It was pitch black and at first she couldn't make out any details of the room she was in, but slowly her eyes were adjusting to the darkness. She picked out a thin blue haze delineating a shoulder height opening in one of the walls.

She shifted her weight on the mattress and propped her weight on her elbows peering at the blue square of light, which was slowly becoming more visible and clearly defined as her vision adjusted to the darkness.

Soon she was more awake, and she changed her position again to get up. Her foot slid off the mattress into the tangle of straw that held it up off the floor. When she stood up she curled her toes gratefully around some of the individual stalks of the straw and pushed her heels into the matted mass.

She gathered the blanket and draped it over her shoulders. Flecks of straw itching on her bare skin under the warm but heavy wool. She wiggled her skin underneath the heavy drape, and settled the pricks into her consciousness.

The blue square of light appeared to be brighter now, hanging like an empty picture frame in front of her. She noticed the breeze coming through the hole and went up to it, leaning on the shelf beneath the opening.

It wobbled slightly as she rested her elbows on the shelf there and leaned forward into the breeze looking up and down the corridor out side the room. The building was illuminated by a shaft of moonlight, coming through a window at one end of the corridor.

Slowly Penelope was recalling where she was, and the events of the previous day that had led her to this place.

'Yesterday', she thought, 'was the most momentous day of my life.' she turned around and rearranging her mattress against the back wall sat down again to recall the events which had led up to this moment.

----------------------------------------------

It had only been about a month and half ago that Penelope had seen the 3 line classified in the back pages of a leading equine magazine. She had mailed off a brief note about herself including the salient information about the topic of the ad, together with the required self addressed envelope.

Her envelope was returned into her mailbox in less than a week, containing a lengthy questionnaire. She had filled out the form that same evening after dinner, while seated before a warm fire she had kindled especially for the occasion, savouring and answering each question carefully.

Then there had been the Telephone Interviews; three of them with successively senior personnel of the Ranch.

After the last interview she was instructed to wait for an information package to arrive in the Mail, and follow those instructions exactly.

When the package had arrived, she had been disappointed to learn that she was required to wait an additional two and a half weeks before catching the designated train to the place where she would begin her adventure.

However when the day of departure arrived, she was glad to have had the forced delay. She had, as instructed, closed all of her bank accounts except one savings account in which consolidated all her funds. She had packed all of her possessions and stored them, in her parents' garage. She had finished her relationship with her lover of nearly two years in the "absolutely definitive terms," as described in the instructions, and she had provided and worked out the two weeks notice her employment required.

The last night in her apartment, now unfurnished, Penelope had slept on the floor, under the single blanket which was now was in storage with her other personal effects in the small suitcase which she had arrived with, and had been taken away on her arrival.

In her mind she went carefully over the details of the previous day's events.

She had woken early and, even though she walked the four miles to the train station she had arrived there an hour early.

As instructed she had telephoned the ranch about five minutes before boarding the train, and had then placed her remaining money into the hand valise before boarding the train.

When the train lurched, on departure, she knew that she would be beginning an entirely new existence. That when she alighted the Carriage, she was, per her instructions, to completely obey the groom who would meet her.

The Journey was on a local train, and there were more than twenty stops before her destination, and when it came she had read the Station Signs at every intervening stop.

Penelope stepped down with about 5 other passengers. There was no one who seemed obviously there to meet her, and she made her way slowly towards the exit gate, arriving there after all the other travelers.

Through the grill of the station window she had seen the soft young woman wearing bluejeans and a sweater and, more saliently carrying a coiled rope under her arm.

She had of course been expecting the "groom" to be a male person, but remembering the injunction, to question nothing; she walked towards the woman. The groom walked forward too, and after taking the valise from Penelope's grasp, She introduced herself, Sarah, and made her feel welcome. Then she led her outside.

As soon as they had rounded the corner to where the van was parked, the noose of the rope was placed over Penelope's head and she was led up the ramp to the foremost stall inside.

Sarah stroked her for the moment, placing a finger against Penelope's lips to dissuade any further conversation. When the groom was satisfied that her charge was comfortable, she leapt into the cab with her small suitcase and drove off.

