. Christine, give Irish her head piece and you can film Twilight showing Irish how it works and how to put it on.”

“First, grab the part that looks like a tiara with a feather sticking out and give it a good shake and you will see that the straps all sort themselves out. Now put the tiara’s top strap across the top of your head and fish your ponytail through the big ring in the strap like I’m doing. Don’t mind all the junk hanging in front of your face right now. Ready? Good. Now the part that looks like an upside-down “Y” goes down the sides of your nose. Now just watch me a minute, this is really cool, in a high tech sort of way that is.” Having said that, Twilight inserted the flat rubber coated plate on top of her tongue and pull the rest of the bit back between her teeth. The most amazingly realistic whinny sounds came out of her mouth.

Irish’s jaw almost hit the floor. “How did you do that? That was so cool!”

Twilight was grinning from ear to ear as she removed her bit. “Didn’t I tell you? The rubber covered plate that sits on my tongue holds the batteries but don’t worry it’s completely waterproof. The cylindrical part of the bit between my teeth has a microphones and mini-speakers in both ends. See the slots in the ends? The rubber bit contains a micro-processor that works like those fancy headsets with noise-cancellation technology. It automatically cancels out what you try to say and converts it to a series of whinnies. I tried to say, ‘Mary had a little lamb’. You try to say something.”

“Irish, say ‘I love being a ponygirl’ in your natural voice and then try it with the bit in place,” Christine suggested coyly.

Irish giggled and said, “I love being a ponygirl” and then shoved the plate and bit into her mouth but what came out was a happy sounding, “N-n-n-g-g-h….n-n-g-h….N-n-n-n-n-n-g-g-h-h-h-h-h!” It took a good three minutes to stop Irish and Twilight from giggling and laughing.

Finally, Cyndi punned in, “Okay, you two that’s enough horsing around, we’ve got work to do. Thank you, Twilight, you’d better hurry back to the lodge I hear the main gate sliding open and you have to greet our guests…….and don’t forget to disinfect your harness and put your greeter’s headdress back on.”

“Yes, Mistress Cyndi, and you’re welcome. I was happy to help,” chirped Twilight and she jogged jingling out the door to see to her lodge duties for the rest of the morning.

“Time to put your pony voice back on and I’ll do the straps up for you.”

Irish put the plate back in and the bit went right into place as Cyndi cinched up the strap behind her head and locked it. The chin strap was tightened and locked as well as the ones running up beside her ears and joining the ring holding her ponytail. “Is that too tight, Irish, dear?

“N-n-n-g-g-h-h!” was all that came back in response.

“Okay, let’s go outside and hook you up to a cart for Mistress Ella.”

They exited the stables through the door farthest from the lodge and found the sulky that Tom had left for them. Cyndi positioned Irish between the rails and had her lift them up. The cuff rings were quickly padlocked to the rings on the handles and Cyndi told Irish to let go to demonstrate that she couldn’t drop it if she tried. As Irish grasped the handles again, Cyndi fitted blinders to each side of her head harness as well as connected the reins to the bit and ran them through the rings on her shoulder pads and back to the cart.

“I told Mistress Ella to start you out slowly with just blinders and gradually work up to a full blindfold. You have to learn to trust your driver when she gives you a command with the reins. Ah, Mistress Ella, I was just giving Irish Rose a brief preview of what’s to come today. She’s all yours.”

“Thank you, Mistress Cyndi; I believe Tom is looking for you……something about needing another room tonight. I also signed those release papers for Ms Donovan so she may film me and left them on your desk. See you later.”

01.01.11

story continues in Human Interest

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