Let me explain, using Biscuit. Biscuit, my current favourite, is a handsome
dark pony, 6’2” in her hooves and is a well tamed and good mannered animal I
first saw in the office where she worked.
I was taken by her appearance and was intrigued by her resemblance to
Anne Hathaway’s character in The Devil Wears Prada. I thought that she could make an elegant
little show and carting animal, and indeed that has been the case. It is hardly worth recounting our meeting,
her poisoning and then her branding and being locked into tack. I took out 4 of her teeth of course, the
better to seat a nice bit firmly against her delicate gums. By the way, when I extract an animal’s teeth,
I aim for the molars just behind the canines on the top and the molars two
behind the canines on the bottom – this has the effect of pushing the
ponygirl’s lower jaw out in alignment with her top jaw, and the resulting
thrust forward serves to further dehumanize a ponygirl.
One of the things I like the most about making a ponygirl
from a human is that first time she realizes that the posture collar that holds
her neck up so high and proud and the bridle the encircles her head are even
the reins are not the main event. No, it
is when I pinch her nose to force her mouth open that first time and a bit is
placed between her teeth and she feels it hold her tongue – only pony sounds
from then on! – and she feels it move her head in synch with the reins that she
realizes that this is way more than she bargained for. That look of wild panic in the pony’s eyes –
it is delicious!
Of course, most ponies will fight that first bit. That is why I like to give them a taste, but
only a taste of a regular hard black rubber bit, and let then toss their head
and fight it if only for a moment. Then
almost immediately I replace it with a training or snaffle bit. Oh, my the pony notices an instant difference
and her eyes open wide as the barbs reward any movement against the reins with
a biting pain on her gums, her tongue and her cheek!
Biscuit took only a few minutes to learn to answer even the lightest movement of the reins in my hands with the appropriate turn of her head and her body. She quickly learned as well to speed up with a flick of the reins up and down on her back and to instantly slow in proportion to my pulling back on her reins. Within a few days she was completely in tune with my every twitch, so much so that when I replaced her bit with a rubber one there was no change – her body had trained her mind, and of course she realized that if I ever felt the slightest hesitation in her obedience to her reins, then the snaffle would be replaced in her mouth until perfect compliance was restored.
I also love to use a ball bit, above. This blocks the pony’s use of her tongue, and
it provides a bit of color to her face.
It is more uncomfortable for the pony, and again it can be a light form
of discipline.
Finally, we have a ring bit.
This is a really interesting piece of tack. I find that ponies immediately understand
that they are open and vulnerable with it – you can almost see them look around
for a stallion who may wish to use them!
I find that it creates a sense of closeness – the pony with a ring bit
typically will almost cower close to her trainer, humiliated and open to
use. Of course, stallions do love to see
a filly or mare ring gagged – it is indeed an open invitation for them!
There you have it!
Hope you enjoyed it and please, as always, leave comments or thoughts!
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