The ride was about a half an hour, and when the road became more bumpy Penelope, peering through the slatted divider of her stall looked over the green fields of grazing horses, the white fenced paddocks and stable buildings which were approaching.

It was about 10:00 am, and the mist of the warming morning dew was still blanketing the grass.

----------------------------------------------

The van came to a halt, and Sarah got down.

"How's the new filly," a man's voice asked, and Penelope swung her head around to the direction it came from.

"I think she'll be fine sir," the groom answered; continuing with an interrogation of her own. "Would you like me to give her a workout before we stable her," she asked?

Penelope stiffened slightly in pride at being described as "fine," and continued to seek out a sighting of the man whose voice she was hearing, through the slats of the van.

"Oh let's see her work a little," the man replied, this time from much closer. Penelope could see him now; middle aged, wearing a brown tweed jacket with matching deerstalker, jodhpurs and riding boots, red faced and clean shaven.

Sarah came into the back of the van and checked Penelope's demeanour.

As instructed by the letter, Penelope was wearing only a plain T-shirt, shorts with cotton panties and leather sandals. Sarah removed the sandals and petted her for a minute or so.

Then the groom grasped the halter and backed her out of the stall, before leading her down the ramp and introducing her to the man.

"Penelope, this is Mr. Higgins; Mr. Higgins, Penelope," Sarah said. "Mr. Higgins is your owner."

The man leaned forward and stroked Penelope's hair kindly, then her back and buttocks.

"Let's see her run around," Mr Higgins ordered, and the groom then maneuvered the halter underneath Penelope's arms and led her to the middle of the paddock. There she tied on an extension of rope onto the halter and spoke her instruction quietly into Penelope's ear; "for now you'll either walk or canter when I tell you."

Penelope noticed now that the groom was carrying a crop, which was swinging from her belt.

The groom let out the rope so that Penelope would have a circle of about 40 feet circumference to work out in.

She felt the warm mud oozing in-between her toes and waited for the command.

"Walk on" Sarah intoned loudly and Penelope moved off, slogging through the warm mud as she went. When she had completed the first circle, Susan said, "canter."

Penelope picked up her pace, splashing the mud happily over herself and approximating a horsey gait as best she could. When she had cantered the circle twice she was visibly tiring and the groom called out to "walk."

She was relieved to be exerting herself less but the heaving of her breathing was making her gait ungainly and the groom called her to "stop" and let the halter lay on the ground.

Mr. Higgins came over with an apple, which he had held while she greedily munched on it, sucking the juices from it's flesh to assuage her thirst. Meanwhile he stroked her hair and torso with affection using long strokes, which began at her neck beneath her perspiring hairline and ended lingering at the curve of her buttocks.

When she had finished the apple, he had led her over to the water trough next to the stable and tied her there loosely, leaving her to drink while he consulted with the groom.

After about five minutes Sarah came back and unhooked the rope.

"Mr. Higgins would like you to improve your form," she said. "Mr. Higgins wants you to canter with longer vertical steps, pulling your feet right out of the mud each time you make a step. OK?"

There was a pause and then she went on "Keep your head up and look only straight ahead of you. Act like a lady too."

Penelope nodded and was led back into the paddock by the groom, who took her own place in the center.

Penelope thought over the admonishment she had received and determined to take note of the instruction she was given.

"Walk on," the groom commanded and Penelope began her walk as efficiently and daintily as she could manage, waiting for the command 'canter' to be given.

It was a man's voice she heard next.

"Alright m'girl, lets see what you can do." There was a pause and then he gave the command to "canter."

Penelope glanced to the side momentarily to see who was where.

It was Mr. Higgins who was now holding the rope. He must have slipped into the paddock behind her as she was circling. He was holding the rope with a firm grip of his left hand. In his right hand he had a whip.

Penelope quickly returned her gaze to the front as she had been instructed and concentrated on the quality of her gait.

Almost simultaneously with the command to canter, she heard the whip crack. She altered her gait and began to lope along. After about one and a half circles she stumbled. Almost immediately the whip cracked again. She felt the wind from it around her calves and the merest sting of it on her buttocks.

She picked up quickly and resumed her canter.

