Shivering, for I was not used to the chill yet, I moved, wobbly, away from my Master, as he approached with the bridle. He smiled, knowing that I could not get far - perhaps also knowing that I didn't really want to.
" Whoa, easy there girl ! " - and he caught hold of my harness, with skill slipping the bridle over my head. With his fingers holding my nose tight, I had to open my mouth, and the bit slid in. I chewed, slightly, to adjust it, and calmed down... he knows me so well...
" There, that was not hard ? " - he stroked my ears.
*whinny!*
" I know, I know, you are eager to be off ! " - and he laughed as I stared back, angrily. He knew so well that his control was perfect, that even had I meant the stare I could go nowhere.
Pushing me slowly backwards, he maneuvered me in between the two handles of a sulky, lifting them, and attaching them to my harness. It was quite light, designed in a composite material with ponygirls in mind.
Making sure I was secured, and bringing with him a long, vicious looking whip, my Master sat down in it, and tested the reins. With a sharp pull he brought my head back, then to one side, then the other. I whinnied !
" Calm down, easy... " - and his foot stroked my flank - " We will start quite slowly, so you'll get the feel of it. Now, move out ! " - and he flicked the reins.
With mixed emotions, parts of me loving this, parts wanting to run away, I moved forward, the sulky jerking into motion behind me.
*crack!*
I whinnied, the whip hitting me hard and fast.
" Slowly I said, slowly ! " - another stroke hit me.
" You must start much softer, so the sulky doesn't jerk. This is going to be a pleasurable way for me to ride. Try again ! "
Again I started, this time much softer, letting the handles take up the load slowly. Soft, and content, words my Master spoke to me then.
" Good girl...good... " - and in silence he let me walk for a few minutes, around the yard, pulling slightly on the reins now and then, to let me know the feeling. I got more steady as the minutes went, learning to handle my high hooves in the new situation.
With a sharp twist he then turned me towards the training circuit, and flicked the reins for a touch more speed. Inside the circuit he stopped me.
" Now, you will not, since you have that sad physical defect of being born in a human body " - and I could hear his grin - " be able to trot properly. So, I'll teach you in a slightly different way... "
I shivered, knowing that my backside would be filled with the lashes from that whip before the day was ended.
" First, when you run, you are not to lift your knees much, but to stride forward. You'll soon find the right balance between lifting and striding.
Now go ! " - and again he flicked the reins.
I started, softly, then increasing my speed. With a sharp *crack* the first of the afternoon's lashed burned my behind, and I moaned !
" This " - he sighed - " I fear will take some time. No matter, we have plenty of it... " - and the reins flicked again...