Filamena Trotter had a clever, quick, analytical mind, but suffered with a great deal of self-consciousness, lack of confidence, and much aloneness because of misunderstandings. Her idealistic and sensitive nature gave her a deep appreciation for the finer things of life and a strong desire to be of service to humanity. She was deeply moved by the beauties of life, especially nature. She always found pleasure in literature, in poetry, and in her ideals and would turn to them whenever she felt misunderstood.

After years of struggle with her ways, on her thirtieth birthday, she decided to suspend her successful career as a proofreader at National Geographic, and take a year's sabbatical to find herself.

By chance, the Monday of that last week she had been editing a short travelogue on western horse ranches. The glowing paragraphs on the beauties of the open range, the joys being one with nature caught her imagination.

A vignette in an insert to the story focused on a spread called Tina's Ranch. It told of ranch volunteers, who spent their summer serving humanity by showing visitors to the Ranch everything about the enjoyment of equines and taking them for rides. One photo, showing men and women together, laughing, uninhibited, looking strong and confident, especially riveted her eye. The caption said "Find yourself on a horse ranch." It hit a bullseye in her soul. She knew what she had to do.

Filamena immediately sought out Tina's Ranch on the internet, and was pleased to find that they were still seeking volunteer applicants, for training and use within the month. She wasted no time filling in the online application form as required, first explaining why she wanted a change in career, then attaching a bio, a cv. After some reluctance, she attached her photo, showing a very tall and well proportioned redhead, and sent it all off.

On tenterhooks for a few days, constantly checking her email inbox, she was almost at the point of giving up, when disappointment turned to excitement. Thursday morning there was an email from Tina herself!

Filamena was all thumbs, trying to open that email. She shrieked her excitement at what it said. "Congratulations, you have been accepted as a volunteer. You will come here no later than Friday. No need to bring anything except the clothes you wear. All volunteers are part of a happy family and will be provided with all they need. Welcome to the herd!" The email went on to say an open airplane ticket had been sent by courier, and that she'd be met at the airport.

She spent the week on cloud nine, in a fog. This had to be it. She would find all she needed and wanted at Tina's.

After a long flight from New York's Kennedy Airport, Filamena arrived at the Tulsa Regional Airport, looking smart in her cowboy boots, bluejeans and white blouse. A lean, virile looking blond man in aviator shades met her, smiled and motioned her to follow. Obviously he had seen her photo, so she did. He led her to a private jet in another section of the airport. After they boarded, the only ones, he indicated a passenger seat. She sat down and buckled in. He headed to the cockpit and soon they were aloft, heading west.

In twenty minutes, they landed at what seemed to be a private airfield. There was nothing there except a black limousine. After they disembarked, he walked her to the limo, opened the door and watched her get in. Shutting the door after her, he went to the driver's seat, and off they went.

When Filamena awoke, groggily, she found herself lying down on very itchy hay in what seemed to be a barn. She had no idea how she got there or how long she had been there. She tried to move, to get up, and found she could not. She tried to scream for help, but only a strange whine came out of her mouth. Focusing, she found she could barely open her mouth and that there was something between her teeth! In fact there seemed to be something tightly pressing her head all over, and also her neck. As she sensed herself lower down, she realized she was naked, yet she found the same tightness on her body, around her bosoms, around her crotch, at her wrists and on her feet. Very frightened now, she wondered what was going on. Had she been kidnapped on the way to Tina's Ranch?

Crunching footsteps announced that someone was coming. Filamena was suddenly alert, upon seeing the face of Tina herself looking down at her with a grin.

"Welcome to my other ranch, Filly." Tina said casually. "Yes, you have volunteered, and now you shall find yourself, on this horse ranch. Here you will become part of my herd, one amongst a family of my equines. You will spend your summer indeed serving humanity by showing all my very special visitors to the ranch everything about the enjoyment of female equines. You will be pleasing these men and women sexually any way they desire. Also, you will be taking them for rides, here among the nature you love. By fall you will have lost all your inhibitions, all self-consciousness. Your instant obedience will be ingrained in you by the whip - in your utter and perfect service you will find your self-confidence. In this barn you will never be alone. And everything I think a ponygirl needs will be provided to you."

Filamena tried to shout her objections, but only a strange whinny came out.

Tina smiled and explained, "Your vocal cords have been treated with botox. So have the muscles in your upper arms. Botox treatments last six weeks. As long as I keep giving them, you will be unable to talk nor use your upper arms. I have no use for either of them."

Filamena's clever analytical mind quickly told her that there was nothing she could do but obey, so when Tina clipped a chain to her collar and tugged she struggled to her feet with some difficulty.

"Come, Filly!" As Tina led her outside, they passed a small mirror where she glimpsed her reflection. There she was, walking tall on huge platform shoes, bridled, bitted, harnessed, her red hair shaved on her head, leaving only a central ponylike mane. Her shock quickly turned to pleasure, as she realized she loved the way she looked!

Outside, there was only nature and no civilization as far as the eye could see. Tina led her to the tailgate of a red truck, where the pilot was sitting and sipping a beer. They greeted each other, then Tina said, "Thanks Bart. As usual, you have earned the right to use Filly first."

Ignoring the animal standing silently by them, proud and tall, she continued, "As I advertised, at the end of summer I will let Filly free, if she so desires. Somehow I think she will have found herself by then and she will have learned to cherish her new career. She will beg me to let her stay as a ponygirl. Only then will I brand her. But I am not sure I'll keep her, as Filly will bring in good money at the fall pony auction."



© SirJeff, March 2004