The whip cracked again, when she had slowed her pace momentarily, catching her more firmly this time. She picked up her pace right away, motivated as much by her desire to serve her owner well, as for fear of the stinging pains which he could inflict.

When she was exhausted, and still cantering as best she could while waiting for the whip's next visit, she gratefully heard the "walk" call and slowed down.

Mr. Higgins passed the rope back to Sarah and instructed the groom to "walk her down," bathe her, and feed her lunch. Then he had come over and petted her before he went away.

After about fifteen minutes, Sarah led Penelope into the stable, and into a shower room close to the entranceway.

The groom ran a warm torrent of water, undressed, bathed, soaped, shampooed, and dried her. After applying a soothing balm to the two nicks which had been caused by Mr. Higgins' whip, she re-dressed Penelope in clothing which had been waiting in there.

The new clothing consisted of a leather brassiere with brass rings below her armpits, and soft leather hotpants, also with rings attached on the sides. When she putting them on, the new clothing fitted perfectly, easing around her breasts and buttocks like an extra layer of skin.

Sarah offered her a clean T-shirt to wear over the leather top, and she had accepted, due to the coolness of the day.

After she had been dressed, Penelope admired the bra's clear outline underneath the T-shirt in the mirror. Then she was led to the Ponies' common room at the far end of the stable building.

There were a half a dozen other ponypeople in the room and Penelope was generally introduced to them.

"Say hello to Penelope everyone," Sarah had announced, before leaving the room. Penelope was greeted with a series of whinnies, followed by general introductions from her peers.

They are a pleasant group, Penelope thought looking around. There were five other ponygirls and two ponyboys too.

In one corner of the room there was a salad bar containing apples, lettuce, oatmeal, and other human/horsey foods.

Another corner had a circle of comfortable chairs around a long low table.

Penelope sat down in one of the chairs and joined the conversation already going on there, being accepted into it automatically as a peer Pony.

The time passed quite uneventfully except when a groom came in to fetch one of them. As soon as he entered the room they all stopped talking. The groom haltered the designated Pony and led her, or him, outside.

After a couple of hours Sarah came back and collected Penelope, leading her out on a short halter.

"Mr. Higgins would like me to try you in dressage," Sarah told her as she was being led through the door.

They went through a small door at the end of the stable into an indoor arena. it was about 30 feet in diameter with three rows of seating around the entire circumference, except for the space where they had entered through, and an area, on the opposite side, of about 15 feet across where there were an assortment of carts stored.

Penelope wondered, with some anticipation and excitement, if she would be harnessed in one of those today.

The groom bought out a television and together they watched a tape of horses walking for about 30 minutes and they discussed the nuances of horse gait together.

Before they had began the exercises Sarah had told her to remove the T-shirt. There were two beautiful green plumes on the bench, and as Sarah had fastened them into the rings at the sides of the pants, she had said, "Mr. Higgins was very pleased with your performance in the corral. These are a gift from him. You are a lucky girl to have him as your owner. This is your Dressage Outfit, you lucky pony you."

Then she had delved into the bag there and pulled out a beautiful black collar. It was adorned with a small brass plate with her name on it in script. There was a ring fastening in it on the opposite side from the nameplate too. Sarah put it on Penelope and stood back to admire her.

Penelope remembered feeling so important in her new clothes, admiring herself as best as she could in them and swiveling her neck within the new collar too. Meanwhile Sarah continued to caress and care for her for a while.

"OK let's do it," Sarah said interrupting herself she placed a rope halter on her neck and Penelope was led out to a stake in the ground and tied to it, having been made to stand on four limbs, hands and feet.

She remembered that she had felt a little awkward to have her buttocks sticking out so much. Sarah must have sensed this because on her return she had caressed them momentarily, before commencing the workout.

She returned with a ball of twine and attached one end of it to the stake. Then she walked off across the arena and tied the string to a ring at the other side.

She caressed her charge, speaking encouragingly about the task ahead for a minute before commencing the training.

She gave a succinct set of verbal instructions before they began.

"Remember to keep some of your weight forward over your front limbs, but not too much. I'm going to lead you in a tight circle, then along the string. Then we'll do another circle and come back along the string. When we walk along the string I want your feet to alternately touch the side of the string."

She was untied and led off. Penelope felt a wind across her thighs and knew it came from the swing of a riding crop being balanced for the exercise.

"Walk on," Sarah commanded and they set off. When they came to the string, Sarah was speaking to her again "Mr. Higgins likes a nice form and he's very strict about his dressage, but he's a good Master to have, you'll see."

As she walked along the string, Penelope knew that the precise positioning of her feet was causing her buttocks to sway in the lissome manner of a horse's walk. She was pleased with the effect.

They had exercised for about twenty minutes, before the groom had called it off. She had used the crop only twice, more as a playful slap in an indication of rank than as an instrument of control.

Penelope remembered thinking that she had actually quite enjoyed those slaps too.

Sarah had towelled her off after removing the plumes, and led her off to the Pony room where dinner was served, which she had enjoyed a great deal. Then after dinner she had been led back to the stall. She had noticed that a plate with her name on it had been placed next to the stall entrance.

Penelope was comforted to know that she had her own stall at the stable building.

Sarah pointed out two pegs on the side wall. "You will hang your tack," referring to the leather halter/bra and soft leather shorts which was all that she would be expecting to wear from now on unless the temperature determined otherwise.

Her collar though, she had been told, she was expected to always wear unless specifically instructed otherwise.

"Here, I'll help you," she continued and reached Penelope's hands around her back to where she could feel the fastener, and guided her in unfastening it. Then she held the waistband open so that Penelope could easily step out of the pants, before caressing her and grooming her hair for a while.

Penelope enjoyed being caressed by the groom and nuzzled closer as she did it. But Sarah stopped the play as soon as her hair had been thoroughly groomed, leading her to the mattress and laying her down and covering her with the soft blanket.

She had caressed the collar for a while, enjoying the comfortable feeling of belonging which it brought her.

For a while she lay silently and listened to the clop-clop of the other ponies being led over the wooden stable floor to their stalls by one of the grooms, until the last one of them was locked in. "One of us," Penelope thought.

The commotion of stable life had died down. Penelope was just settling into sleep when she heard a voice close by.

"Here girl." It was Mr. Higgins. He was leaning over the stall gate. His shoulders were bare and he was dangling a hairbrush from one hand.

She stood up and went over to him, and he began to brush her hair. It was a softly bristled brush, indeed her hair was not in need of brushing and he allowed the caresses to continue from the ends of the hair across her naked body.

He clipped a chain onto the collar, using it to direct her head away from the strokes of the brush and to counteract her desire to nuzzle him.

He pushed the half door open and eased into the stall. He kissed her, on her neck, her shoulders, and was moving around to attend to her breasts when she noticed that he was naked too.

He leaned over to kiss her nipples each in turn before moving his mouth up to hers. He pulled her mouth up to his, by the chain, and she accepted his large kisses and reciprocated as an acceptance of his dominance.

In time he had led her over on top of the mattress and pulled her down on all fours to the floor. She had felt his desire pushing earnestly up at her slightly swaying belly, and she had waited obediently for him to fulfil himself.

He drew back to enter her, it had been more easily than she had ever been entered before. They swayed together and she allowed herself to enjoy her owner's pleasure inside her.

He pulled his arms around her waist, and lifting her buttocks up high, like property that she was, and he entered her as deeply as possible.

More deeply than I have ever been entered before, Penelope thought. More completely than I have ever been owned.

They swayed together some more, Mr. Higgins pushing forward more greedily in his own pleasure with each thrust. When he relaxed, Penelope felt his pleasure as her own fulfillment.

Not merely the orgasm of a delighted clitoral stimulation but more, a full experience of belonging, which encompassed her entire being extending beyond her corporal existence.

Mr. Higgins had caressed her buttocks as he pulled out of her, but Penelope did not remember him leaving her. She must fallen asleep immediately.

----------------------------------------------

The square of light in the upper stall door was quite bright now and she got up again and went over to the door. It was quite light in the corridor too and she could smell the dewy morning smells in the air.

While she was enjoying the rural odors, the door swung open and James, the assistant whom she had seen grooming one of the other Ponygirls in the afternoon after her workout, walked in.

"Good morning Penelope," he said. "You may dress now, and then I'll take you in for breakfast. You have a busy day ahead of you."